New Shoes

I was picking up the kids as they walked home from school the other day, and as I approached them I noticed that Clara was walking shoeless Joe on the very hot sidewalk.  I pulled up and said, "Hey, Megs!  Why are you barefooted?" 

She marched to the car, "Mom!  I need new shoes--today!  Please!"
"Oh, Clara, don't be dramatic.  I know you don't love the shoes you have and that they're a little tight, but we've talked about this already.  Those are not good enough reasons to pay for a whole new pair."  (Growing up with the parents I had, and having lived through our own personal great depression days, my motto is the good old "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.")

"Mom, you don't understand..."
"Clara, I understand exactly, and that is why..."

At this point Isaac, who usually keeps to his own business, piped up:  "Um, excuse me, but Mom, I think Clara's right.  She does need new shoes.  It was actually really weird.  We were just walking along and suddenly one of her shoes, I don't know, it just exploded into rags."

We all laughed, and I told Clara that this does indeed qualify as "wear it out."  We got her some new ones that afternoon.