Maybe a dozen or so years ago while on vacation there was a family near us at the pool. Late in the afternoon, mom went to her room to get cleaned up while dad watched the kids. She returned to the pool dressed in a blouse, shorts and a leather pair of white Hampton Sport Keds (with little white socks). The Keds looked new - probably purchased for the vacation. I was in the water sitting on the steps that led down into the water so I had an eye-level view of her sneakers. The Hampton Sports were nice in that the leather was very smooth and supple.
Dad then went to the room and mom started a countdown for the kids to get out of the pool. One child got out and the other continued to play with his diving stick in the shallow end at the base of the stairs leading into the pool near where I was sitting. Like many kids, this one was not complying with mom's repeated requests. The child was nearly within arms length of mom but not quite. Remarkably, mom stepped down onto the first step where there was about a half inch of water to reach the kid. My eyes were glued to her Keds as they were slightly submerged in the water. I could tell that the leather was keeping her feet dry. I was close enough that I could see her toes moving inside the shoes which was really nice.
Mom was able to grab the arm of the child when he popped up from the water and get him out of the pool. She left wet footprints in her walk back to their chairs. I was amazed how confident she was about stepping onto that ledge knowing that her leather uppers would keep her feet dry. While drying off her child, he remembered that his diving stick was still in the pool. Visibly frustrated, mom returned to the pool and saw the diving stick on the second step. Stepping onto the ledge again, this time her foot slipped off and down to the second step where the diving stick was. She let out a muffled profanity and looked up at the sky with a "I can't believe this" look on her face. She snatched the diving stick out of the water and stomped back to the chairs. There was an audible "squish" with each step. I saw her a few more times that week but never again in the Keds. Only in flip flops. I bet the wet shoe probably took at least a day to dry.
Dad then went to the room and mom started a countdown for the kids to get out of the pool. One child got out and the other continued to play with his diving stick in the shallow end at the base of the stairs leading into the pool near where I was sitting. Like many kids, this one was not complying with mom's repeated requests. The child was nearly within arms length of mom but not quite. Remarkably, mom stepped down onto the first step where there was about a half inch of water to reach the kid. My eyes were glued to her Keds as they were slightly submerged in the water. I could tell that the leather was keeping her feet dry. I was close enough that I could see her toes moving inside the shoes which was really nice.
Mom was able to grab the arm of the child when he popped up from the water and get him out of the pool. She left wet footprints in her walk back to their chairs. I was amazed how confident she was about stepping onto that ledge knowing that her leather uppers would keep her feet dry. While drying off her child, he remembered that his diving stick was still in the pool. Visibly frustrated, mom returned to the pool and saw the diving stick on the second step. Stepping onto the ledge again, this time her foot slipped off and down to the second step where the diving stick was. She let out a muffled profanity and looked up at the sky with a "I can't believe this" look on her face. She snatched the diving stick out of the water and stomped back to the chairs. There was an audible "squish" with each step. I saw her a few more times that week but never again in the Keds. Only in flip flops. I bet the wet shoe probably took at least a day to dry.