Doctor Who?

My heart sank somewhat with the news yesterday that Peter Capaldi will be wearing Dr Martens shoes in his new role as Dr Who. It prompted me to pen these few words as to why I wear Docs. It's not that I have anything against 'Whovians' or Peter Capaldi, Malcom Tucker is indeed a hero of mine but.....

I've only recently rediscovered the joy and the pain of "Docs" and it all came about because of this picture of Virginia Wade. How? Through one of the many wonderful conversations that spring up from sports reminiscence sessions. Virginia cropped up as one of the legends cards covering various sports. The conversation initially centred on tennis and Wimbledon, strawberries & cream, Dan Maskell & John Barrett, Little Mo Connelly, but then turned to the year Virginia won Wimbledon. 1977. The Queen's Silver Jubilee.

That transported me instantly back to my Mother busy covering plastic chip trays with silver foil to string along the front of our house between union jack flags and more trays painted red, white and blue. She even decorated the garden with silver foil in an effort to win best decorated house in Northallerton...a bid which was met with utter disdain by my older brother who was in his teens and heavily into music....in particular a new movement in music that appeared in 1977....yes whilst the house looked like a celebration of all things regal and royal, the music that pumped out of one window were the dulcit tones of Johnny Rotten et al. God Save the Queen......

I must have been reflecting back on that when on a rare shopping trip I headed into Schuh to try find some new work shoes and there they were...Docs! It was 1979 when I was 'allowed' to buy my first pair. Despite the shop assistant kindly warning me I may feel a little discomfort for a while I had to buy them! I confess my brain had conveniently forgotten just how much discomfort breaking them in entails but after a couple of months of bleeding heels and hobbling I've finally been rewarded with the comfiest pair of shoes in the world.

Thanks Virginia

Tony
@tja_evonet