Peppermint Shoes

Escaping the world by merging with a local shoe shop for a while before going home, I spied very plain white sneakers for two dollars each--and in my size!

I bought six pair.

Innovation struck me! At home, I took a red permanent marker and painted stripes across each shoe; then, I filled each shoe with peppermints.

When the Accreditation Committee arrived to inspect my classroom and inquire about school procedures, I made no mistakes. My peppermint shoes were in plain sight to remind me to keep my foot out of my mouth.

"Why do you have these shoes on your classroom shelf?" they asked.

"Oh, these peppermint shoes are an exercise in logical thinking. Can you spot the difference between the two shoes in the pair?"

Sure enough, there was an extra eyelet hole in one of the shoes, explaining why the shoes were so cheap, and giving justification for the peppermint shoes being in my classroom.

My peppermint shoes still remind me to keep my foot out of my mouth--well, at least, most of the time.