This is Day 23 in my 30-day blogging journey.
The reason for it can be found on Day 1.
I have a pair of cowboy boots that I’ve owned for over ten years.
I love them.
Like a lot of apparel and such that I own, once I have something that I like, I’ll wear it until it falls off my body.
My boots have been no exception.
And during the time I’ve had them, they’ve had their share of time with the cobbler to replace the heel and sole so that I could get more life out of them.
Each time I take them to be repaired, the woman who takes my order likes to comment that they “just don’t make them like that anymore”.
Maybe, she’s right.
Recently, I’ve been dealing with plantar fasciitis and as part of my recovery, I’ve got a new pair of orthotics.
I tried putting them into the boots but it made them seem almost “too” snug.
So, I started to accept the fact that maybe the boots were going to be retired and I’d need to find something new that the insoles would fit into.
I went into a local Boot Barn to look around and the woman who helped me was very nice.
She helped me understand which brands would work better for my needs and to be the closest replacement to what I currently own.
I asked her to help me understand how the boots should fit in consideration of the insole and she explained that as well.
I was lamenting about trading in something new for something old and she looked at my boots again and said: You know, a little bit of saddle soap and those things will look as good as new again. There’s no reason you won’t get another decade out of them.
So, it turned the conversation from a potential boot sale to just some accessories and at a fraction of the cost by comparison.
I find that to be something of a rarity these days.
I worked in retail for 16 years prior to opening my personal training business. I think I’ve seen every possible angle of salesmanship imaginable.
And maybe that’s why it was so refreshing that even though my salesperson wasn’t going to get a larger purchase from me, she sold me what I needed and nothing more.
It’s the kind of thing I’ll remember should my circumstances change and I inevitably give up on my weathered pair.
If memory serves, her name was Caroline.
And if you’re in the market for a pair of boots, make sure you get her to help you.
(Photo courtesy of Markus Spiske)
