A Cobbler's End

These shoes were repaired by my own hands, I have to thank my late grandpa for teaching me how. And now I'm privileged to be wearing his shoes, these brown oxfords know their way around a waltz, how they glide with consummate ease and become one with their wearer. That’s how my grandpa wooed the most beautiful lady he'd ever seen, whisking her across the dance floor.

 My father had taken over the business from my grandpa but times had changed from the 1940s. People of today didn’t want their shoes repaired, they want new, the frill of trying on a multitude of styles and brands, from the cheap to expensive, that’s what the people like.

I work at the family business as a cobbler but, I want to be more than just that. I like to put my visions down on paper, sketches of designs I have of shoes and boots for men and women alike that they would find appealing, fashionable to wear. I'd even suggested to my father about making shoes.

But my father keeps telling me, no kid, we’re cobblers, not cordwainers, what would your grandpa think if you were to stray from the family business he built?

It frustrates me too much, one thing I’ve learnt is that you have to evolve with the times, always be in touch with the ever-changing marketplace. But my old stubborn dad like his dad had been, is stuck in his old ways. And I want a change, I feel like I’m talented enough to showcase what I can offer the world. 

But then there’s the honour of grandpa's business to respect, he’d stipulated in his will that I was to run the family cobbler's when I'd come of age and dad was upholding his fathers wish. In the new year, the reins would be handed to me. But my father would oversee the finances.

I don't have the will or the nerve to approach dad today and tell him that Deeasjer’s, a tailor-made shoe company in London, likes my designs and has arranged a meeting with me.

*

I step out of the shop and lean against the side wall with my one shoe pressed to the wall. “Please grandpa forgive me I want to do this, there are new opportunities out there for me, I’m sure if you were with me now, you'd understand how I feel," I say to the sky.  

I look to my left, in the direction of heels tapping along the pavement. It's my darling Eliza, she’s been my love for only seven-months but, a rock she’s been in my life. In her presence my heart races with joy, she holds out a bag.

“Lunch you silly bugger, you forgot to pick it up on your way out this morning. I guess you haven’t told your dad yet.”

“The words are ready to roll off my tongue but somehow they’re stuck.”

I take the bag from her hand and watch her spin to walk the way she’d come, and then she pauses for a moment.

“You’ll find the courage to tell him,” she says.  

Just as I finish my sandwich and head back into the shop Mr Trellis, a well-respected customer steps across the road and calls out to me.

“Afternoon lad. I thought you were Cyril for a second then,” he says.

“A few people have said I’m a spitting image of grandpa.”

“You’ll make him proud, running the business. He was a good friend of mine. Good day to you,” he said, raising his trilby from his head.

Today was not the day. It would have to wait.

*

The smile on my face on this sunny morning reflected my inner mood. Just as I’d thought, yesterday's meeting had gone well. Deeasjer’s had said I pitched my designs exquisitely and that I was the type of professional they wanted as head of their design team.

Eliza and myself celebrated that evening well into the early hours of Saturday and somehow she’d got her wicked way with me, our clothes were flung all over the bedroom, I can’t remember much about last night but I didn’t mind, we are deeply in love, and it must have been fun.

I’m taking Eliza out for a day of window shopping and then, we’re having a light bite for lunch, we can’t overindulge because dinner is at my parent's house tonight the whole family is going to be there. Another celebration as the running of C&C Cobblers is going to be handed to me.

*

There is a full Turkey roast dinner in front of me. Clive, my father, sends the gravy boat over. There's always an empty chair at the table where grandpa Cyril always sat. But strangely I had a feeling his presence was with us. My sister was here too, my uncle and aunt and my mother.

“So Christopher,” my father began to say to me. “As you know son, It’s time for me to step down from the business—”

“I’m going to have to stop you there dad, Eliza and I are moving to London. “I’m following my dream of designing shoes, Deeasjer’s has offered me the role of head designer.”

Mum looked upset but for dad, it was like somebody had torn his heart from his chest, the whole family besides my sister were staring in awe. Inside I was still full of jubilations but sadness had filled the room. My father announced that expanding to make shoes was a good idea of mine, I had now found myself between a rock and a hard place.

“Think it through Christopher, you won’t own those designs, technically they would not be your shoes,” my father says. “Deeasjer’s will own it all.”

“I don’t want to continue repairing shoes, I don’t want to continue with the long-standing business of C&C Cobblers.”

“The food is getting cold everybody,” my mother interjected. “Let’s continue this after we’ve all eaten.”

At the table, all I could hear was the ching of metal on china and some angry chomping from my father, apart from that there was an eerie silence, an animosity that floated around us.

“Father please respect my decision, I have to learn to walk before I can run and my new job will give me that opportunity,” I say.

“But I agree son, what you said about expanding to making shoes as well is a great idea.”

“We don’t have the infrastructure or the resources, to take on such an enterprise. Financially it would cripple the business. I want to go to London and I am going to London.”

“Well, son I guess there’s no convincing you. I can’t let the business fold so your sister will have to take the reins,” my father replied.

“That is the best outcome. Poppy will do well. Won't you?"

Poppy rushed around the table and gave dad a big hug. I just hope grandpa is happy to.

"So on that conclusion please excuse me and Eliza we’re off dancing now. I've got to do grandpa proud in some way."