My saviour when the shoe didn’t fit

RECENT articles about Sir Stanley Matthews (Mail) reminded me of my schooldays. A new boot was designed for him at the Co-op shoe factory, and, coincidentally, I also had a shoe made especially for me at the same factory. When I was young, there was a craze for black patent leather ankle-strap shoes. All the girls in my class had them, and I badly wanted a pair. My mother said no, the usual brown leather sandals for summer were better. I begged and begged, and eventually she gave in and took me to the Co-op shoe shop to buy a pair. The assistant brought over some for me to try on, but my mother could see they were too small and asked for the next size up. The assistant explained that, sadly, they were the largest pair they sold. I cried and cried, and the manager came to see what was the matter. He was sorry for me and knelt down and explained all over again, but I was still upset. Then he said he had an idea — he would go down to the Co-op shoe factory two streets away and have a pair specially made for me. My tears stopped at once. He measured my feet very carefully and said if I could wait three days, they would be ready for me. I was delighted — but it was a very long three days! The shoes were waiting for me when my mother took me to the shop after school, and they fitted me beautifully — and didn’t I show off! I wore them all that summer and took great care of them. That was one time when I did not complain about having big feet. Kay Harrison, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset.