Funny, I don’t remember taking banned substances…

A Jewel on Queen West

So I found these socks…  these mind-blowing, amazing, hyperventilation-inducing-from-so-much-glee socks…  on Queen West at a store that must, I think, cater to the drag queen set.  (Original – 515 Queen Street West in Toronto.)  This store was so awesome, I got a little dizzy.  Jon had to remind me to breathe properly as I stared at a wall of leg wear.

This store was kind of like… Heaven.  First, you walk in and there are fabulous shoes as far as the eye can see.  Floral oxfords and polka-dotted Mary Janes and Steam Punk red leather boots.  Counters with sparkly hair accessories and bracelets…  Fancy-schmancy dresses (+ a whole 2nd floor above with even MORE fancy-schmancy dresses)…   And then?  Then an entire WALL with the most fabulous socks and tights I have EVER seen.  I spied, designed in France!!!, Dub & Drino socks.  I held them to my chest like a brand new patchwork kitten.  When the cashier tried to make me hand them over to scan the price, I growled.  She eventually convinced me to move my hand closer to the scanner.

Dub & Drino tights and socks, from FRANCE

I escorted these festive foot accessories home.  Rissa got very excited when I shared their magnificence with her.  I took the socks from their cardboard banding – nearly salivating as I readied my feet for their glory…

And the fuckers didn’t fit!!  When did I acquire Female Soviet Athlete calves?!?   Were my Flintstones laced with anabolic steroids in the 70s?  I could just barely get the socks on, but then my circulation was cut off from my knees down.  I got a little woobly.  I was close to weeping.  The socks, now reside in Rissa’s sock drawer.

I looked on the wrapper and discovered these socks were made for sizes 5/8.5  feet.  See?  That was the problem there.  I needed either sized 9/11 socks, or the ones labelled “For those with freakishly ginormous calves.”  I’m going back next time I’m in town and I’m reading the labels and I’m stocking up.  If Rissa hadn’t so coveted them herself, I would have turned them into fingerless gloves for the winter.  I may still buy another pair, cut the toes off, make a thumb-hole and do just that.  ‘Cause you know what? My forearms WILL fit into the 5/8.5 sized socks and then the world shall marvel at my fabulous forearms and say “Oh my Heather.  Where, oh where, did you discover such marvelous mitts?”  And then?  Then I shall sing them the Ballad of the Fabulous Fingerless Gloves.