One rainy day in a eastern, middle sized town, a small 10 yr. old boy has left his house. The boy is out buying anew pair of sneakers, but back at his house his old sneakers are wondering and remembering.
"Mom," said the sneaker.
"Yes," she replied.
"What's going to happen to me?" asked the sneaker.
"I don't know son, but whatever happens remember I still love you," she answered. The sneaker became worried. He's confused about this, will I.. He doesn't even want to think about it. He asked his mother, "What happens when you," he paused, "die".
His mother hesitated then said, "Well, I think it's time you heard the truth. When you die it's like going to sleep. Some shoes believe you go to heaven, others believe you are reincarnated and come back as another kind of shoe. Your Grandfather was cremated and was put in the trash and tossed into the dump. But no-one is sure what happens to you".
"He wouldn't do that to me, I'm to young to die," cried the sneaker.
"You can't avoid death, son, it's a part of life, you're born, you grow, and you die," she replied.
"But he can't just throw me away, after all we've been through," argued the sneaker. His mother had gone off to do some housework.
The sneaker began to remember all the times he had with the boy.
The day he got there how excited the boy was. He went outside and showed me off to all his friends. I was treated with respect and love, but now, now he wants to throw me away into the COLD, CRUEL, TRASH CAN. I helped him do a lot of things. In gym class I helped him win races, kick goals, and shoot jump shots. I helped him walk and not only that! I protected his feet from glass, splinters, pebbles and other sharp and painful objects. I do all the work and all those things for him, for what! To get shoved into a bookbag in the winter, get mud all over me, get wet, stepped on and stunk up by his smelly feet.
Besides do I have any holes in me. No! Maybe a little scuffed up and my shoestrings frayed, that's it, and just because of that I'm going to kick the bucket.
Then the door opened, the boy came in, he picked up the shoes, went near the trash can near the stairs. The sneakers thought, "I'm a goner,". The boy didn't drop him there. "He's going to torture me," thought the sneakers. He went upstairs into his brother's room and gave him to his little brother.
The little boy was happy to receive his brother's shoes. As for the sneaker, he was relieved and the boy and the sneaker stayed together for a long time.
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