Only one shoe was left on the pavement. A woman’s flat shoes, the left; its right side worn out closer to the front part, on the spot where the bone of the toe protruded, in search of space in the enclosure of the PU upper. The paramedical did not notice the loss of the shoe and closed the ambulance door before I could register it. When I picked the shoe, I shouted at the top of my voice, but the white vehicle was already too far, its blue sound drowning my voice. I slowly set down the plastic bag with my groceries and put the shoe in it. I noticed how my left knee was hurting, and while straightening up my back hurt too, thus I moved gently upwards, my eyes closed to block the pain. I first hold my lower back with my hands and then stretched backwards a little. As I opened my eyes the faint orange clouds in the distance reminded me that I had to hurry home to prepare dinner.

I walked the few steps toward the bus stop putting one foot in front of the other. I sat down. I only had to wait a few minutes before I saw the bus in the distance. I bent to take my grocery bag to board the bus. As my hand grabbed only empty air, I looked down surprised and scanned short way I walked. I saw my bag still laying on the pavement where I left it. I got up and, remembering to put one step in front of the other, I picked the bag and walked back to the bus stop. The bus already left, and I had no choice but waiting for the next.

I sat down again and thought about that lady shoe. I couldn’t have thrown it away, it would have meant give up discard that lady, give her for lost. I crossed myself, and prayed instead for the owner to find it missing, ‘cause to miss a shoe, the lady would still have a life to live.