An Embarrassing Situation On The Street

Last week, I went out to get back the bag that I had forgotten in a store. Before entering some stores here, you have to leave your bags at the door so yes, I sometimes leave something somewhere and remember them later.

While walking back home, the sole of my shoes got separated from the top. I wasn’t able to walk properly, I had to walk without lifting my left foot to not embarrass myself. And because it never rains but it pours, this was after 5 pm so almost all stores were closed due to the government’s new procedures because of the Coronavirus crisis.

After a while, I found that Awlad Ragab, a big hypermarket, was open. It usually provides food and beverages but sometimes they have an extra section where clothes, slippers and shoes are displayed. I said, “Let me check it out, maybe they have something that can save my day”. On the upper floor, I didn’t find anything that could be worn on feet. I asked a worker but he said no they didn't have any shoes or slippers. Then I asked a stupid question if they had glue or something like that and showed him the shoes hoping he would help me in some way but he just looked at me, smiling, and said, ‘No, we don’t’.

I left the store and found another one nearby, I asked an old guard if they had shoes, he said no. I told him about the broken shoes and luckily he said, ‘Let me look for some worker’s shoes in this room’. He searched but couldn’t find any. Then he looked at his slippers and said, “you can have mine” but quickly added; “But they're men’s slippers!”. I instantly said, “It’s totally fine, anything that could help me reach home would be fine," and asked what he would do. He said he could handle himself.

Luckily, I was wearing long loose pants so half of my feet weren’t shown. I found it difficult to walk with these slippers and sometimes my feet were twisted because they were too big on my feet but finally I managed to arrive home safe and sound.:D

When Mum heard about that, she laughed really loudly at me, and said mockingly, "Zainab, the ever-arrogant girl and so full of herself, accepted to wear these obsolete slippers". She always calls me arrogant and conceited. I don't know why!
Anyway, at home, I put on my slippers and put the guard’s slippers in a bag and went to return them to him. On my way, I found a supermarket open so I bought some juices and snacks for him as a thank you. He said I shouldn’t have and didn’t want to take them but I insisted. Then I rushed back home as the streets were so quiet.