Do you wear house slippers? I must admit, I rarely wear them. My choice of footwear around the house are rubber flip-flops. In the winter, too keep my feet warm, I wear wool socks. In Poland, when you visit somebody’s house you are excepted to take off your shoes, and are automatically given house slippers. I don’t understand the concept because the slippers are not brand new, they have been worn before. Many, many times, by various guests. You get the point! Upon arrival at a friend’s house, I found myself immediately rejecting the host’s slippers. But that’s not enough because the hosts usually insists on me wearing them around the house. In case I catch a cold since the floor is cold, or because they want me to feel comfortable, or for other inexplicable reason. Being put on the spot, I am usually forced to come up with various excuses why I don’t want to put them on. Sometimes, I am even faced with a delicate pressure. “Why don’t you want to wear the slippers?!” or “You don’t like my grandmother’s antique, hand-made crochet, pink slippers??”. Followed by a bewildered face expression and utter confusion. Then by a persistent attempt to place the slippers near me wherever I sit in the house; just in case I change my mind. One time, I tried gently pushing the slippers under a large piece of furniture but that didn’t work. They were found and mysteriously placed in front of me again. I understand now that this is because the slippers must be seen in plain sight as a symbol of the old-world Polish hospitality. Viva heirloom! Viva almost vintage, sometimes recycled, and always, always “gently” broken-in, home slippers!
Nonetheless, I must concede, this old Polish tradition is a very sweet gesture. I should appreciate that someone actually cares about my feet enough to offer me their own house shoes. Ha! I should be grateful! Instead, I feel awkward, my face gets red, and my palms start to sweat. I panic. Basically, I just want to run away. In America, it’s unlikely that you’ll be wearing someone else's bedroom mules or any kind of used shoes at all. I guess, I am just not used to it. However, being a person that favors solutions not problems, I decided to stop complaining, and prepare for my next visit. As such, I shall carry with me an extra pair of socks wherever I go. Just in case I get the dreaded offer to wear the host’s slippers again. I think that extra large socks with rubber lining underneath will be perfect.
Next, I must find out how to hand-crochet a pair of magnificent, one-size-fits-all, guest slippers. I mean, I must follow the tradition. Right?
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