When George arrived at work he braved a smile and greeted his fellow workers. They asked him about his vacation, and in his jubilance of relating his trip to the Twin Cities, he forgot all about his aching feet.
At his teller’s window he began to wait on customers with his usual rapid speed. Oh, how he did enjoy his job. He was fast. He was efficient. His hands were a blur as he counted out money. George handled payroll checks, savings bonds, traveler’s checks, and opened an IRA account for a customer. He thought he could forget the pain in his feet by throwing himself into his work. But alas, no dice, his feet ached and howled because of those blasted wingtip shoes. Under the glaring florescent lights his shoes did shine, and George thought how deceiving a new pair of shoes can be, no one really knows the suffering they can bring! The pain became so critical that it disturbed his concentration.
“Young man,” said old Mr. Cimble, “I think you’ve given me ten dollars too much.”
George recounted the money and discovered that he had indeed given him an extra ten dollar bill. George blushed with embarrassment on account of his mistake and thanked Mr. Cimble for being an honest customer.
“Thank your lucky stars that I’m an honest man,” said Mr. Cimble for the fourth time as he loitered about George’s window as if waiting for a reward.
George worried about his mistake and knew that his lunch hour would be his salvation to take off his shoes and rest in the company lounge. He knew that he must give his poor feet a reprieve from the punishment they had received.
But poor George didn’t have the luck of having a lunch hour to himself. His boss, Mr. Sammon, put his arm around him and said, “Listen George, a group of us are going to Perillo’s for lunch, why don’t you join us and tell us all about your vacation?”
And George sadly accepted the invitation, how could be refuse his boss because of his short-sightedness on wearing a new pair of shoes?