Display-laced Daydream
Under, through, over, and through once more weaved the
shoelace. On one side of the shoe, the lace hung lazily,
waiting for its turn to dance and stretch through the
procession of holes ahead.
Under, through, over, and through. That was the pattern
the laces had always followed. When the shoelace had
finished its journey, the remaining portion was tied and
stuffed inside the dark crevasse of the shoe. This process
was known as "display lacing," and the shoe would remain
in this state until the time when someone would wander
by, notice the shoe, take pity on it, and decide to purchase
it. It was thought that a shoe which had been display-laced
properly had a better chance of being noticed, therefore
a greater hope of being bought by one of the sole-searching
customers. Whether or not this theory had any
validity was no longer seen as relevant. Display lacing was
standard business practice. All shoelaces danced the same
dance. Certainly none of them questioned their fate.
Under, through, over and through. The dance repeated,
becoming a march which proceeded, seemingly stretching
to the end of time...