For Sale: Baby Shoes, Never Worn

Hey, you there?
My online Buddy IM's me.
We used to be co-workers in another life. What were once daily office chats are now quick IMs sent across telephone and DSL lines.
He's a stay-at-home-dad, fellow blogger and, like me, has a 4 year old and a 6 month old.
He's also a newshound. He scours the news sites on a daily basis and often sends me links to current events stories.
(Sometimes more often than I'd like because who the hell wants to be reminded of all the bad news out there these days?)
(I think he thinks I am too ignorant on world events.)
Today he tells me of an article he read recently that noted a story about Ernest Hemingway who was once challenged to write a novel in 6 words. This is what he came up with:

For Sale: Baby Shoes, Never Worn.

How incredibly sad, my Buddy notes.
I agree. Nestled within those 6 words is a profound sense of loss that we, as parents, hope beyond all hope that we will never have to experience firsthand.
A few days later I am still pondering those words and find myself with a different take on them.
In this age of excess (Can you SUPERSIZE those fries, please?) Hemingway's words read more like an eBay ad posted by a someone who finds themself as my friend and I do with too many baby clothes and just not enough days in the week.
Just for fun I go to The Mouse's closet.
I pull out her shoes one by one.
I count 11 pairs of shoes.
E.L.E.V.E.N.



Two of those pairs still have the tags on them.
One pair is size 0-3 months. A pair of pink and blue sneakers that I just HAD TO HAVE when I was still pregnant with her and which she has never worn.
She has but two feet. Two deliciousy kissable feet with 10 pudgy little piggies.
Feet which look much better naked than covered up with man-made leather uppers and canvas.



Hemingway's Greatest Novel?
Or one Mom's desperate attempt at reclaiming money pissed away frivolously lovingly spent on too many baby clothes?
You decide.
And in the meantime, anyone wanna buy a pair of baby shoes? [NWT!]