Navy Shoes

When you work in the fire service you sometimes run across some pretty special people. Today I rode the band-aid bus twice, the first run was a typical "I am old and getting ready for my next life" kind of run. The second was a little different. A man of many years was having a little difficulty and needed a lift to the hospital. When we loaded him on the cot to transport him I couldn't help noticing his shoes. They were old scuffed but still comfortable he said. After getting to know him a little better, I found out he was in the Navy in the second great war. At the age of 84 he still hunts, fishes and drives. He had mentioned he did some squirrel hunting this year but didn't get to deer hunt.

Back to his shoes, his shoes were Navy issue footwear from the 1970's, identical to the ones pictured here. After 64 years the man is still wearing a pair of Navy shoes. He retired from a government job, got tired of being at home and started working for a glass blowing company. After retiring from there he settled down and now he hunts. We will never see a generation like his again.