THE SIMPLE THINGS

‘A shoe shop?’ She was incredulous. ‘They had to actually go out to find shoes that fitted, try them on and buy them?’

‘Yes. Some women adored doing it, had collections of hundreds of pairs. The same with clothes, bags, jewellery.’

‘I do like the red shoes she is wearing,’ my daughter mused. ‘Can I scan them?’

I shrugged acquiescence.

She passed her smartwatch over the shoes. ‘I can print them out when I get home and wear them for my virtual date tonight.’

‘Wait, what virtual date? Who with?’ She hurried off to the next part of the Museum of the 21st Century, pretending not to hear me.

At least she was learning, looking at something other than the screens she spent her life in front of.

My wife approached, catching up with us having enjoyed the Fashion Hall exhibit. ‘You remember when you took me to the shoe shops?’

‘I never thought I would look back and wish we could do that again,’ I smiled. ‘Life was a lot simpler back then.’


photo-20180730154706912
Copyright Yinglan

Written as part of Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. The challenge is to write a flash fiction story or poem in around 150 – 175 words, based on the weekly photo prompt. Thanks as always to the challenge host Priceless Joy. For more information visit HERE.

To read other stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

42 responses to “THE SIMPLE THINGS”

    1. Thanks for the reblog 🙂

      Like

  1. Shoes have never been my favorite thing to shop for for some reason and for sure I’d need to try them on before buying. Shoes is one thing but it’s getting kinda scary if you can make a gun from a 3-d print don’t you think?

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Very scary indeed, I agree!

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Hahaha! The new century brings virtual shopping and printing out a new pair of shoes among many other “modern” things! Great story, Iain!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. nice take on the prompt and felt realistic in the future- well done and I was right there with them in the gallery

    Liked by 1 person

  4. michael1148humphris Avatar
    michael1148humphris

    Lovely piece of writing Iain. You are very up to date for I am told that very soon feet will be scanned and shoes will be printed, How times change. I still have a cobblers anvil, ‘ a triple iron last’. And I can vaguely remember shoe uppers being patched on it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Enjoyed your memoir Michael. In many ways sad to see these old skills disappear.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. OH gosh! Great job and I can just imagine what it may be like going through a 21st century museum!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I feel like I belong in one already trying to keep up with all the new technology around!

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  6. Excellent! I would love if it was so easy to modify and then print a shoe.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Some may end up with too many shoes 😉

      Liked by 1 person

      1. That is precisely the aim 🙂

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  7. I can’t imagine how it will feel to have shoes printed .. am a great lover of shoes!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Perhaps it will make it easier for you to get that pair you always wanted 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  8. 3D printed shoes – may not be too far in future. Great take.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you. Who knows?

      Liked by 1 person

  9. I hate shopping, for shoes or clothes. Like the idea of 3D shoes though. Always assured to be a comfy fit!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Keep an eye out, maybe coming soon!

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      1. Oh hell, and I’ve just forked out a small fortune for a new pair of walking trainers!

        Liked by 1 person

  10. Wouldn’t scanning a pair of shoes at a shop and then 3D printing them at home be like stealing?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Power to the People. In the future perhaps money as we think of it will be a thing of the past too.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Gene Roddenberry thought so when he created “Star Trek”.

        Liked by 1 person

  11. And the men are thankful for virtual shopping. Good one, Iain.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It certainly has its benefits!

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  12. Awesome take on the prompt Iain – I can see this happening some time very soon!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. The technology will get there. Whether shoe manufacturers allow it to happen is another thing! Thanks Dahlia

      Liked by 1 person

  13. The future sure is overrated.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I would rather live in the past too.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Loved your quirky take on the prompt! Anything can happen in the future, really!

    Liked by 1 person

  15. 3D printing would be a fabulous idea. We could probably have whatever we we want with just a scan and a print. that technology is probably gonna catch up soon but hopefully should be limited or else i wonder what would the world around start procuring! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I can only imagine what people would get up to!

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  16. Who would have thought a man might long to go shopping! And apologies for resorting to lazy stereotypes.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. When you’ve only got a couple of hundred words, stereotypes can be very useful.

      Liked by 1 person

  17. Everything is going virtual. Nice post!

    Liked by 1 person

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