Tying My Shoes

     As a result of the 2026 A-Z Challenge, I’ve been blessed with a few new followers.  Casting aside their sense of fine literature to take a peek into the deranged goings-on at Penwasser Place, I felt it a good idea to bring them up to speed with what makes me tick.

"Yar!  Me tick has gotten in me shorts!"

"Well, it was warm.  And there's a lot of room."

    As soon as I figure out how to go about it, I’ll explain where the name “Al Penwasser” came from.  Trust me, there’s a story behind it.

    Today, though, I’m going to explain where a strange little custom of mine has come from.  Or, using proper English grammar, “from where has a strange little custom of mine has come.”?

    Well, now, that sounds clunky.

"Well, it was proper English, boyo. 
Just to be safe, knuckles if you please."

    No, I don’t mean giving the toilets at Home Depot a test drive.

    Anymore.

    Anyway, I’ve been taking photographs of me tying my shoe, quite often in front of famous monuments, locales, bag ladies, etc.

"So that's why the little freak was bent over."

    This first started as a suggestion from my dear departed stepfather.  A man with a quirky a sense of humor, he said that taking a picture of me tying my shoe would be funny.  Little did he know that it would wind up being a “thing” for fifty years.

    So, without further adieu, may I present some of the more significant shots of me with loose laces.

    If you’ve been a longtime follower of this blog, first, my sympathies.  Second, you may know this already.  But, even if you do, I’ve included new pictures and captions.  So, this is like a used car.  With a new car freshener.      

1976?
Not me, but my stepfather before he talked me into it.

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Rome, Italy
(Not to be confused with Rome, New York)
You always remember your first.
A friend took a picture of a friend taking a picture of me adjusting my shoes.

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DMV, North Haven, Connecticut.
1978
Might I draw your attention to my uber-sexy knee socks.

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Disney World
1981
The socks remained.  But, I added the uber-suave yellow ballcap.
I was such a chick magnet.

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St. Augustine, Florida
1987
I thought I was a daredevil.  Until they told me the alligator was plastic.

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Paris, France
(Not to be confused with Paris, Texas)
1996
I really should not have bent over in front of that dog. 
Since this is a family blog, I'll spare you the details why.

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Dead Sea
1997
How I managed to convince a couple friends to do this is astonishing.
Or why we were tying our bare feet.

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Progressive Field, Cleveland
2010
They were still called the Indians and they won.
Notice no more kneesocks.
Still not a chick magnet.

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Kutztown, Pennsylvania
2014
I managed to talk the mascot of Kutztown University into taking a picture
with me because "it's my thing."

 

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Hilltown Pennsylvania
2016
My Garage
Hey, who says every locale has to be famous?

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Doylestown, Pennsylvania
2019
Muscle shirt didn't come with muscles.  Eff.

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Blacksburg, Virginia
2021
The groom wondered how my laces got loose.

And who invited me.

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Stratford, Connecticut
2024
In front of the restaurant where my father took us for chili dogs.
The manager, remarkably alive, expressed amazement that I still couldn't keep my shoes tied.

    There's lots more, but that brings us up to date.  Wow, it's been a couple years since I took one of these things.  I think I need to up my game.

    Good thing I'm going to my 50th high school reunion in July.

    Unless I'm committed first.