Since moving to Austin, I've gradually adopted Texan ways. "Y'all" slips into my speech every now and then, I've developed a slight drawl and started dropping g's at the end of my words, I enjoy a cold Lone Star on the porch during an old-timey music jam, and I get cold when it drops below 80 degrees. But I never thought I'd own a pair of cowboy boots.
When I first started a job with the Texas FFA (Future Farmers of America), one of the perks was receiving a complimentary pair of boots from Justin, who was a sponsor of the non-profit. I reluctantly accepted the offer, thinking I'd order a pair that would sit my closet collecting dust or get pawned off on Ebay. I flipped through the catalog to find the most basic, comfortable looking, plain black boots I could find.
The day I got the boots, though, I was drawn to the shiny, dark leather and the classic, stitched pattern. I immediately put them on, and I felt as if they had meant to be on my feet all my life. That night, I went to see a traditional Irish band play in Niederwald, Texas - I danced for hours wearing my brand new pair of boots. My feet were not even a tiny bit sore the next day. These boots were magical!
I have worn them almost every day since I first got them in June of 2006, and I even bought another pair of the exact same kind (one pair are my city boots, and the other are for the desert in Terlingua). I'm ready for a third pair - although I might opt for brown this time to add a little variety to my wardrobe. After that, I might have to get red, then multi-colored...yes, I'm hooked on boots.
And here's a fun little video about those pointy, elf-like boots you've been seeing around lately - "botas picudas" or "chuntaros":
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