Serenity's Story

Lucy · 31st May 2004, 15:06

Hi all high heel enthusiasts! This is Lucy posting! Recent newcomer Serenity has started posting her own excellent Serenity's Story on Jenny's Forum, but as all postings on that board will drop of the bottom, I hope she doesn't mind if I now copy it on to here where it will be preserved for everyone's permanent enjoyment, just like Spikesfan kindly did for my early chapters. Here it is then, the start of SERENITY'S STORY:

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SERENITY'S STORY - "Introduction"

Posted by Serenity on May 20, 2004, 3:59:11

Hi Everyone. First, I'd like to compliment Erica, Lucy, and Candice for the first-rate reporting they've been doing on so many of their high-heel experiences! My goodness! (And the others, too.) As for me, I'm way behind the 8-ball on all of this computer stuff, but I did stumble onto this forum a couple of years ago. After following it with some interest (because of my own interest in high heels), I became alarmed with the way a few of the contributors were being treated. Although I don't recall the details, it seems as though someone named Susan was being treated in a most discordant manner because of her viewpoints on certain issues. Because she was being treated so badly, I chose not to post here and for some time I stopped checking in. In the past few months, I've once again started viewing what's going on here.
Erica, Lucy, and more lately, Candice have done an exellent job of reporting on the importance of high heels in their respective lives. And, it seems that the bickering and fighting that was so pervasive in the past is now laid to rest. Since the tone here is a bit more civil now, I thought I might dip my toe in the water, so to speak. My story is one that tells of yet another unique way in which high heels have played such an important part in my lifetime, which by now has extended much further in time than most any of the other participants here! So, if there's any interest in hearing a singularly unique tale of a (rather long) lifetime in high heels, please let me know. The names and certain other details will of course have to be changed to protect the guilty! :-)

My love to you all,

Serenity

Lucy · 31st May 2004, 15:14

SERENITY'S STORY - "Background"

Posted by Serenity on May 22, 2004, 5:26:38

Greetings to all. Providing you all with a bit of background may be helpful in your understanding of my story as it unfolds. (I'm starting to get goosebumps from the thought of sharing it!) Before we get into that, though, I'd like to thank Roger, sinkem, RPM, Paul, Stu, and Jim for their encouragement in my efforts. And a special thanks to Candice for her nice welcome. It was so comforting to see you speak of warmth and appreciation from the participants here, Candice. :-) And I do so much appreciate seeing how you met the man of your dreams and how your relationship developed!
About me: Born in 1940 in the Western Hemisphere. My father was away at war during the early years of my life. One of my earliest memories was of his returning home to us (Mother and me) shortly before Christmas of 1945. Mother was so excited about his return, and it should be no surprise that her excitement was magnified in the eyes of a five-year-old. He was so handsome in his dress uniform! And my mother simply had to be the most beautiful woman on earth that day with her new navy dress, stocking seams pencil-straight, and those beautiful high heels! She had made sure that my new dress matched her own, but of course I had to do without the stockings and high heels. As you might guess, I was so proud of both of them, and from that day forth, I knew that I wanted to grow up to be a beautiful and well-dressed woman, just like my mother.

Mother was the last word in the classic feminine beauty of her era. It seemed only natural that I would grow up to emulate those qualities. As for her, she always let me know what clothing was age appropriate for wearing in public, yet she had no qualms of my playing "dressup". She generously gave me the occasional pair of her castoff heels and other articles of clothing.

She was petite; about 5'2". Her shoes were size 6, and my feet grew to fit into them some time during my eleventh year. You can believe that I was relentless in my efforts to walk properly in those castoff 4" heels. (At the time, I imagined myself to appear very "grown up" in them.) By my twelfth birthday, I was outgrowing her castoff shoes, and I begged her to buy for me my what would be my very own first pair of heels. I was surprised at how easily she agreed to my request, and in only a few days we shopped for and purchased a pair of white pumps with about a 2 1/2" heel. I was quite disappointed that she wouldn't allow me a pair of 4" heels, since I believed myself so accomplished in them, but she remained firm in her resolve that we would "work our way up" to the loftier heights. Even though my first pair of heels were not what I really wanted, I must admit to feeling less like a little girl and more like a young woman when wearing them to church or special family occasions.

From that time on we would shop for me a new pair of heels every few months. Mother was good about allowing me ever-increasing heights, although the increments of increase were so much less that what I would have chosen. Then, at some time during my fourteenth year, shasam! An exciting new style of high heels appeared. They were called "stilettos". My mother couldn't get to the store fast enough for her first pair of them, and recognizing my own proclivity for high heels and stylish clothes, she even offered to buy me a pair of 4" heels to match her own. Like her, I was hooked. :-)

By then, I had grown to my adult height of 5'8", and my feet had grown to size 9, where they thankfully stopped! In spite of my interest in pretty clothes and doing about everything I could think of to enhance a feminine visage, I was athletic and active, too. I golfed and played tennis, as well as becoming a cheerleader at school. Although most of my time was spent in skimmers, saddle shoes and penny loafers, I never missed a chance to dress up and wear any of my now several pair of 4" stilettos!

After high school, I entered college, where I tried out and was selected for the cheerleading squad! Things were going so well, I couldn't imagine anything terrible on the horizon. I just knew that if I stayed out of trouble and kept focused on school and activities, good things would come.

Ohmygosh, enough for now!! I'm hoping to get into my story with the next effort. Until then, my love to each and every one of you.

Serenity

Lucy · 31st May 2004, 15:17

SERENITY'S STORY - "My Story Begins"
Posted by Serenity on May 23, 2004, 22:57:37

My greetings once again. I am so flattered that a contributor of Lucy's eminence would see fit to include me along with Candice as contributors of note. Thank you eversomuch! I must say that I've enjoyed every single one of your episodes, Lucy. Your vivid descriptions are simply smashing! Of course, the same could be said of Candice. And what would this forum be like without the likes of Erica as she keeps us updated on the latest happenings? What a relief to know that Lucy is now feeling well and back on track with her contributions. It's also nice to see the contributions by the guys, too. Good jobs, everyone!
I was hoping to give a bit more background before commencing with my story, but have since decided that now is as good a time to start it as any. Flashbacks will serve to fill in the blanks. (I hope I can do that without breaking the continuity. As an aside, I never imagined how exhausting it is to write like this! I do hope it becomes easier with experience.)

The airport, 1982: I giggled as my husband, Fred, whispered in my ear, "Be sure to get plenty of rest while I'm gone, because you're going to be kept up nights when I get back!" Well, what could I say? It was autumn, and Fred was departing for his annual moose hunt in Canada. It was a trip that he so looked forward to each year. I must mention that this was in the days before those ubiquitous cell phones that are around today. Part of the allure of this annual guided excursion into the Canadian Wilderness was the fact that he and his cronies would be totally out of communication with the outside world for an entire 2 weeks. Flown into a remote wilderness and deposited at some lakeside camp, they were allowed complete respite from the cares of the high pressure corporate world. I was fully aware of his need for this annual intermission, for he always returned invigorated, with his enthusiasm for everything (and I do mean everything) fully restored.

A final kiss before he departed for his flight; his hand lingered a moment around my waist. It was our ritual that I turn to walk away first, knowing that he enjoyed the sight of my 5" heels carrying me away from him. A few paces and, as always, I stopped, turning to see the appreciation in his eyes as we waved good-bye before I was swallowed into the crowd.

As I walked back to where the Continental was parked, I thought about what he had mentioned to me during our drive to the airport. He had noticed, he said, an estate sale going on in one of the affluent older parts of our city and had suggested that I might want to stop by there. What more encouragement would a girl need? I had always been curious about the old mansions and their contents, so this provided an excellent opportuntity to indulge my curiosity.

It was still early in the morning as the Lincoln rolled to a stop near the house in question. (Fred's flight had departed about 7 a.m.) I felt a strange sense of familiarity, in spite of the fact that I'd never been there in my life. I mixed with the growing crowd in looking over the accouterments of an elegant lifestyle. I was completely at ease and relaxed, enjoying every minute of it.

After perhaps an hour of browsing, I felt a compulsion to climb the stairway leading up to the second floor of the house. There was no one else on the second floor, and the sharp reports from my stiletto heels seemed to emphasize the emptiness. Passing an unnoticed doorway, a second impulse caused me to open it. A narrow stairway climbed to yet the third floor of this elegant old mansion. I tentatively climbed the stairs to find myself at the end of a narrow hallway on the top floor. I fairly tiptoed down the hall, drawn towards the second door on the left.

Opening the door disclosed what surly must have been a storage room. A single narrow window, high on the wall, allowed a shaft of morning sunlight against the far wall at the opposite end from the door I had just opened. The room was empty, save for a pair of crutches leaning ominously against the wall, those being highlighted by that single shaft of light. I was practically mesmerized, standing there gazing across the empty room at those crutches. Then, an imperceptible draft of air fluttered the tag hanging by a string from the hand grips on the crutches. It seemed to beckon me. I tiptoed across the room, allowing my stiletto heels only the slightest contact with the underlying hardwood.

Grasping the tag, on one side, in large marker print, it read, "ROSEWOOD CRUTCHES." Turning the tag over, I was nearly overcome with surprise to read, "SOLD: SERENITY NELSON."

Serenity

Lucy · 31st May 2004, 15:17

SERENITY'S STORY - "Story Continues (2)"

Posted by Serenity on May 24, 2004, 5:39:47

My greetings to you all. By now most of you are probably wondering where in this story is the connection to high heels. From where I left off, it is now necessary to back up a bit. So, here we go....
Even before I noticed the tag dangling from the crutches, the sight of them had brought back a flood of memories from my college days. My freshman year of college had gone swimmingly well. I had put my high school cheerleading experience to work by turning out for and being accepted to the college cheerleading team, as mentioned in my background posting. The entire school year was a blur of activities, going to dances, cheerleading, and somehow finding the time to keep up with studies. I dated a lot of the college boys, enjoying the company of most, but never feeling attracted to any of them enough to consider going steady.

My interest in keeping up my appearance manifested itself in my decision to wear slender skirts, nylons, and high heels as often as possible. By the middle of the school year, I had determined to wear heels daily. My wardrobe of heels seemed to maintain at about 7-8 pairs. Of these, most were 4" stiletto pumps in various colors with the pointed toes of that era and little adornment. I had two pairs of pumps with heels more like 4 1/2" which were reserved for dates or other outings that required being a bit more "dressed up". Then there were the lucite sandals, also with 4 1/2" heels for the formal dress of the many balls that were held at our school.

Of course most other girls wore heels for the dances and other social occasions, but to my knowledge, I was the only one who wore stiletto heels daily on campus. The transition from flats to heels for the walking required on campus was for me, really quite easy. I must have been one of those for whom wearing heels came quite naturally, for I really don't recall much discomfort or any other problems associated in the transition. At any rate, by the end of the school year wearing heels daily was by then a very natural thing. Of course I was still wearing flats for cheerleading and other athletic activities, so I never did go "permanent" into the heels. But, wearing nice clothes and high heels had become, for me, a part of my regular routine.

Then, between my freshman and sophomore year, what turned out to be a life-altering event (in ways most unexpected) occured. A traffic accident put me in the hospital with a broken pelvis. There wasn't much that the doctors could do for my pelvis at the time. I was bedridden for about a month, then finally managed to struggle out of bed on crutches just in time to get back to college for my second year. Of course, cheerleading and athletic activities were out of the question.

But, I determined early on that being on crutches would NOT deter me from my resolve to wear high heels, and so from day one of that year I shuffled around campus on my crutches while in 4" stiletto pumps. After only a few days on campus, Fred had introduced himself and kept coming around to check on me. I found myself enjoying his company, and by the end of the first week, he had asked me on a date. In spite of my delicate condition, I saw no reason to decline. (Although I was quite capable of getting around with my high-heel/crutches combination, my slowly mending pelvis required that I be extremely careful to not re-injure myself. Getting in and out of cars, not bumping door frames or table tops; things of that nature had to be carefully watched. And of course, heavy petting was absolutely out of the question!)

Fred and I seemed to hit it off like hand-and-glove. He was the perfect gentleman and most attentive to the problems associated with my being on crutches. Also he was most protective of my injury. He never rough-housed with me and was always sure to open doors, position chairs for me, and so forth. I much appreciated his concern for my condition, and to this day believe that it was one of the things that brought us together. (Hence, one of the "unexpected" aspects of the life-altering accident.)

In only a couple of months I believed him to be "the one", and apparently he felt the same about me. He visited my parents over Thanksgiving Break, and I (still on crutches) traveled to his home over the Christmas Holidays. It was then that he surprised me with an engagement ring, which I joyfully accepted.

School was going well. The time I had devoted to activities the previous year was now available for studying, and for Fred. This was his senior year, so we planned to be married as soon as school was out in the spring. As you can see, my relationship with him was progressing very nicely, too. But, as careful as I might be with my pelvis, it was slow in healing. It was January before I was able to bear even the slightest amount of weight on my injured left side. From then on, progress was steady, but slow. Towards the end of the school year, although walking without crutches was possible, my gait was NOT a thing of beauty. I absolutely did not want to be seen lurching around campus like a wounded buffalo, so the crutches remained a permanent fixture with me throughtout the remainder of the school year. There never had been any trepidation on my part about being seen on crutches. I felt completely at ease while using them, and in fact, came to think of it as being quite natural for me. Hence, there was no perceived rush to hurry up and get off of them. Neither did Fred encourage me to do so. In fact,it was quite the opposite, as he cautioned me about being too quick to challenge the use of my injured left side.

Just as the school year was ended, I determined that my walking gait had returned to a normal condition. And so, when we were married one week later, I was able to walk down the aisle sans crutches in a pristine pair of 5" stiletto pumps, giving no thought whatsoever to my injury or any discomfort associated either with it or with my new shoes. I was one happy young lady who was being married to a man whom I felt much the same way about as Candice has described with her Ted. Things couldn't have been better.

To be continued....... My love to you all.

Serenity

Lucy · 31st May 2004, 15:26

SERENITY'S STORY Continued (3)

Posted by Serenity on May 31, 2004, 4:01:28

Greetings once again. My particular thanks to Roger, sinkem, RPM, Paul, Stu, Jim, Candice, Mario, Heelfan, Erica, and last but certainly not least, Lucy for their words of encouragement. I do hope my story will add to the variety of this forum.
So there I was in the third-floor storage room of the lovely old mansion, being flooded with memories brought about by the sight of this most elegant pair of rosewood crutches. Can you imagine the impact I felt at seeing that they had already been reserved for me, especially in light of the inexplainable compulsions that had led me to the second, then third floors of the house and finally straight to this very room?

Just as the wonderment of the moment was engulfing my consciousness, coincidently was I also recalling the awareness that my pelvis injury of those many years ago had been of late causing some discomfort. I was feeling a certain amount of stiffness and pain in my hip and pelvic area. Although not disabling, it was getting progressively worse. For the mostpart I had put concern of it aside, but the crutches were a most effective reminder, and my thought was that it might be nice to have them to use, just temporarily, in order to provide a bit of a rest for the overexertion which was beginning to cause this discomfort to my "aging" body.

I grasped the crutches and placed them under my arms. To my amazement they were a perfect fit. Tentatively, I raised my left foot a bit and took a few paces around the room. The skill acquired those 23 years ago returned instantly, and the nagging little pain in my hip abated immediately. It felt as natural and comfortable to be on them as I had remembered.

As explained earlier, high heels had gone from being important in my wardrobe to "key" during my freshman year of college. It wasn't a large stretch to imagine that I was noticed for my manner of dress, and in fact, I rather enjoyed knowing this. Additionally, I had a premonition that my being on crutches had been what attracted Fred to me. After all, I had spent the entire second half of my freshman year nicely dressed and in high heels. For the sophomore year, the only thing to change was that I was on crutches. Even though we were both at the same school during my first year, Fred had never appeared to notice me at all. Then, when I showed up on crutches for the second year, in only a few days he had not only noticed me, but had actively sought me out and lavished me with attention. Although we didn't discuss it, deep down, I knew there was a connection.

Because of this, I assumed that Fred had somehow managed to arrange the purchase of these crutches which I was now admirering. Explaining my premonition to climb the stairs and find this one particular room remained a mystery. But, I somehow felt that my Fred would be pleased to see these crutches in our home.

I held them out for closer inspection. They were shingle-shaft, which is a rather unusual design. The shaft on each of them ran straight from the bottom up to a point between elbow and shoulder height, where they bent in a graceful arch of nearly 90 degrees. This arch made it possible for them to to receive the underarm (also rosewood) saddles which were attached. They were not adjustable for height. The hand grips were also attached at a fixed height, not adjustable. Remarkably, they fit me perfectly.

The luster of the polished redwood emitted an aura of warmth and elegance. Although irregularities in the finish revealed wearspots which belied countless hours of use, there were no blemishes or nicks. The rubber tips at the bottom were new. These crutches appeared to have been reconditioned to perfect condition.

I quietly exited the room and retraced my steps to the main floor, carrying them with me. Walking up to the counter where the sale of items were transacted, I was surprised to be greeted by name. An attractive woman of about my age, nicely dressed and coiffed, said, "It's so nice to see you here today, Mrs. Nelson. I see that you've found your order." I nodded in acknowledgment, and was about to walk away when she continued, "The rest of it will be delivered tomorrow. I'll look forward to seeing you then."

"You know where I live?"

"Everything is taken care of. I'll be seeing you around nine o'clock in the morning." She smiled. I was befuddled and seemed to have lost my ability to think fast enough to question her about what this was all about. I attempted to return her smile, then took my new crutches to the car and drove home.

Arriving at the house, I took the new crutches to the bedroom and leaned them on the wall close to my bed. I then changed into my work clothes for some gardening chores. After spending the rest of the day working in the flower beds, I seemed to notice a bit more of a "hitch" in my bad hip than usual, which I dismissed as the result of an abnormally active day.

After dining alone that evening, I sought out a pair of my 5 1/2" heels and decided to give the crutches a try with the higher heels. If anything, the crutches seemed to be an even better fit with the 5 1/2" heels than with the 5" heels I'd been wearing when I first tried them. Very interesting, I thought to myself. Fred should like this...

Putting the heels and the crutches away, I returned to the flower garden to dig up some bulbs which I wanted to transfer to another bed. The sack which I'd put them in was rather heavy. When I lifted it, I turned at the waist and immediately felt a stab of pain in my lower back. Ohmygoodness. I had to leave the sack where it lay, and was barely able to shuffle my way back into the house. I took a couple of aspirin and a long hot bath. Even after that, moving my lower legs proved difficult, but I got myself into bed and promised that I'd call my doctor in the morning if it didn't feel better.

Love, Serenity

Serenity · 2nd July 2004, 03:33

Posted by Serenity on June 10, 2004, 5:24:05

My goodness, it's been such a long while since I last posted that I hope I haven't been forgotten here. My thanks to all who have offered words of encouragement in keeping my efforts going, and particularly to Stu and Heelfan, whose last replies to me have gone unanswered until now. You are absolutely correct that my story does have a different twist to it which will become increasingly evident as it unfolds.......

We left off when I had gone to bed suffering from a pinched nerve in my lower back. My ability to walk was reduced to a mere shuffling of my feet, and I was so relieved to finally crawl into bed where I immediately fell into one of the deepest sleeps of my life.

I awoke the next morning feeling more rested than I could ever remember. I had not a care in the world; a sense of serenity seemed to have permeated the room and everything in it, myself included. I raised myself up and placed my feet on the floor only to have a stab of pain remind me of the previous nights circumstances. Oh, what have I done to myself, I asked. Then it began to occur to me that getting myself out of bed was going to be a problem. Even such a simple thing as putting my feet flat on the floor caused almost unbearable pain. Maybe a pair of heels would help with that?

The 5 1/2" heels from last night were lying nearby. My only way of getting to them was to roll out of bed on my hands and knees. I actually had to crawl to them! And then back to the bed. Astonishingly, putting the shoes on provided immense, almost complete relief from the pain. But upon standing up, was I ever surprised to discover that I could not walk! Rising to a standing position had seemed almost normal for me, but once on my feet, they would not move! The feet wouldn't do anything I wanted them to do. And I couldn't teeter for long in such impossibly tall heels without moving them. This is rediculous, I told myself. Whatever am I going to do now?

Then my eyes fell on the crutches leaning nearby where they'd been placed the night before. Back on my hands and knees to get to them, then back to the bed, where I raised up again to a standing position. With the support of the crutches, balancing was no longer a problem. Leaning my weight on them, I was able to swing my legs forward, so yes, walking was now possible. I was so thankful to have the crutches there!

I went into the bathroom with the intention of applying makeup and making myself ready for a visit to the doctor. I would call his office in another hour or so after people were at work there. I readied myself in much the same manner as on any other day, combing out my hair, applying makeup, dawning proper undergarments, garter-strapping my nylon stockings. Of course these things I did while sitting in front of a mirror. Rising to move myself from sink to mirror, or to a drawer for nylons proved easy enough to do. Only a slight nagging pain persisted. But, the crutches were absolutely necessary in getting about.

After dressing, it occured to me that I might appear a lot less conspicuous with more conservative heels on, so I went to my shoe closet and dug out a pair of 4" heels to match my suit. Imagine my disconcert upon discovering that the minor pain I had been experiencing increased severalfold as I changed into the lower heels. Back in the 5 1/2" heels, the pain once again abated to a tolerable level.

An 8:00 call to my doctor resulted in an 11:00 appointment. I went to the kitchen for a bite of breakfast. Then, at precisely 9:00 the doorbell rang. I hitched my way to the door on my crutches to discover the lady who had assisted me at the estate sale the day before at the door. If it surprised her to see me on the very same crutches from yesterday, she did an excellent job of concealing it. "Good morning, Mrs. Nelson," she smiled as though not a thing in the world was wrong. "You look ravishing this morning. How nice of you to be so prepared for our 9:00 appointment."

I said something to her about it not being a good morning, that I had other things needing my attention. She sweetly, but authoritively reminded me that she had come to deliver more items from the estate and that it was paramount she be allowed to complete her mission. I stepped back, opening the door for her. "Won't you please come in."

Love, Serenity

Serenity · 2nd July 2004, 03:35

Posted by Serenity on June 11, 2004, 4:35:16

She stepped over the threshold past me, walking several steps into the foyer before she stopped and slowly turned, her eyes taking in every detail of the room. This gave me time to notice several things about her, as well. Although I had noticed that she was an attractive woman the day before, I hadn't noticed just how attractive. About my same age, her handsome features were pleasantly accented with just the right amount of makeup. Her suit was cut very simliar to my own, creating a business-like image with a definite feminine flair. I recall being thankful that there was at least a possiblity that the image I had attempted for these past serval years was achieveable, after all. Additionally, her feet were encased in 5" calfskin stiletto pumps. Her gait was easy, natural, and flowing, as if she were born to wear the highest of heels with no concern whatsoever. The shoes, and certainly her demeanor in them, put the crowning touch on her appearance.

"You have a lovely home, Mrs. Nelson," she said as she stepped back towards me. "My name is Karen Cromwell." She offered her hand. I didn't know what to think, halfway expecting her to fuss over my plight of being on the crutches. But she acted as if everything was perfectly normal. "I'd love a cup of tea," she continued. "Would you mind?"

I indicated the direction of the kitchen, and found myself following her there, the sharp reports of her high heels echoing from the hardwood floor. Once in the kitchen, she simply took over. Asking where things were as she set water to boil and rounded up the serving ware, it almost seemed more as though we were in her kitchen than in mine as she busied herself and effortlessly made small talk at the same time.

The estate business that she had stated was so paramount never seemed to come up, so I finally had to ask her what what it was that had brought her to my home. She responded by asking if I had made an appointment to see a doctor yet. Looking at my watch, I said that I had, and in fact the appointment was coming up soon, at 11:00. "Oh, good. I'll take you there, then." It was more of statement of fact than a mere offer to help. Her tone carried the authority that what she said was a given. There would be no arguing about it. And besides, I could use some support in my first venture outside the house in my new situation.

More as I'm able..... Love, Serenity

Serenity · 2nd July 2004, 03:51

Posted by Serenity on June 12, 2004, 4:20:20

The visit to the doctor's office was what you might expect. After waiting what seemed like forever, I was ushered back to an examination room. He seemed surprised to see me on crutches and of course asked a lot of questions. He poked and probed, lifted my feet and legs, all of this with a concerned frown on his face. He bluntly asked if I could manage on the crutches without risking further injury from taking a fall. I assured him that there seemed to be no other option, other than a wheelchair, which I was by no means ready to accept.

He then told me that he of course had no authority to demand it, but that as my doctor, he strongly recommended that I give up the high heels and avail myself of some more sensible shoes. It was then that I told him about the insufferable pain and that only by wearing my highest heels was it bearable at all. This latest bit of information was of course followed by more questions, and I do recall noticing a bit of change in his attitude. He finished up by writing out a prescription for pain medication and reiterating his intructions to quit the high heels. He also assured me that the swelling from the pinched nerve in my back should subside in a week or so and things would return to normal. He would have me back in a couple of days when the test results were all in.

Karen was absorbed in a novel when I came back to the waiting room. She smiled, tucking the paperback into her purse as I approached. As we made our way back to her car, I began to realize how thankful I was to have her along. The trip to the doctor's office had been filled with easy-flowing conversation. It seemed already that we were old friends.

It wasn't until we were brewing up another pot of tea in my kitchen that she asked me about what the doctor had said. I replied that he thought the swelling would subside after a week or so, and that things would return to normal. In the meantime, he wanted me in flat shoes and had prescribed a painkiller.

Her reaction surprised me. "That doctor doesn't have a clue what's going on with you," she said. "No amount of painkillers will do a bit of good."
She sipped a bit of tea while I ruminated on what she'd just said. "You, yourself, even told him that you'd figured out that the high heels stopped the pain."

"But I still have pain. It's not gone completely."

Smiling, she reached for and opened the satchel which she'd brought inside with her. "The other things I mentioned I'd be bringing yesterday," she explained. Out came a pair of calfskin pumps, the highest heels I'd ever seen, at least 6 inches. She offered them for my inspection. "Didn't you tell me about the 4 inch heels not giving you nearly as much relief from the pain as the 5 1/2 inch you're wearing now?"

Of course, it registered on me. "But, I've never worn heels so high as those," I protested. "And now, with these crutches, how could I ever...?"

"It's the crutches that make it all possible, my dear," she replied. "After all, they are an aid to mobility, not a hindurance. All you have to do is stand on your feet. The walking is accomplished through the assistance of the crutches. You'll see. Let's try it."

Without waiting for my reply, she was at my feet, gently wrestling the 5 1/2 inch heels that I'd been in all day from my feet and pressing the new 6 inch heels on. Ohmygoodness! The difference was astounding. At such lofty heights, even a miniscule difference in the heels seem to make all the difference in the attitude of the feet and ankles. It's just as Lucy decribed when she told of finding herself stranded in the "Betty Pages".

It was all my ankles could do to accommodate the demands of the extreme heels. But, I also noticed a corresponding regression of the remaining pain in my back. I came to the full realization that the higher the heels, the lesser the pain.

TBC

Love, Serenity

Serenity · 2nd July 2004, 03:52

Posted by Serenity on June 16, 2004, 5:10:15

Karen extracted the next item from her bag. Seeing no sense of recognition on my face, she said by way of explanation that they were foot trainers. Their most common use, she explained, was to train the foot and ankle in order to achieve one's personal maximum height in heels.

"No doubt, I'm there already," I blurted, not believing that I could possibly wear heels than what she had just placed on my feet.

"You may believe that right now, but after training with these, you should be able to go at least 1/4 inch, possibly as much as 1/2 inch higher with the heels. At these extreme heights, it is necessary to diligently pursue even the smallest of increments. I'll help you get started with these tonight."

"Really, you don't have to."

I can still remember the way she hesitated before answering to that statement. Her composure demanded attention, and she quietly sat there with her eyes locked onto mine until she was certain of my total attention. "Oh, but I must," she said. "Let us not forget that I am here at the behest of The Estate. I am here to attend to your every need and to assist in all ways your transition."

Foot trainers? Transition? For the first time it flashed through my mind that perhaps the doctor had been wrong when he said that I should be back to normal in a week or so. Hadn't Karen said something about him being clueless about what was going on with me? I paced across the kitchen on my crutches. My image reflected in the sliding door that opened to the patio. I stopped my pacing to study it for a moment. I could also see Karen's reflection as she sat at the kitchen table, her eyes following my every move.

Turning slowly to face her, I said from across the room, "It seems as though you know a great deal about what's happening. What should I know about? Is there something you should be telling me?"

TBC

Love, Serenity

Serenity · 2nd July 2004, 03:57

Posted by Serenity on June 17, 2004, 4:23:27

After yet another pause, Karen smiled at me in the most engaging way. "You're doing unbelievingly well on the crutches, Mrs. Nelson. Today is only your first day on them, and yet you move about with uncommon competence and no indication of discomfort." She paused. "But then I would suppose your previous experience is coming into play."

I was more put off at her not answering my questions by changing the subject than flattered by her praise of my ability with the crutches. Then it hit me that she'd referred to my previous experience. Did she know that I'd spent an entire school year on crutches? And if so, how? "You think I may have used crutches before?" I asked.

"There's no way you couldn't not have." I was a bit aggravated at how her replies implied that she knew more than what she actually said. "Anyone with your fluidity of movement would have to have had months of full-time crutch use." As she spoke, she rustled another parcel from her satchel.

Unwrapping the package, she withdrew a glossy 8x10 black and white photo. "Mrs. Nelson, have you seen pictures of the late Mrs. Vanguard?" How odd that she asked me about photos of the very lady whose crutches I was now using. Realizing that I had not, I sidled up beside her for a look.

The blood must have drained from my face as I looked at the picture. It was a full-length profile of a striking lady, well dressed, standing fully erect on the very crutches now under my own arms. I couldn't help but notice her shoes. They looked so much like the ones Karen had just helped me on with. The extreme heel height forced the arches of her feet forward to the extent that her insteps had actually gone past verical! The graceful curve of her calves tapered to slender and attractive ankles, all of this emphasized by the elegant curvature of her insteps. Her wide-belted skirt fit tightly, hugging her hips and legs down to where it ended at the knees. A plain white long-sleeved blouse with a stand-up collar hugged her bodice. Her hair was done up in a French Roll, adding an air of sophistication to her cultured image. But the most outstanding thing was that it was like looking at a picture of myself. It took no imagination to project that in another 10 years I would be able to step right into that picture.

After the longest time, Karen finally asked, "Interesting, don't you think?" I pulled my gaze away from the picture to her. She pulled a second photo out. Can you imagine my astonishment at seeing a photo of myself? It was taken all those many years ago when I was on crutches in college. This one was also a full-body photo, taken from a front profile. I was smiling, in mid-stride on my crutches, my stiletto heeled right foot extended, just ready to meet with the concrete sidewalk on which I was walking, my left knee bent to keep that foot from touching the ground. Although pleasantly surprised at what a sophisticated image I projected in my youth, I was agitated at seeing evidence that I had been stalked. "Did you notice any similarity?" Karen asked, ignoring my state of agitation.

I hitched around to a chair and seated myself, bending over to carefully place the crutches on the floor. "What is going on?" I asked, hoping that my voice sounded authoritive. "I think there's a lot that I need to know."

Karen reached across the table to pat my hands. "My dear Mrs. Nelson," she began. "As you've come to realize, recent events have been momentous. I agree that the time has come for some explanation."

TBC

Love, Serenity