I recently discovered I had a wardrobe malfunction of a very serious kind. Nothing was exposed thank goodness but I dug out my boots for the winter and remembered that I had a flapping strap on one boot. I am not entirely sure where I lost the grommet that kept the flap down but knew that I had to fix the problem and quick because the flip flopping was driving me more crazy than normal.
Although, they are just regular dress boots, it brought back wonderful memories of my skating days and all the special hands that kept my figure skates and many other skaters equipment in tip top shape. It didn't matter what ice rink I went to in my career you always had someone either inside the rink or across the street or nearby that you could trust basically with your skating life to fix your skates or blades in a pinch.
Those wonderful cobblers were definitely like the characters in the stories by Hans Christian Andersen fame. Working the magic to get them in tip top shape brought back a flood of memories when I walked into our Cusack's Shoe Repair shop in our town. It is definitely a lost art. That leather and polish smell brought a tear to my eye not because of the various smells but because of the many years and many, many shoes, boots or purses this man has fixed over the years. He is definitely a much needed business in downtown Sedalia, even today.
If my blade had a screw missing, my blades needed sharpening or dulling, new skating boots needed dyeing or stretching or some other occasional problem, you had a place to take it and whether it be a quick fix or a long operation you knew that it would be done correctly. Skating cobblers much like regular shoe repair workers always had wonderful stories to share.
I always learned some interesting stats, tidbit memories of skater's long since past. I am sure that Mr. Cusack has had some famous feet walk into his shop over the years. A cowboy or two, maybe local political figure or someone just passing through town. He took but a moment to fix my flapping problem for me. I told him how it had been a long time since I had been in for a repair and when he told me it would be a simple $1.00 for my problem, my mouth probably dropped to the floor. I really tried to give him much more than that, but of course he declined. "You keep it sweetie". "I am just glad you stopped in".
I am too, Mr. Cusack; I am too.
