Boots, Bed Bugs, and Fear

Tiny Photo Credit : DSW online

Four years ago I fell in love.  It was winter, nearly Christmas, and I was volunteering with a group of other Swedish-enthusiasts at an outdoor coat check for an ASI event.  Inside of a (sort of) heated tent we hung fur and wool, stacked up winter fedoras and fuzzy scarves and leather gloves.  In the back corner we drank hot chocolate and champagne and took turns twirling in front of the space heater.

One of the women working beside me that night had on the cutest boots I'd ever seen.  With those furry tongued, long laced-up boots on, she became one part Inuit and one part Scandinavian princess.  My boot lust began.  The next morning I headed to the store where she purchased the boots, but they were sold out.  I spent the next three years hunting in vain for those adorable boots.  Ah, the elusive foot warmers.

Then last month DSW announced an online boot sale!  And I had a coupon!  And I qualified for free shipping!  As I perused the website my eyes fell upon the boots of my dreams, and $60 and one week later they arrived at my doorstep.

The box, unopened, continues to reside in my garage.  My bed bug fear trumps my boot love.  After countless stories about bed bugs traveling via clothing, footwear, and theatre seats, my world is now a tunnel of paranoia.  This weekend I'll be experimenting with a low heat oven and a high heat dryer, the vacuum cleaner, and a lice comb.  I am determined to wear my new boots, thoroughly inspected and bed bug free.