A Cinderella Story

Ashrie's Cinderella Shoe

I wrote a post entitled Ashrie and Her Shoes last year mentioning how the “oldies” adored her shoes during our Christmas visitations. Well the story continues, whether it is an acquaintance in church or a saleslady in a mall, these pair of shoes never fails to grasp the attention of most people we meet. More so, it is one of her shoes that are comfortable to wear, something she can wear and play at the same time.

Last week, we went to Plaza Singapura with one purpose in mind, go to Spotlight, (a craft store) to buy most of the things we need in preparation for her upcoming second birthday party.

While on the train ride to Dhoby Ghaut MRT, Ashrie fell asleep. Alighting, while I was carrying the sleeping beauty, Jane told me to take off Ashrie’s shoes because it might fall. “Just leave it”, I said (in Tagalog of course). Then we went our way through this enormous MRT interchange, I was on the lead while Jane and my brother followed. The mall is directly connected to the MRT via escalators and lifts, but we took the longer route instead- escalators! And up we went to our main destination.

Before finally reaching the exact floor of the craft store, I noticed that they my companions were left far behind. Was I fast or were they slow? Anyway, when they finally reached my location, Jane was shocked to discover that Ashrie was wearing only one shoe! So even before she utter a word of "me not taking the footwear off when she suggested I should", (Well, I could have reasoned, that they were behind me so they were responsible for watching my back) I handed Ashrie to her and traced back my steps. Down the series of escalators I went quickly, along the shiny, tiled mall passageways, even looking through rubbish bins along the way, (thinking the finder might throw it way there) to no avail. I came back disappointed at myself, sad and sorry.

Jane suggested we look one more time. We followed.

The first time, my brother and I went searching separately, but this time, with very little hope of finding the other pair, we went back together. We asked the cleaner as he collects the garbage from a can if he found any shoe, showing him one piece of the pair. He said he didn’t.

Wondering if the shoe fell off at the MRT, even though it will cost a single-journey ticket, my brother went in to search. He went back sad and empty handed. Accepting the shoe's fate and my wife’s future nag (she’s gonna kill me for writing this :-)) I shrugged and said, “It’s okay, let’s just go back…”

Then my brother thought of asking the Information Officer (this is the same guy we thought of asking earlier but didn’t bothered because we found no shoe on his desk). He approached him and when he saw the shoe, a smile gleamed on his face and he immediately led my brother to the ticket office. I knew something is going on because I can see them from a distance, and it was taking a long time.

And there it was, after a lot of prayers and wishful thinking. Behold the lost shoe!

What a relief! And what a feeling!

So to SMRT staff at Dhoby Ghaut Interchange, thank you so much. A guy from their office remarked in jest that he was trying to put on the shoe but it just couldn't fit! :-)

And to the finder, our sincerest gratitude for your time and selfless efforts. Blessing to you!