Sneakers
A couple years after graduating from high school
I took the Greyhound bus from Times Square, NYC
to San Francisco, California
After a brief stint of being homeless in The City
I found a small room to rent out in a house in the Mission District
which was unlike any neighborhood I had experienced back East
Palm trees, taquerias, lowriders, cholos, mercados, mariachis, etc.
When I finally settled into my room I decided to go out and explore
So, I put on my favorite pair of sneakers which were low-top Addias
in red leather with white stripes — a la Beastie Boys
Down the stairs of the front porch I went with spring in my step
hitting the sidewalk like I was walking on air
Before I could make my way across the street a young brown man
around my age approached me with a serious look in his eyes and
said in a frank and direct tone,
“You won’t last long in this hood wearing sneakers with that color”
He walked off and left me alone to make up my mind after his warning
Back into the house I went, and in my small room I tossed off my
red Addias and switched them for my only other pair of sneakers
which were a pair of high-top Nikes in white leather with a black swoosh
I made my way back down the stairs of the front porch and
hit the sidewalk pavement with a little less spring in my step
And thought to myself while crossing the street that the Nike slogan “Just Do It”
was taken from the last words of a man on death row awaiting the firing squad
Jonathan Hayes lives in Oakland, California with his wife and their cat.
tee_shirt_mind @ Instagram
