Columbus, Ohio meeting report

[Steve63130]

Spikesmike and I had been emailing back and forth for the past couple of weeks, getting to know each other a little better. We agreed to meet for supper this past Tuesday at a restaurant in Columbus, Ohio, not far from his home. We both arrived a little earlier than the planned time of 6 pm. Mike was sitting and waiting for me and easy to recognize. He was wearing pointy toed 5 3/4" black stiletto boots with brass spurs, white jeans, and a red polo shirt. I was in a brand new pair of Naturalizer Vitality pumps (3" high, thicker heels, see photo) black stay-up stockings (A1010 from Comfilon.com ), denim jeans, and a dark green polo shirt. We shook hands, went to the hostess and were shown to our table, all the way in the back of the restaurant. I walked first, and I could hear Mike's spurs jingle, even over the roar of the noise in the restaurant. We had a good meal and got to know each other a lot better. We talked about our early interests in heels, our relationships with spouses, the frustrations of finding boots and shoes in larger sizes, and lots of other heel-related topics. After we paid the bill we decided to go to someplace quieter where we could talk without screaming, so we went over to Mike's house. He was pleased to show me his enormous collection of heels, mostly custom made boots (ankle, knee high, and thigh high, in black, white and red), custom made heels (pumps, slingbacks, and a few sandals, mostly black white, and red) and quite a few off-the-shelf brands. All were immaculately stored in boxes in his walk-in closet. He had practically nothing that was less than 5" and all were stiletto heels, some as high as 7". Mike let me try on a few pair of 5" heels (which I could hardly stand in, as my foot doesn't flex enough at the toes), and I tried on my first pair of thigh boots - black vinyl ones with pointy toe, stiletto heel, and a LONG zipper. It was an interesting experience! Thighbootguy, I dunno how you do it! Mike and I have very different interests in heels - my heels are mostly 3 to 3 1/2 inches high, thicker block or stacked heels, more masculine styles such as clogs and loafers, and I am much more in stealth mode, covering my shoes with the cuff of my long pants or jeans. Mike is much more obvious and flamboyant, wearing 5" stilettos, boots with jingling spurs, and he is much less inhibited than I am about showing off his footwear. I admire his attitude. He also has a fabulous collection of jewelry and ceramics with a high heel theme. We had a good time getting to know each other that evening. He wanted me to show him how to do some things on the computer (he's a novice) but we didn't have time for that, so we'll have to get together again another time. For those of you who are shy about getting to know other heelers in your area, my advice is don't be. I'm glad I contacted Mike with a private message and we started getting to know each other. He has an outstanding collection of heels back as far as 1962 and keeps them in great shape. He wears everyday in public and is an inspiring guy! Thanks, Mike! Steve