Clothes Maketh The Man — Part 27.

I fastened the well crafted buckle and pulled the strap comfortably tight. The feint leathery smell of the band teased my nostrils. It hinted at sophistication and hedonistic compulsion. My fingers secured it, and I moved to my right shoe.

I’d bought the sandals on my morning walk. Rather too expensive for an impulse buy, yet satisfyingly extravagant. How I loved the profligacy of buying clothes when traveling. It just added to the overall experience to be savoured as I was now doing. I felt both well heeled, and well heeled, if you see what I mean. In that moment, I suppose I should have been listening not for the sighing of the warm wind in the palm trees outside, but the distant chiming of alarm bells, a little way off. Life is sometimes just too good to be true. But really, what could possibly happen to disrupt such a perfect start to the day?

I’d returned from my morning routine of breakfast, walk and looking vacantly at the sea, as only a native of a landlocked city can when they visit a city like Miami. Small things taken for granted by locals always take hold of the imagination of such a visitor.

How easy it all seems. The beach, the occasional yacht or power boat, and someone messing around on a paddle board. It’s all so normal, unless of course you come from a city where the chill winter wind threatens to rip your face clean…