the braided key chain

i make my own clothes, she
says, showing me her plaid
skirt. this blouse too.
nice, you say. very nice.
and what about those
shoes. oh yes, she says.
i made those too. it took
a year. but finally i
finished them. leather is
very difficult to work with.
so i hear, you say. that's
pretty much why i don't
make my own shoes. my wrists
aren't that strong to
get the needles through
the leather.
what size shoe do you wear,
she says, i'll make you
a pair. really, you'd do
that for me? sure she says.
why not. okay, size ten.
i could use a new pair
of loafers, casual though,
with rubber souls. she nods
writing it all down.
i prefer a reddish brown,
if you can work that out.
i made a key chain once,
you tell her, did i ever
tell you that? nope she
says. well, i was in shop
class in the ninth grade
and we had to braid a bunch
of plastic colored wire
together. i think i still
have it somewhere. you still
have it? she says, raising
her eyebrows. yeah. i'm
very sentimental that way,
but if you make me a pair
of shoes, i'll give it to
you. swell, she says.
that's great, i could use
a new key chain.