I am\u00a0walking across the parking lot. I knew it would happen. I just knew it. A pebble the size of a pea hopped into the side of one of my sneakers. Damn, I hope it doesn’t get under my foot. I feel it wriggling down the side of my shoe. It’s like it is rappelling down my sock in an urgent quest to get to solid ground.<\/p>\n
There it goes. Right under the most tender part of my heel. Ouch. With each step I imagine a\u00a0tiny assailant with a dagger repeatedly stabbing\u00a0the thick skin. I hesitate and continue walking. Of course\u00a0it gets worse. Now it feels like an ice-pick is being pushed up into the fatty pad that protects my calcaneum. The pain is excruciating. It must have hit the bone.<\/p>\n
I reach the car and sigh. I stand motionless hoping the pebble will shift to a less painful position. No such luck. Balancing like the world’s worst ballerina I unlock the door. I sit sideways on the seat and fumble to get the shoe off. The pebble is making a last ditch effort to permanently cripple me. I curse and try to untie the knots in the laces. Success. I stick an arm out and shake the shoe. I am certain that the vicious monster\u00a0that savaged my foot will now reveal itself.<\/p>\n
It was so small I almost missed it. It looks like a dirty piece of rice.<\/p>\n
How can such an insignificant, tiny object cause such agony?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I am\u00a0walking across the parking lot. I knew it would happen. I just knew it. A pebble the size of a pea hopped into the side of one of my sneakers. Damn, I hope it doesn’t get under my foot. I feel it wriggling down the side of my shoe. It’s like it is rappelling … Continue reading The irritant<\/span>