Barefoot on the Train for the First Time

May 20, 2024. I got up at 7:40 AM because I set the alarm, as today I am having breakfast with my family. It is cloudy outside, 14 degrees. I made a few new micro-adventures today: I'm walking barefoot to Borsum.

Because when I came home yesterday and took off my wet socks, my feet were completely soaked. The skin on the blisters on the soles had flaked off, and my feet were quite swollen after hours of dancing. I need to do something about that. Long walks (especially in the sun) with or without socks, and getting my feet wet, make my feet unhealthy. My feet smell and blisters are forming.

So I set off barefoot to meet my family. I still had my barefoot shoes in hand. On the relatively empty platform of the main station, an older man with a suitcase greeted me with a "Good morning." I greeted him back. That was the first positive thing that happened to me today. When the tram arrived, I got on and stood by the opposite door. All the seats were occupied. A woman in her mid-forties got up from her seat and stood next to me by the right door. I looked at her. Her head leaned against the metal pole of the door, facing me. She smiled at me. I looked again. She smiled again. Either she wanted me to talk to her, or she just thought I was cool. After all, I didn't look like a bum. I had neatly combed my hair to the side and was wearing my minimalist all-black outfit.

After getting off, I took the stairs and immediately noticed that it's even easier on the stairs than with shoes.

The train to Harsum was already there. I got on. It was quite empty. A man got on behind me. He sat down on the four-seat next to mine, even though he could have taken many other empty four-seats. Apparently, he also found me nice.

I sit in the train and think: Either I am only getting positive reactions (which I find good), or the people who have seen me barefoot are really responding positively. When I see someone barefoot who clearly does not look like a bum (like a woman I saw the other day with two dogs in front of the station), I immediately feel positively attracted to them.

While I was waiting at the station for Mascha and Tobi to pick me up, I met Judith with her friend. They were on their way to the café. I wasn't really interested in them anymore; I just wanted to say hi. I was completely focused on Nina. I really wanted to build a deep friendship with her and Desiree, and with Nina, I could even imagine more, provided we really click. But first, I want to get to know her better.

By the way, Mascha and Tobi thought it was crazy that I had walked barefoot. But after I explained to them convincingly why I was doing it, they understood me.

At around 10 AM, I had breakfast with Mascha, Tobi, and Mom. We talked about Mom's relationship with Julien, Tobi's family issues, and other deep topics. After that, I laid down for a bit and manifested Nina. At 1 PM, I decided to text Nina: "Nina <3 Hi. Let's meet in Vahrenwalder Park in the evening and have a deep talk."

After the SMS, it started to drizzle outside. I fetched Mom's laundry that was hanging outside and hung it up inside. I'm not used to spending so much time hanging laundry anymore. I only have to hang a T-shirt, a pair of socks, and some underwear. Then I'm done. With Mom, there are countless towels, dresses, underwear, tops, and so on.

At 4:10 PM, the street where the bus stops was closed. Damn. I'm running barefoot towards the detour. I don't see a bus stop and keep running. A group of men sits at the roadblock, drinking beer.

“Do you know if there’s an alternative bus stop around here?”

“Alexander?”

“Yes. Chris?”

I ran into my old classmate from middle school. We only talked briefly because I had to keep going.

I keep running straight down the street. I don’t see a bus stop. Suddenly, I hear a loud engine noise. I turn around. It’s the bus. The driver saw me waving and picks me up. Perfect. Everything worked out.

I got off in Harsum. By now the sun was shining again, and it was very warm. I stood barefoot at the platform and tried to call Nina. "Come on, Nina, open your heart," I thought. She didn’t pick up. I waited for the train, looked into the sun, and thought, "Come on, Nina. Give me a chance to get to know you. I feel that we fit well together. I want you in my life."

Around 6 PM, I was back in Hannover. I can clearly feel people staring at me, both on the train and while walking around Kröpcke, walking through the train station to the streetcar, and on the streetcar.

In the crowded streetcar, a new fear arose in me that I hadn’t known before. I was a little afraid that someone would step on my toes. But that never happens to me when I wear shoes; why would it happen without shoes? Well, unless someone deliberately steps on my toe.

I briefly went to Vahrenwalder Park and paused for a moment. I quickly checked if Nina had sent me a text. No. I felt a slight anger towards her for simply ignoring me. I sent her my last message, taking her zodiac sign into account: "Nina, you’re a mean Scorpio (or an unattainable one)."

At home, I washed my feet after Thomas came out of the shower. I had smelled my feet earlier. They smelled like grass. Finally, no disgusting odor, like when you wear shoes with socks in warm weather. The skin from the blister on the back of my sole had rubbed off a bit, and my foot doesn’t look so mutilated there anymore. It was just a lovely experience for my feet to be free all day - without shoes.

Nina didn’t reply. Screw it, if she doesn’t reach out, I thought. I wanted to go to the cinema alone. But then I thought of Lena, the energy goddess I met recently. She is very spiritual, and I thought she would enjoy the movie. I called her. And she actually answered. I didn’t think she would, because these days, people prefer to message on WhatsApp, especially with people they don't know yet. I suggested to Lena that we watch “Tarot: The Deadly Prophecy” together. However, she said she had already made plans with friends today, but if not, she would join me. I then said that the movie runs almost every day. She would love to come along, and she’ll call me as soon as she has the time.

I am grateful today for:

• My courage to not wear shoes for a single second today.
• The “Good morning” from an older gentleman on the platform and his smile.
• The breakfast with my family.
• The encounter with Chris.
• The bus driver who saw me and picked me up at the non-bus stop.
• The open and loving nature of Lena. Namaste, Lena!