© 2024 Ideastream Public Media

1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115
(216) 916-6100 | (877) 399-3307

WKSU is a public media service licensed to Kent State University and operated by Ideastream Public Media.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

This Week's Inbox

LET’S SEE WHAT THOUGHTS YOU HAD ABOUT LAST WEEK’S EPISODE. WE SHOWED YOU A STORY ABOUT EMPATHY AND WALKING IN SOMEONE ELSE’S SHOES. SO WE ASKED YOU TO TELL US ABOUT THE LIFE OF A SHOE. LET OPEN OUR INBOX.

NOLAN FROM LAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL GOT INTO CHARACTER WITH HIS LETTER. HE WROTE:

“HI. MY NAME IS TENNII. I'M A TENNIS SHOE. I'VE BEEN TO A FEW TENNIS MATCHES. I LOOSE EVERY TIME. I OFTEN TRIP AND HURT MYSELF. BUT ONE DAY, I WILL WIN A MATCH. I JUST HAVE TO PRACTICE. AFTER ALL, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT WHEN I'M A BEGINNER?”

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT EVEN FOR A SHOE! JULIANA FROM WESTWOOD ELEMENTARY IMAGINED A WILD WEST LIFE:

“A COWBOY BOOT HAS MANY ADVENTURES.  A BOOT SPENDS TIME ON FARMS AND AT RODEOS.  THE BOOTS START THEIR DAY VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING ON THE FARM. THE COWBOY BOOT HELPS MANY COWBOYS AND FARMERS BY PROTECTING THEIR FEET FROM MUD, RAIN AND PUDDLES.  THE BOOTS HAVE GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS.  SOMETIMES THEY HAVE TO BE WORN WHEN THE FARMER CLEANS THE BARN.  YUCK!! OTHER DAYS THEY GET A BREAK WHEN THEY ARE NOT ON THE GROUND.  THEY GET TO RIDE ON A BEAUTIFUL HORSE IN BIG FIELDS.  THE BOOTS START OUT NEW AND SHINY.  THEY WORK HARD AND GET DIRTY AND WORN OUT, BUT THE COWBOYS LOVE THEM. “

BUSY DAY!  MARIN FROM PARKSIDE ELEMENTARY CHOSE HER OWN TYPE OF SHOE:

“MY SHOE IS A CLEAT. MY CLEAT IS A SOCCER PLAYER, BUT SHE GETS PUSHED TOO MUCH AND HER FRIENDS DON'T UNDERSTAND. THE CLEAT'S FRIEND, THE HIGH HEEL, HAS A PERFECT LIFE, SO SHE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE CLEAT FEELS. THE CLEAT TELLS HER PARENTS HOW SHE FEELS AND SHE FEELS SO MUCH BETTER. THE CLEAT TELLS THE HIGH HEEL HOW SHE FEELS AND EVERYONE STARTS TO GET HER. THAT IS MY SHOE STORY.”

MORI FROM COLUMBUS GIFTED ACADEMY IMAGINED ACTIVE DAYS AS A SNEAKER.

“HI. I AM A TENNIS SHOE. THE LEFT TENNIS SHOE, AND I KNOW IT'S JUST MY LUCK MY OWNER TAYLOR'S LEFT FOOTED. THE ONLY THING WORSE THAN BEING BORED IS BEING OVERUSED. I GET PUT ON, THEN KICK A SOCCER BALL (OUCH)! THEN I GET PUT ON A SHELF TO GET WASHED, AND THEN I SPIN AROUND AND AROUND- NO TTT-TIME TO B-BE D-D-DIZZYYY WHOA!  OFF TO TENNIS NOW, OH NO!  IT WAS MUDDY!  MOM SAYS, "TAYLOR, WHACK YOUR SHOES OUT BEFORE YOU COME IN"- OUCH!  BACK OFF!
NEXT DAY REPEAT......”

DELANEY FROM OLMSTED FALLS INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL WROTE:

“I THINK A SHOE'S LIFE IS LIKE A PERSON'S BUT IN THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVE.  A SHOE WORKS WHEN SOMEONE PUTS IT ON AND WALKS, RUNS, SKIPS, GALLOPS, AND A LOT MORE.  SOME SHOES ARE COMFORTABLE AND SOME, NOT SO MUCH.  IF I WERE A SHOE I WOULD WANT TO BE A COMFORTABLE TENNIS SHOE.  I WOULD WANT TO BE NICE AND BASIC COLORS SO IF YOU WORE ME IT WOULDN'T LOOK TOO COLORFUL. A SHOE HAS A BUSY LIFE JUST LIKE HUMANS DO.  THAT'S WHAT I THINK A SHOE'S LIFE IS LIKE.”

THANKS NOLAN, JULIANA, MARIN, MORI AND DELANEY. THOSE WERE SOME CREATIVE ANSWERS.