A Change of Socks
on Sabo -Oke (Nigeria), 06/Jun/2011 11:49, 34 days ago
My feet and ankles are getting seriously bitten so I am seriously thinking of changing my socks! Eight months in Nigeria is a long time to go without doing so. These British‘George’ ones are just not up to the job. Most Nigerians wear sockless sandals or flip-flops for everyday use so why they have not been devoured up to the knee caps I don’t know!I thought the tiled kitchen floor felt unusually cool this morning, even before I trod in something squidgy and unpleasant which at first I thought was a cockroach but it didn’t crunchI - it was only a soggy tea bag from last night. I examined the soles of my socks to discover there weren’t any – worn through to the skin. I peeled them off my feet and changed into my‘England’ socks – only to discover they had suffered the same plight – more holes than a Scottish defence; big holes, tied together with a few nylon threads . I am now on my fourth pair and frankly am not bothered that they are an actual pair or a‘pick and mix’ – as long as they offer some protection against the creeping , flying, biting beasties and today’s bus ride.So on my next visit to the UK I will be looking for pairs of socks that are waterproof, mosquito proof, termite proof and bus-proof, that don’t induce DVT and do allow the feet to breathe. If mum were around she would knit me a pair – but they would come with a weird neckline, uneven sleeves and shrink instantly at the first sign of moisture.Maybe plastic ASDA bags are the answer– like those Spanish students wore on West Kirby beach – long story!