IT TAKES TIME TO BUY SHOES | FEAT. ELMORE LEONARD

“He bought a suit?” Palenzuela said.
“Only the coat, a black one.”
“Expensive?”
“I believe alpaca.”
“Where did he go for the boots?”
“Naranjo y Vazquez.”
“They’re all right, but not the best.”
“He removed his spurs from the old boots and put them on the new ones.”
“Why? If he wasn’t riding?”
“No, I think because he’s used to wearing them. Or he likes to hear himself walk.” 
Elmore Leonard
From: Cuba Libre (Harper Collins, 1998)

Levi‘s Shoes & Boots
Source: 
Vintage Ad Browser

“Dennis said, “If I have a choice . . .” and went with the kepi, seeing himself in the mirror 140 years ago. He liked the look and tried the kepi a bit closer on his eyes. Yeah. The shoes were something else, plain black ankle-high brogans with blunt toes, four holes for the shoelaces; they were called bootees. David Jarnagin told Dennis they’d soften with shoe oil; but don’t put them close to a fire, the soles would dry up and crack. ” 
Elmore Leonard
From: Tishomingo Blues (William Morrow, 2002)


Hanneke Benade
Source: Por Amor Al Arte

“She turned a chair from the glass top table and sat down as Adele came out of the kitchenette with a Diet Coke and a pack of cigarettes: Adele wearing a polyester makeup coat hanging partly open, panties but no bra, and clear-plastic mules. Karen saw her as a size 10, her body soft and white, a bit plump but good legs, dark curly hair . . . She said to Karen, “Those are cute shoes. The kind of jobs I get, I have to wear these killer spikes, they ruin your feet.” 
Elmore Leonard
From: Out of Sight (Delacorte Press, 1996)


Girls Aloud
I‘ll Stand By You (Polydor, 2004 - CD Promo)

“I drop you off,” Buddy said, “Give the valet guy the car, Glenn and a black kid by the name of Kenneth are waiting in the lobby. This is three o’clock in the afternoon, the snow’s coming down, they want us to take a ride with them. I said you were buying a pair of shoes, and if they want to go look for you over there, good luck. We come out, White Boy’s waiting in the car. What time did you get back?” 
“About ten.” 
“It took you, what, seven hours to buy a pair of shoes?”
Elmore Leonard
From: Out of Sight (Delacorte Press, 1996)



CA. 1911 | Elizabeth Sparhawk-Jones
The Shoe Shop
Source: Art Institute Of Chicago


FOOTNOTE

The fictional Naranjo y Vazquez brand made another appearance two years later (2000) in the novel “Waste Places” by Melvin Weaver:

“Viadero‘s it is then,” said Brenten, “I need a good hat as well as a black coat, pants and a couple of nice shirts. A new pair of boots would be nice if I still have money left.” 
“Naranjo Y Vazquez is a good place for value in boots,“ Enrique Cuevas volunteered. “Not the best quality, but good quality at reasonable price.”

Silver Spurz Orchestra
Self Titled (Aurum Records, 1979)



 

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