Having to remove shoes before you enter someone’s house

I have to put this in writing before I forget it over the time. While at work, I got a call from a friend of mine to help him connect to his new ISP. I drove after work to his house and as I approached the main door, I noticed all the shoes being removed and placed at a side. Conscience told me I had to remove the shoes I am wearing. The steel toe shoes I was wearing were strictly indoor and only had house-dirt if you call it that way. I drive to work and I have separate boots to wear during site visits. The shoes came up to my ankle so it took some time for me remove both and finally enter the house. The guy was just waiting at the main door like it was part of normal activity, but *not* for me it was!

After I set up the new router it came to the point where I needed the new ISP username and password. Without a surprise he had no idea about it and he said that we will have to go to his cousin’s house to check his email and get the login details from the ISP’s email. I got out of the house with him, put my shoes again, and we drove to his drive which was a 2 minute drive. His cousin’s house was similar or more strict with the custom of removing shoes. The cousin’s mom just had the door half opened and looking down until both of us removed the shoes. We went to the cousin’s room, he quickly checked the email, got the username and password and we were out of the house within 5 minutes. I had to put the shoes again. In another 2 minutes, we were back to his house and I removed the shoes again!

After setting up the username and password, and a few unsuccessful attempts sync, it turned out that this specific ISP required their local server address appended to the username. I wasn’t familiar with the ISP I didn’t know anything about this ISP server. We had to go again to his cousin’s house to get the ISP server address; yes I put my shoes back on before we left. This time I said, “look, I don’t want to go inside, you can write the server address and come back”, and I waited outside of cousin’s house. I was thinking how much of a hassle this removing shoes is.

In our house, we force people not to remove their shoes. We welcome guests with the full dress they were happy to wear. Girls would wear all these nice high heels and what’s the point if they have to remove this before they enter someone house? What’s the whole point of buying all these nice shoes just to wear them inside the car?? Hosts should offer house-shoes if they want the guests remove their shoes they are wearing. If that is not at least the case, then I find this whole custom highly offensive.

I will take a pair of thongs with me hereafter and keep them in my car so that I can wear them whenever the house I go to requires shoes to be removed.

Comments

Dee and Michael said…
The Japanese (or some other Asian country) have a system similar to the one you're suggesting; they have a rack of machine washable/ disposable soft "bed slippers" kind of things to change into after removing your shoes.
Unknown said…
I usually take off sandals or slippers when entering someone else's house, but usually don't remove shoes, unless I feel there is a valid reason to, like on a rainy day if the shoes are all muddy etc.

Besides, you are not going there for your thing. You are going on request. It's their responsibility to make it comfortable to you, even if it is a hassle for them.

It's like you are selling something and instead of getting paid, you have to pay the buyer. LOL

However, if there is a baby in the house, there is a possibility that she might play on the floor, so that is a valid reason. :)

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