“Shoes”
by Alysia Kuknyo
Shoes take us places. A few of mine have travelled to far off countries, but every pair of shoes I have ever owned has been worn in Prescott, Arizona, and they have many stories to tell. My dusty boots can tell you all about the forest trails I have hiked or the crazy bull riders at the World’s Oldest Rodeo. A few pairs of tennis shoes could tell you what pace I kept in the Whiskey Row Marathon or how many times I took them off to dip my feet into the water of Goldwater Lake. However, the many high heels I have owned throughout the years could tell you both similar and entirely different stories. A pair of red heels have a white gash up the heel from the time I wore them on a spontaneous bouldering adventure at Watson Lake, and the black heels are worn smooth from nights on the dance floor at Matt’s Saloon. Several pairs of loafers were specifically reserved for school and work, and although they had their fair share of adventures around Prescott, they could talk more about the diverse community of people, where strangers become neighbors, within minutes, in times of joy and hardship. In a way, you could say that Prescott is a town that wears many different kinds of shoes, just like me – that there is something here for everyone to make it their hometown. Whether you are a local or a visitor, Prescott has a unique life adventure waiting to be discovered. As a born-and-raised “Preskitonian,” I can readily tap my heels together and say, “There is no place like home.”
