People touching their shoes

[Regina]

Sting is on the Today Show. He's sitting with his leg crossed and hasn't stopped touching his shoe for a second.

THAT GROSSES ME OUT BIG TIME!! I hate when people do this. All I could think of is what they stepped in with those shoes and now it's all over their hand and they're touching stuff that I have to touch.

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWW........

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

1000 bucks says he just put those shows on right before the interview and will take them off directly afterward. I highly doubt he stepped in dog doo-doo.

 

[punkin712]

I get more annoyed with people who put their shoes on the furniture. Why would they think I want their filthy dirty shoes all over my couch? My MIL is the worst offender. She refuses to take her shoes off in my house and we have to tell her every time she comes over. I even keep a brand new pair of slippers around that I repeatedly offer to her if she will only take off those $#%& shoes!

One time when I reminded her that we don't put shoes on the couch, she actually said "Do you have a blanket or something I can put under my shoes then?" Right, I don't want your filthy dirty shoes on my couch but it's perfectly fine to put them on a blanket.

I think she does it now just to irritate me.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

I guess it's just not a pet peeve of mine. I mean, DH and I take our shoes off in our house and whenever we go into someone else's house. However, I would never ever tell someone to take their shoes off in my house. In fact, if they ask, I say don't worry about it. I think if someone put muddy boots or something on my couch I might get worked up but otherwise, I don't really think of it.

 

[DisneyMomOK]

I guess it's just not a pet peeve of mine. I mean, DH and I take our shoes off in our house and whenever we go into someone else's house. However, I would never ever tell someone to take their shoes off in my house.

Is this some local custom ? I have never been in anyone's home where I was expected to remove my shoes. I wear shoes for a reason, personally.

Also, wasn't one of the Larry Craig signals, touching his shoes (I faintly recall this - I AM NOT IMPLYING STING IS GAY - I just thought of LC when I read the OP.)

Sharon

 

[Cool-Beans]

I have no idea how often (other than putting them on and taking them off) I touch my shoes. Now I'm sure I'll notice.

And here we go on the fight about whether you should or shouldn't make people take off shoes in your home! I don't. I care more about my guest's comfort than I do my carpet. If they want to, that's fine. If they don't, that's fine, too. Whatever they are comfortable with.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

Nothing Sting does grosses me out

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

I have told this story before on the Dis, but it's pretty funny........

A few years ago DH and I went to see Seinfeld in concert. As the show started the guy sitting next to me crossed his legs and started rubbing his foot. He had sandals on, so he was rubbing all over the inside of his sandal, all over the heel of his foot.......not an itch mind you, a rub. Well I nudge DH and he starts noticing too. It's starting to freak me out because the guys foot is practically in my lap, and he's sitting there rubbing, and rubbing, and caressing, and rubbing.

Then we get the giggles. I start thinking to myself, "what would Elaine (from Seinfeld) do in this situation". So tell the guy "excuse me, but I've got a foot thing and frankly---you are freaking me out!!". He was mortified and apoligized, and didn't do it the rest of the show.

However, if the guy looked like Sting I could have probably overlooked the foot rubbing.

 

[Regina]

Also, wasn't one of the Larry Craig signals, touching his shoes (I faintly recall this - I AM NOT IMPLYING STING IS GAY - I just thought of LC when I read the OP.)

Sharon

LOL, no I think he tapped his foot.

What I'm talking about is people who cross their feet and keep grabbing onto their shoe. That just skeeves me out.

And don't get me started with people who take off their shoes and start playing with their toes. UGH!!!

 

[SwedishMeatball]

LOL, no I think he tapped his foot.

What I'm talking about is people who cross their feet and keep grabbing onto their shoe. That just skeeves me out.

And don't get me started with people who take off their shoes and start playing with their toes. UGH!!!

My stepdad would come home from work and take off his shoes and socks and then take the sock and run it between each toe to remove the lint. He would also flick his big toes over his second toe and make this really annoying sound. Thanks for bringing back those memories.

 

[JunieJay]

Geez, Regina, the only thing I can think that would be worse than a PERSON touching his shoes is a CLOWN touching his shoes!

 

[JunieJay]

My stepdad would come home from work and take off his shoes and socks and then take the sock and run it between each toe to remove the lint. He would also flick his big toes over his second toe and make this really annoying sound. Thanks for bringing back those memories.

O.K. Missy, I'll have you know I was mid bite in my PB&J when I read this and now i have to throw it away.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

O.K. Missy, I'll have you know I was mid bite in my PB&J when I read this and now i have to throw it away.

OMG the funniest thing is that my original post said, "...to remove the lint and jam." I removed the jam part so as not to offend anyone.

 

[JunieJay]

OMG the funniest thing is that my original post said, "...to remove the lint and jam." I removed the jam part so as not to offend anyone.

You deleted it and threw it in my trashcan, apparently.

 

[disykat]

I touch the ground, I touch doorknobs, I touch public telephones, etc. I don't really see the difference. It doesn't bother me if people touch their shoes.

Sometimes I walk barefoot outside on the ground, so my feet aren't any cleaner than my hands.

I do have a thing about handwashing before eating, after shaking hands, after going to the bathroom, etc. though - because hands are so dirty!

 

[DisneyMomOK]

LOL, no I think he tapped his foot.

What I'm talking about is people who cross their feet and keep grabbing onto their shoe. That just skeeves me out.

And don't get me started with people who take off their shoes and start playing with their toes. UGH!!!

My bad on the LC inference. (I agree that Sting is pretty cute, too.)

Sharon

 

[punkin712]

Just to clarify, I never ask people to remove their shoes in my house. However, since my MIL has the nasty habit of putting her dirty shoes on every surface that I would consider livable, like the couch bed, coffee table, etc., I thought it would be easier to suggest to her that she might be more comfortable wearing slippers in the house rather than constantly nagging her to get her shoes off the couch.

I guess for me the last straw was when she did it after we spent the afternoon slogging through the dirt and mud at the local strawberry farm. Her shoes were caked with dirt but she thought nothing of putting them up on my light tan couch.

Sorry...I'm having a crummy day and I guess this topic just touched a nerve with me.

 

[DeterminedOne]

Nothing Sting does grosses me out

Exactly what I was thinking.

Why was he on the show? Does he have a new album coming out? I hope so! I love that man! We saw The Police in concert this past July. It was the best concert ever... next to Sting's Sacred Love tour/concert in 2004.
Okay - I'm off to find the interview.

 

[fey_spirit]

You know the next time she asks you if you have something she can put her shoes on to keep them off your couch you might try telling her the floor works well.

Failing that - you could always offer her plastic baggies large enough to hold her feet with a couple of rubber bands to hold them on. Doubt it will get you very far - but the look on her face would be priceless.

Just to clarify, I never ask people to remove their shoes in my house. However, since my MIL has the nasty habit of putting her dirty shoes on every surface that I would consider livable, like the couch bed, coffee table, etc., I thought it would be easier to suggest to her that she might be more comfortable wearing slippers in the house rather than constantly nagging her to get her shoes off the couch.

I guess for me the last straw was when she did it after we spent the afternoon slogging through the dirt and mud at the local strawberry farm. Her shoes were caked with dirt but she thought nothing of putting them up on my light tan couch.

Sorry...I'm having a crummy day and I guess this topic just touched a nerve with me.

 

[KristaTX]

Is this some local custom ? I have never been in anyone's home where I was expected to remove my shoes. I wear shoes for a reason, personally.

It is customary in many parts of the world, and some people in the US have adopted the custom. It helps keep carpets cleaner, allergens out of the house, etc. I grew up in Oklahoma, and never learned about the custom until I was preparing to travel to Switzerland for a few weeks during college. All the families we stayed with in Switzerland did follow that custom. We have friends here who are from other parts of the world, and they also practice this at their homes. And some of our friends from the US do, too. I try to remember to take a pair of slippers with me when I go over to their homes, because for some reason I don't like putting my socks (which feel or even look dirty after I've walked around in them "barefooted") back into my shoes.