Getting Your Shoes Shined

Ronnie10 | 22:20 Wed 09th Jan 2013 | Society & Culture

35 Answers

Hi there.

The other day me a few friends were walking when we saw a few poor lads shining shoes so we decided to get our shoes shined as well as be charitable as it was near christmas. There were 3 white lads and one black boy who i purposefully walked pass as it felt extremely embarrassing and reminded me of slavery days ( I'm caucasion ) I did at the end give the white shoe shiner who done my shoes a twenty pound note and said loudly "This is for all of you to share" as i didn't want my issues to be the reason why the black kid didn't eat that night as my friends also out of embarrassment had gone to the white boys and left the black boy out.

Have any of you been embarrassed at the shoeshiners or in a similar situation? How would you have acted had you been in my position that night?

Ron.

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Ronnie10

Question Author

Khandro how on earth have you got my stats?

naomi24

I think the plank is in your eye. If people are working for a living offering a service, I can't see the problem.

Ronnie10

Question Author

Naomi my problem wasn't with me having a problem at the young boys earning a living but more how i was affected by the past.

naomi24

The past has gone. If young lads have the wherewithal to go out and earn a living, good for them.

askyourgran

I only think of shoeshine boys being in America. Not often you find them here, except in good Hotels. I can see your point and think it very worthy of you. Myself I would have gone to the black boy, they may have more experience handed down, and I would be glad to pay him.

Maydup

I'd be way too embarrassed to have someone else shine my shoes.

I'd walk on by.

Now if they were cleaning cars, I'd happily engage them. All four of them could get stuck in and earn an bob or two.

Khandro

//Khandro how on earth have you got my stats?// Well, it's not exactly C.I.A. stuff, I just clicked on your name, and that takes me to 'See public member profile'.

Flyhalf

By the way, welcome to AB.

Ronnie10

Question Author

Indeed maidup, i have no qualms with the boys cleaning my car, mowing my lawn or painting my fence but for some reason i froze when it came to getting my shoes shined.

Many thanks khandro for showing me how to view past q's and a's as i did wonder earlier on how to do this once you've built up an archive of q's and a's.

Thank you for the warm welcome bigjack and on that note i will retire for the night.

Have a pleasant evening all.

Ron.

Answerprancer

Didn't you know Ronnie, Khandro owns the internet ! The matrix has you!

wildwood

I'd be too to embarrassed to have my shoes shined by anyone, it seems to me to be degrading to someone to have your shoes done. I do appreciate the boys effort however, and would probably have given them a couple of quid each.

naomi24

//Myself I would have gone to the black boy, they may have more experience handed down//

That's a terrible thing to say - not to mention patronising. How on earth can we expect to see an end to discrimination when our own attitudes, in effect, maintain it? There’s nothing degrading in young people being enterprising – and that’s what these boys are. They’ve come up with an idea to make some money and they should be applauded. I see no difference in paying to have shoes cleaned than having a car washed – or my hair or nails done. I wish them every success - and I hope they turn their small enterprise into a bigger business and make pots of money.

whiskeryron

// I did at the end give the white shoe shiner who done my shoes a twenty pound note and said loudly "This is for all of you to share" //

Unfortunately by walking past the black guy, what you did makes you subconciously racist. What you should have done is to ask them all if their shoeshine business was being run as a co-operative, ie. All sharing proceeds. This then completely answers your question with no racism involved.

WR.