Thursday, November 13, 2008

The Mysterious Shoes

A Pair of Shoes
Vincent van Gogh
1885
oil on canvas
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Like something out of a Stephen King novel, another foot has been found washed ashore in Richmond. It is the seventh one so far in the past couple of years.

Another running shoe with what may be a detached foot has washed up along the banks of the Fraser River in Richmond, B.C., according to the RCMP. A New Balance runner for a woman's left foot apparently containing human remains was found in Finn Slough in the south arm of the Fraser, near the end of Garden City Road, Const. Annie Linteau told CBC News.

Police have not released any further description of the shoe, but a woman's right foot in a size 7 New Balance running shoe was also discovered on May 22, 2008 on Kirkland Island, which is also in the Fraser River.

... CBC Canada

I have a feeling someone knows more about this than they are disclosing.

Someone wrote on the CBC website: "Let this be a warning to you B.C. joggers that in a warm humid climate like yours you should change your socks every month or two whether they need it or not."

Someone else wrote: "Maybe the owners of these feet had really long hair and a very bad barber... they asked him to cut a foot off and well... the rest is history!"

Yet another person wrote: "They need to work faster on this case. Progress should be measured in miles rather than feet. Clearly to get this case solved, detectives need to step up to the plate and toe the line rather than walking around flat-footed thinking that success is a shoe-in or a 'feet accompli'."

My favorite: "Good sneakers float, expensive leather Gucci's sink, particularly when encased in Mafia cement."

Sigh … Everyone’s a comedian.

I tend to agree with the person who wrote: "Man... we smoke waaaaaaaaaaaay too much weed here on the West Coast."

15 comments:

Leslie: said...

We used to ride our bikes up to the end of Garden City Road when we were kids so I know just where this is. It is really creeping me out now that ANOTHER one has been found. I hope the police figure out this mystery soon. Might affect the tourist trade.

Tess Kincaid said...

Oh, I read about this and it is too creepy!! And why are they cutting their feet off? And where are they washing ashore from? Yikes! It gives me the willies.

I've always thought Van Gogh's shoes painting was interesting, possibly symbolizing his difficult journey through life.

Ces Adorio said...

Are you serious? Were these news items vetted? One never knows these days but if it is true, certainly I agree with Willow, it is sick! Poor woman.

KathyB. said...

O.K. , I know it's not funny, but it is,such a strange sense of humor we humans have !

I saw the story about the feet on our news last night and again immediately thought of you Jo ( now how do you like that ?)and wondered if you would be writing a post about it ! And yes, not only that, you found THE perfect art to go along side this !

Seriously though, I hope the people on charge of solving this do so quickly. Have they even figured out who is missing and could have possibly left their feet behind ?

I like the painting very much and there is something so telling about just a pair of boots or shoes by themselves. The pictures of the boots of fallen soldiers propped next to the helmets is more sad and heartbreaking to me than a picture of the soldier him/her self....don't know why !

Anonymous said...

OMG! I thought they determined the DNA of at least one of the feet.... is that wrong?

Wow... just wow

Dr.John said...

Canadians have a weird sense of humor.

Anonymous said...

Reflexology gone horribly, horribly wrong? The mad podiatrist of Salt Spring Island? The pedicure to end all pedicures?

Russell said...

Not sure how to respond other than to say I hope this mystery is solved soon...

Or as the lawyers might say "there is a mystery afoot here...!" You're right (write?)... everyone's a comedian...!

roxanne s. sukhan said...

yes, we do smoke waaaaaaaay too much weed here on the west coast.

and yeah, we are a strange, cynical, and silly bunch up here [N of the 49th], aren't we?

the painting makes me think that i would not want to walk a mile in van gogh's shoes. yes, a difficult journey.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

I have heard about this! Very, very strange and not a little spooky.

Jo said...

Leslie, yes, I know where that shoe was found too. It's too close to home, isn't it?

Willow, yes, I love Van Gogh's paintings of shoes. He did several, all "peasants shoes".

Ces, yes, these shoes have been washing ashore for a couple of years now. They are the real deal, complete with the feet still inside.

Kathy, they may never figure this out. One theory is that they are from the tidal wave a few years ago. *shudder*

Claudia, yes, I believe they did identify one of the feet belonging to someone who had gone missing from Vancouver.

Dr. John, *heh* Yes, we do.

XUP, I like that theory. The Mad Podiatrist of Salt Spring Island. Yes! You've solved it. :-)

Russell, oh, yes, there is a mystery afood here. Our coast is awash with feet.

Frizzy, I have a feeling BC bud (weed) may be at the bottom of these feet. So to speak.

Pamela, yes, it is extremely spooky and just plain weird!

Lone Grey Squirrel said...

Just when you thought it was safe to visit Canada........

Country Girl said...

This is so weird, Jo. Sick and weird.

Cedar said...

I read some where they have closed the case on this...I guess they were defeated.

Charles Gramlich said...

The humorous comments are king of appalling. but funny.