Can you get a ticket for driving without shoes

Title

Description

Not really my story, but the story of a close friend at the time, Steve, from DC.

This was back in 1976 and I was working schedule and advance in the St. Louis office of the Jerry Litton campaign for Senate. Steve had interned for Jerry in Jerry's congressional office, and came to St. Louis when his spring semester was over to intern for Jerry's campaign.

Well, Steve met someone - a wonderful young St. Louis woman - and finally got up the courage to ask her out on a date. For a couple of weeks before the big date, Steve was a wreck. Where to go, what to wear, should he take her flowers, etc., etc., etc.

He finally decided on Stouffers and its famous rotating restaurant, and bought a new suit and shoes. (I don't know what the decision was on the flowers.) The night finally arrived, and all was well - except the shoes. The shoes were not ok and Steve could barely walk in them. But, what's a guy to do with the love his life breathlessly awaiting the arrival of her debonair and well dressed date, so he wore the shoes.

However, as soon as they settled at their table, Steve told us he slipped off his shoes and set them to one side. Dinner went great, but when it came time to leave - yep, you guessed it - no shoes. Either the shoes rotated away from Steve or Steve rotated away from the shoes.

Either way, he never found them, despite having to fess up and tell his date, who helped looked for them, along with the waiters and other staff. We don't know what happened to them, but they were gone.

Mortified, Steve left in his socks, and full of anxiety, drove his date home, worried all the way about getting a ticket for driving in Missouri without his shoes on. (Remember that old story?)

I'll never forget the horrible election night when Jerry and his entire immediate family were killed in a plane crash on their way from Chillicothe to Kansas City for his victory party.

But, I'll also never forget, and will always remember with a smile, Steve and his rotating shoes.

Date

June 1976

Contributor

Mary Toy

Format

Digital Story