My WikiFeet Profile Really Took Off Once I Developed Bunions

My big toe is kinky

Needless to say, photo by author. I can pick up a pencil and draw with those toes.

People sometimes say, “My feet are talking to me,” when they’ve been standing too long.

I feel like my feet have stories to tell, years of experience that show in physical form.

You can see it in the picture. On my left foot, my toe beside my big toe — my index toe — does not touch the ground. And you can see the big old bunion forming on the joint of the big toe of my right foot.

There are stories involved, experiences lived. My left foot tells of my odd childhood. My right foot tells of my aging and sometimes aching present.

I was five years old and walking along in front of my brother while he cut the grass in our suburban yard. He was only ten years old himself and resented the task. I was, no doubt, taunting him.

I remember walking along in front of him, practically dancing. Then I don’t remember a short gap of time. I don’t know if I passed out or my child’s mind just blanked it out. What I do remember is suddenly being down on the grass and seeing my foot under the mower which was still running. My brother was nowhere to be found.

I think he panicked and ran into the house for help. But the mower was left on. Was that panic? Let’s be generous and say…