Or How I Solved The Case Of The Parking Shoes

It was during one of the summer holidays when I was a young 13 or 14 years old teenage girl. I went to the countryside for a few weeks to visit and stay at my relative's house.

My older cousin was 20-something at that time. He was a good looking young man the girls were chasing like crazy. I didn't pay too much attention to that as he was my cousin and I was looking at him from a different perspective. In fact, I didn't notice either think about it at all. He was always kind, funny and protective with me, and I loved him very much.

But that summer I was somewhat angry at him as he didn't spend as much time with me as I was expecting. It seemed to me he was sleeping all day long recovering from the previous awake night.

As I arrived one Saturday morning, it didn't seem like anything unusual to me when that evening few his friends came to pick him, and they went out to party. Next Sunday morning when he finally woke up for breakfast, my aunt asked him with her loud and strict voice: "When did you come home last night?"

He reluctantly started to mumbling something that should be an answer when she hit him with the another one: "OK, stop fooling around and let's cut the chase. Where did you park your shoes yesterday?"
I was like "WHAT?"
He didn't answer on that one, just gave her a long look and smiled almost invisible in the corners of his mouth.

That Sunday evening he went out again, and the whole episode repeats itself next Monday morning. I thought it would be the end as the weekend was over. Wrong!

He was on summer holidays too and apparently he didn't want to miss a single day (night). On Wednesday morning I was thinking: "What the heck with those shoes and parking?"
I decided to investigate that case.

As first, in the evening when he was preparing to go out, I was watching closely which shoes he is going to wear that night. Next morning, it was Thursday, before he woke up, I went to the entrance hall where the shoe locker was standing to check if his shoes are there. They weren't. So, I went to his room, silently walked into to check if the shoes are there. And they were, scattered next to the bed.
I was like: Aha!

When he walked up, and the whole episode between him and my aunt went all over again, I was thinking: "Why can't he simply put on the slippers and place the shoes back in the locker when he returns home, as it would save him from aunt's every morning questioning torture. What a jerk!"
But now, I finally knew what they were talking about or at least I thought I do.

Although Lady Sherlock in me, decided to collect more facts about the case, so I repeat my investigation procedure the very next Friday morning by checking where he left his shoes when he returned home. I was pleasantly surprised when I found his shoes in the locker while the slippers were in front of his bed. I was sure that day we would be free of aunty's questioning drama when he woke up. Deadly wrong, again!

When he finally woke up, and just after his first few breakfast bites, she started again: "When did you come home last night?"
He didn't even try to answer on that one this time. But, that didn't stop her to continue: "I told you, stop fooling around! And I'm asking you again, where did you park your shoes yesterday?" She has been severely angry, much more than previous days.

"Do you really want me to answer you on that one?" - he asked her with a higher voice, over a sudden angry too. She didn't have time to answer as he already continued: "Let me tell you then!" - he said - "Yesterday, everything went so quick that I didn't even have a chance to take them off. So, I didn't park them at all! Satisfied, now?"

Unpleasant silence overtook the room, and I thought it's time for me to interfere. I stood up (probably to sound more seriously) look at my aunt, and in defense of my cousin, as calm as I could start explaining to her: "I know you are angry with him because he often forget when he returns home to put on the slippers and place the shoes back in the locker, but today he is really not guilty. I checked!"

They were both shockingly staring at me, and I was thinking: "What's wrong with you people? What the heck? I just solved you the case! Don't you see it?!"

P.S.
Do I have to tell you what kind of family joke this become and still is to this very day?

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Photos: From Pixabay and own derivative work combined with photos from Pixabay

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Posted on Sunday, July 16, 2017