A blunt, curt, but reliable old man.

A little while ago, a hole about 1 cm wide appeared in my favorite pair of white New Balance sneakers.

How could it tear and get a hole in a place like this?!

It wasn't the toe or the sole, but
the center part of the heel collar where the jersey material had torn, revealing the yellow sponge inside...!

Was it because I was pulling them on with my fingers instead of using a shoehorn??
It's a spot that's visible even when I'm wearing them, and the rest of the shoe isn't that worn out yet...

I wonder if it can be repaired?

When I searched for it, I found that it must be a fairly common occurrence, because
they were selling sticker-like patches to apply over the hole.

Hmm, I wonder about that...
For now, maybe I should ask that old man.

There's an old man who comes by the supermarket near my parents' house every Tuesday in a mobile shop and repairs anything.
For many years, whenever my shoes, bags, or umbrellas have broken, I've always asked him to fix them.

The old man is blunt and curt. His way of speaking has become a topic of conversation in our family,

When I ask things like, "Can this be fixed?" he says,
"I won't know until I try,"
"Just leave it there for now,"
He's not at all like a typical shopkeeper (laughs).

But his skills are solid,
he fixes everything beautifully, and it never breaks again.
The price isn't high either.
But still, I wonder if this can be fixed??

When I brought it in this time, he said,
"Why don't you just wear it as is?"
I wonder how it will turn out...?
"If you're worried, then don't do it."
I wonder if it will be fixed without looking strange...?
"This isn't a game, so it'll be fine," he said (laughs).

The old man's style is in full swing!
But it's not like he has a scary vibe.

He said he'd fix it with a sewing machine, so he'd keep it for a week, and the cost would be about 1,400 yen.
Honestly, I had no idea what the finished product would look like (laughs),
but I trusted the old man and left it with him.

Even when I went to pick it up,
when I asked, "How did you manage to do it?"
he just said, "Well, it's already done."

But the finished result is amazing!!!

He sewed leather of a similar color on the inside,
it looks beautiful both inside and out, and it feels perfectly natural to wear!!

Wow... as expected of the old man...!
Or rather than an old man, maybe he's already a grandfather?

Thank you so much as always, sir!♫
Please live a long life.