Josh and Marie walk around some more and talk and occasionally play one of the games along the street. “I need to sit down a minute,” Marie says, “My feet are killing me.” Josh points over to an open bench. They sit down and Marie slips off her bright colored shoes. She slides off her short socks and rubs her foot. “God, my feet are so swollen. I don’t usually walk around this much,” she groans. Josh just finishes taking of his own shoes and socks feeling the aching in his own feet. He looks at her and reaches for her foot. “Here let me,” he says suavely as he takes her foot and begins to rub it. She groans with satisfaction as she leans back and places both her feet in his lap. Josh rubs each one gently as he watches her smile back at him. Josh looks around at some of the rest of the boys and girls, many of whom are walking around in their bare feet. It must have been going on for a while because many of their feet look dark from the dirty streets.
Marie then pulls away and puts her feet back down on the ground. She sits up and leans in toward Josh. She kisses him lightly on his lips, but only for a second… maybe two, and then pulls away. Her face lights up, “just curious.” She leans over to her shoes and slips them back on but has some trouble. “That’s weird. God, my feet must be really swollen. I can’t get my shoes back on.” Josh tries to slip his foot back into his shoe, but it won’t fit either. It’s as if his foot was slightly longer, and the toes were wider as well. Marie stands up, “Well,” she starts,” I guess we go bare foot.”
“But what about our shoes?” Josh says standing.
Marie snorts. “Shoes-shmuse. Come on.” She grabs his hand and they walk down the boardwalk together. They stop and grab a few drinks and some of the various snack foods available. It was strange, it was late, but Josh wasn’t tired, and it was clear that Marie wasn’t tired either. All the alcohol was giving them a buzz, but they still seemed mostly stable, but Josh was finding it harder and harder to take his eyes off Marie. And starting to feel the urges that most of the visiting population has been acting on.