Gentlemen

The crossing of his legs gave emphasis to his otherwise unnoticed shoes. A pair of hand-made oxfords, perfectly pointed and well-formed, brushed clean as though it made him stand as a pillar of self-respect. A black pair of socks covered what would have been a revealed portion of his shins. He thought he understood the requirements of sock-length. He had some foolish, useless pride in telling an Oxford from a Venetian or a penny loafer. He thought his shoes earned him a modest, quiet dignity. So he thought.