The airport used to be a fascinating place to watch people. Once upon a time you could see heartfelt hellos and tearful goodbyes at the arrival and departure gates. You could be a voyeur watching the passionate kisses between lovers but after witnessing many passionless pecks you begin to suspect that couples aren’t as happy as they appear. Now that only travelers are allowed in the gate area, you have a sea of expressionless people listening to iPods, every other person on a mobile phone finishing up last minute “business,” clutching various handheld devices and closely guarding their carry-on bags. Still, the airport is a good place to gawk at shoes.
Shoes have become a big deal at airports. Sometimes you have to remove them at security checkpoints and place them in bins to be x-rayed. Now the bottoms of those bins will be sold as advertising space. “Place your shoes here” and “Eat at Joes.” Some airports charge an annual fee that makes you exempt if you don’t want to bother removing your shoes. Shoe manufacturers already market airport-friendly shoes without metal shanks or steel toes.
