Perhaps it was a brief moment of distraction, or the hectic morning rush that led to it. Nonetheless, a single forgotten Crocs slipper now rests on the pavement in front of the office building. Pristine, almost fresh out of the box, it rests orphaned from its match, void of the purpose it was designed for.
Now, step away from the slipper for a bit and try picturing the moment when its owner reaches their destination only to discover they have one thing missing. They are left with a solitary slipper - the right one. Though originally part of a pair, without its counterpart, it too lost its purpose. The question arises: which one of the pair is truly missing? The left out there on the street or the right one left in solitude?
The deserted slipper, almost like in an animated story, embarks on an unexpected journey. First, for minutes it simply exists as a silent spectator of the ceaseless flow of traffic, stream of human legs. Legs with shoes on them. Until an unwitting food delivery courier roughly nudges it aside. A few swift kicks and the slipper is on its way. Most passersby don't notice it. Only the more observant ones do. Those people who do not pretend they are somewhere else. Among them are children, always the curious ones, intrigued by the lively contrast of grey and orange, they veer off their path to inspect. Maybe trying to inspect it - to their mothers' annoyance - only to be reminded not to touch things on the dirty ground. And through it all, the shoe remains unaffected.
From its vantage point, the slipper observes the world unfold around it. It watches taxis unload late workers, weary people sprint towards the bus they don't want to miss, prams stroll gently around, smokers huddle for their dose of nicotine, police cars pass in a flurry, and as the rhythm of the city life carries on.
Stripped of its original purpose, the slipper stands on the edge of its journey. Soon, it will be discarded into rubbish, beginning its slow, inevitable journey to the landfill. What comes next? It will gradually fade and lose its vibrancy. Its brand name means nothing, impressing nobody. And ironically, it might not realise its twin could be just a few strides away, cast off by its owner as a useless appendage.