Black Shoes

The narrator recalls a story told to him by a college acquaintance.

The acquaintance pursued advanced degrees and earned tenure at a university. He recounts a harrowing experience he had during a beach vacation with his now-former spouse.

Before leaving for his trip, the professor announced his departure to his class.  One student argues a theory of humanity’s aquatic ancestors.  The professor debunks the idea, making the case for human descent from apes.  A second student suggests that folkloric sea creatures are spirits of the drowned, and the teacher dismisses the idea.

The professor and his wife spend several days enjoying the sun and the sand.  On the final day of their vacation, the sky turns overcast.  The wife decides to pass the time shopping, while the professor dons a pair of black shoes and takes a stroll.

Punctuating his story, the professor shows the narrator a pair of weathered oxfords on his feet.

The professor removes his shoes and socks, places them beside a large rock, and sets off down the beach. After several miles, he fails to recognize the landscape.  Disoriented, the professor looks out over the ocean and recalls an old poem. In between the waves, he spots hundreds of white-haired figures with fish-like features. Terrified of being dragged into the sea, the professor runs inland.

The ocean far behind him, the man rests beside a tree and weeps.  He recovers his composure and sets off into a forest, hoping to encounter a road that he might take to the hotel.  The professor walks many miles, his feet cut by broken branches and brambles, and arrives at the base of a massive dune.  He summits and is confronted by the sea.

A legion of merfolk emerges from the water.  Too tired to run and too weak to resist, the professor bargains with the creatures for his freedom. After making a pledge to the merfolk, the man is permitted to carry on his way.  He tries again to return to his hotel, all the while thinking about his tender feet and the promise he made.