Sneakers

Evening was falling over the city like a crimson blanket when you entered the Curry store, tired and a little desperate. It was a hectic day, and the treacherous hole that had grown on the side of your old sneakers made it impossible to forget about the frailty of everything. There wasn't much money in my wallet, and even that was the last cash I had before my paycheck. Hope was dying last, and you clenched your fist and decided to storm the sales.

"The 41st... Oh, that treacherous 41st!" – flashed through my head. This size has always caused you a lot of trouble. It squeezes, it dangles, it looks like bast shoes. As you often joked, you have a karmic incompatibility with shoes.

Taking a deep breath of the smell of new shoes, you got down to business. The shelves beckoned with bright price tags, but most of them, as luck would have it, were not in your size. You've tried on a dozen pairs, sometimes with a grimace of despair, sometimes with hope in your eyes, looking at your reflection in the mirror.

One pair of sneakers, sporty white with bright blue inserts, caught my eye. The price was biting – 1999 rubles. You sighed. It's too expensive. There was another pair nearby, simpler – black, laconic, for 1,499 rubles. It didn't fit into your budget either.

Ready to give up and buy something really low-cost and probably uncomfortable, you decided to try your luck with a consultant.

"I have accumulated "Thank You" bonuses here, 1800 points," you said timidly, holding out the card. "And the Curry bonuses seemed to be..."

The consultant, a guy with a sly squint, scanned the card, did some quick calculations on a calculator, and suddenly smiled.

"Wow! You've got a combo here! We write off the "Thank you" bonuses, plus we apply the "Curry" bonuses... And you know what? We have a special offer now! Take two pairs, and the second one gets a discount... I'll count it now..."

You're holding your breath. My heart was pounding. Hope flared up with renewed vigor.

The consultant dialed a few more numbers, looked at you and winked slyly.

"Well, that's it! Take both pairs – white for 1999 and black for 1499 – and pay for everything... 1200 rubles!"

You couldn't believe your ears. 1200 rubles for two pairs of excellent sneakers! It was like a dream! You asked again several times, fearing that you had misheard.

The guy patiently repeated the calculations until you finally believed in this miracle.

Happy and elated, you left the store, carrying your loot in a bag. Two pairs of sneakers, for which you paid only 600 rubles for each! The perfect size 41! Bonuses, promotions, luck – everything came together at one point.

At home, wearing new sneakers, you felt extremely comfortable. It's like they were made especially for your feet. You walked around the apartment, felt lighter and more confident.

That evening, you realized that even the most ordinary purchase can hide a small miracle. The main thing is to believe in luck and never give up in search of the perfect match. And your new sneakers, bought for ridiculous money, have become a symbol of this small but very pleasant victory. And even if fate sometimes throws you a treacherous 41st size, you know that you will always find a way to get out and find your perfect match!