trevor’s dictionary of lost words

My name is Elias. 

I’m a cobbler. 

I mend shoes. 

There’s an old spiritual that goes, “All God’s children got shoes." 

“I got shoes, you got shoes. All God’s children got shoes. When I get to heaven, gonna put on my shoes. Gonna shout all over God’s heaven.”

It’s true.

We’re all God’s children. 

We all got shoes.

If you wear holes in the soles of your shoes, or split out the sides, or scuff the leather, I’ll help you. 

If your shoes get old and worn, I’ll make them like new again.

I’ll polish the leather until it shines. 

I’ll sew the rips and tears so your feet will stay warm and dry. 

I’ll mend them.

If you’re too busy to stay with me, you can leave your shoes and come back later to pick them up. 

If you have time, you can rock in my rocking chair and watch me work. 

I take my time because I want to do a good job. 

You don’t have to talk with me if you don’t want to. 

You can just rock and listen to the tap-tap-tapping of my hammer, the stitch-stitch-stitching of my needle and the brush-brush-brushing of my cloth upon the shoes. 

You can rock and talk to me about things on your mind and in your heart. 

It’s okay. 

I like to listen. 

Listening is an act of love. 

I want to hear your stories. 

If you’re quiet for a while, I’ll start to talk about people I’ve known, places I’ve been and things I've done.

I’ll talk about feelings I’ve felt. 

I’ve spent most days here at my workbench, alone with the shoes.

It’s nice to have someone to tell stories to.