Marcus's joy over a new pair of shoes reminds his grandfather of an old story, in which a character named Ariba has a most unusual relationship with a pair of shoes. Because no matter how many times Ariba tries to get rid of his shoes, they always seem to find their way back to him. After all, why would shoes caked and baked and layered with stories really ever want to find a new owner? For in life, just as we claim a few precious things as our own, there are also those spirited things that claim us.
