Mr. Mann Likes His Italian Shoes

Hugh here is an accountant — has been one for going on 43 years this fall.

Each and every one of 236 working days of each year of his past four+ decades has been pretty much like each and every other one of those 236 working days. His subscription to the morning newspaper has been of the Supreme Platinum Elite Class for just about all of your lifetime. His two cups of morning decaf with organic cream, accompanied by a single buttered English muffin-half, behind him, he rises for his commute to the office. You might say that, if nothing else, Hugh is a creature of habit.

His hair (when there was enough to part) has always been parted on the left — never on the right, and certainly never down the center! His wardrobe pretty much consists of 21 identical pinstriped cotton button-down 18-1/2 x 35 monogrammed full cut dress shirts, 21 identical 48-long cuffed gabardine slacks, and 21 identical rep ties in subdued diagonal striping of patriotic red-white-and-blue (all dry-cleaned religiously every 3 weeks by dutiful Mr. Chin and Son ‘round the corner).

But Mr. Mann sure does like his custom hand-made Italian dress shoes. Having acquired over the decades more than 75 pairs, in a full range of leathers, colors, styles, patterns, heel heights, treads, lace lengths, cushioning and sole construction, you could in fact say he loves them. But give him this little bit of fashion and vanity and individuality. After all, he’s only Hugh Mann.