by Billy Hart
I close the front door, dad quietly closes the dinning room door before rushing forwards to meet me.
“Son, my business partners are here, best behaviour, come introduce yourself, shoes off quick, your mother had the carpet cleaned”
I panic as I lower my head to my Vans, so worn, I’ve had them nearly 2 years now, but that wasn’t the problem, Its July, hotter than Egypt outside and I love going sockless in the summer, feeling my bare feet slip around in the vans is pretty fun, but the downside is they absolute stink. I see him look down to my feet, I squeeze my eyes closed, knowing dads about to kick off, he can clearly see my sockless ankles.
“you got to be fucking kidding me, how many times have I told you never wear your trainers without socks? How many times boy? What’s wrong with you? He stands tall, hands on hips, shoulders shrugging as he lectures. I remain silent.
Dad lifts my chin raising my head to lock eyes with me, he wants a response. “Sorry dad, I forgot, Ill keep them on its fine, I try to walk towards the dining room, to the business partners but before I get one step in I feel dads dad press on my chest, stopping me.
“Are you mad boy? I just told you your mother had this carpet cleaned, you know full well we don’t wear shoes in this house!” I react, babbling trying to find a quick solution, I hate when dads mad. “Ok, ok, sorry, umm look ill get them off” Dads large hand covers my mouth, and most of my face, stopping me from talking. Closing his eyes and gritting his teeth, he whispers “then your stinky, smelly bare feet with stink up the house you idiot, what kind of impression does that make for my work?” I realise I’m making all the mistakes here “sorry dad”
Dad pushing me into the chair by the front door shaking his head as he gets on his knees, holding my ankle, he pulls my Van off, half way before stalling “you know what needs to be done boy” he’s going to clean my feet, with his mouth, he used to always do this, I rarely wore socks with an footwear. “This is the last time son, you’re an adult now, your Father shouldn’t need to be licking your stinky feet clean!!” he exclaims as he exposes my foot. Dad stares, scanning the sole of my foot, separating my toes, looking for a place to start. “what a mess boy… every inch of these feet need thorough cleaning!!!” he dives straight in, vigorously lapping the soles of my feet with his tongue, he’s in a rush, the business partners are waiting. “Fuck, these are some stinky feet boy” Dad is not impressed, he starts long firm licks from the heel of my foot, up across the sole to the tips of my toes. “very stinky feet indeed”
“I’m sorry dad, do they smell that bad?” I worry, I know he gets so mad when the smell.
“The worst yet, you’ve been parading around all day bare feet in those Vans, what do you expect! Look what you’re making daddy do! I don’t have time for this, we need to be quick” Dad placing my pinkie toe in the corner of his mouth, stretching across the other toes finally covering the big toe, all five of my toes are in his mouth… he sucks hard, suddenly yanking my foot aware in anger. “Boy, don’t make me to all the work, wiggle your fucking toes so I can get between them!!” He repeats the process enveloping the top of my feet, encasing my toes in his mouth. “sorry dad! Sure!” I wiggle my toes and spread them apart in his mouth as his tongue flicks and glides between them, he’s cleaning them up good!
Dad pulls my foot out, takes a long look at the sole, examining each toe individually… he seems happy, then he places the heel of my foot on his noise, sniffing loudly as he drags my foot across his face, sniffing my soul from bottom to top, he repeats, before doing the same with my toes. “not bad not bad” he mutters as he places his noise between each toe sniffing them. Placing my bare foot down and grabbing my other, yanking off the worn Van shoe and plunging his face straight into the sole, lapping up the stink. “you and your smelly feet boy, when will you learn” dad says softly, he’s calming down now, knowing my feet are getting cleaner. I relax and give dad an apologetic look, seeking forgiveness. “Dad, I really am sorry you had to do this again”
Dad finishing up, kisses the top of my foot before placing it down. “all done, no problem, come on, time to show the guys what a great lad you turned out to be” Dad pulls my hand to stand me up, looks down at my sparkling clean feet and smiles “that’s my clean boy”
