--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I started looking for pointed shoes…" description: "\"When I started looking for pointed shoes, I used to go to Fairfax on Orchard Street in New York City, one of those little pushcart guys. I'd say, 'You ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/tom-waits-916_blow_when-i-started-looking-for-pointed-shoes_512212.jpg" --- # When I started looking for pointed shoes, I used to go to… ![“When I started looking for pointed shoes, I used to go to Fairfax on Orchard Street in New York City, one of those little pushcart guys. I'd say, 'You got any pointy shoes?' They would go way, way in the back and come back with a dusty box, blow the dust off the top, and say, 'What do you want…” quote by Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/tom-waits-916_blow_when-i-started-looking-for-pointed-shoes_512212.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/tom-waits-916_blow_when-i-started-looking-for-pointed-shoes_512212.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0d9/tom-waits-916_blow_when-i-started-looking-for-pointed-shoes_512212.jpg) > “When I started looking for pointed shoes, I used to go to Fairfax on Orchard Street in New York City, one of those little pushcart guys. I'd say, 'You got any pointy shoes?' They would go way, way in the back and come back with a dusty box, blow the dust off the top, and say, 'What do you want with these things? Give me twenty bucks. Go on, get outta here!' And that was the beginning.” [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator recalls a quirky early experience searching for distinctive shoes, highlighting a memorable encounter with a street vendor. **In simple terms:** A funny story about buying pointy shoes from a pushcart. Key Takeaway Embrace odd beginnings as they can spark creativity. Themes humor memory urban life creativity encounters Mood playful reflective Type anecdotal conversational When to use this quote - Finding inspiration in everyday moments - Exploring unique fashion choices - Interacting with local vendors Key Concepts Storytelling Nostalgia Street culture Questions to Reflect On - How do small, unexpected interactions shape our creative paths? - What value do we find in quirky memories? A Different Perspective The anecdote may romanticize a brief encounter, overlooking broader social contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blow/) [Boxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boxes/) [Bucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bucks/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Dust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dust/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Give me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/give-me/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Goes on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes-on/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Looking Pointed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looking-pointed-4338095/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [New york city](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york-city/) [Orchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orchard/) [Pointed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pointed/) [Pointed Shoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pointed-shoes-910291/) [Pointy Shoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pointy-shoes-662503/) [Shoes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoes/) [Shoes Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoes-way-403972/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) [Twenties](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twenties/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [York City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york-city/) ## Related quotes > [Shakespeare, he's in the alley with his pointed shoes and his bells, speaking to some French girl who says she knows me well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/shakespeare-he-s-in-the-alley-with-his-pointed-shoes-and-his-bells/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Buy all shoes, both street and running, slightly longer and wider than your bigger foot. Also, avoid pointed shoes. You'll save yourself needless foot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-corbitt/buy-all-shoes-both-street-and-running-slightly-longer-and-wider-than/) [Ted Corbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-corbitt/) > [One of the good things about losing your feet is I can wear all the pointy shoes I want, and it doesn't hurt anymore.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammy-duckworth/one-of-the-good-things-about-losing-your-feet-is-i-can-wear-all-the/) [Tammy Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammy-duckworth/) > [You know, kicking people's butts with round-edged boots is good, but with pointy shoes, it's even better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-marois/you-know-kicking-people-s-butts-with-round-edged-boots-is-good-but/) [Pauline Marois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-marois/) > [Even a strong man can succumb to the wiles of a pretty girl with pointy shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-delaney/even-a-strong-man-can-succumb-to-the-wiles-of-a-pretty-girl-with/) [Joseph Delaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-delaney/) > [“Never criticize a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes. That way he can't do anything to you because you're a mile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/never-criticize-a-man-until-you-ve-walked-a-mile-in-his-shoes-that/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, when you do criticize him, you'll be a mile away and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/before-you-criticize-a-man-walk-a-mile-in-his-shoes-that-way-when-you/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [Before I criticize someone, I walk a mile in their shoes. That way, if they get angry, they are a mile away and barefoot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akash-ash/before-i-criticize-someone-i-walk-a-mile-in-their-shoes-that-way-if/) [Akash Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akash-ash/) > [“Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, you will be a mile away from him, and you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/before-you-judge-a-man-walk-a-mile-in-his-shoes-that-way-you-will-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you’re a mile away and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sendhil-mullainathan/before-you-criticize-someone-you-should-walk-a-mile-in-their-shoes-3/) [Sendhil Mullainathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sendhil-mullainathan/) > [Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, youre a mile away and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-matshaba/before-you-criticize-someone-you-should-walk-a-mile-in-their-shoes-2/) [Alex Matshaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-matshaba/) > [“Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and you'll have their shoes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handy/before-you-criticize-someone-walk-a-mile-in-their-shoes-that-way-you/) [Jack Handy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handy/) > [Before you insult somebody you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you insult them you'll be a mile away and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/before-you-insult-somebody-you-should-walk-a-mile-in-their-shoes-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way you're a mile away, and you have their shoes too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-bieber/before-you-criticize-someone-walk-a-mile-in-their-shoes-that-way-you-2/) [Justin Bieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-bieber/) > [I had big shoes to fill, but the way we have been playing has made the transition easy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-ponting/i-had-big-shoes-to-fill-but-the-way-we-have-been-playing-has-made-the/) [Ricky Ponting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-ponting/) ## More by Tom Waits > [Most of us have the residue of thousands of songs in our ears, that if you end up songwriting, I think you're mostly smoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/most-of-us-have-the-residue-of-thousands-of-songs-in-our-ears-that-if/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Bill Hicks - blowtorch, excavator, truthsayer, and brain specialist. He will correct your vision. Others will drive on the road he built.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/bill-hicks-blowtorch-excavator-truthsayer-and-brain-specialist-he/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Don't plant your days they turn into weeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/don-t-plant-your-days-they-turn-into-weeds/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“T’ain’t no sin to take off your skin, and dance around in your bones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/t-ain-t-no-sin-to-take-off-your-skin-and-dance-around-in-your-bones/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [“an all time favorite: "The large print giveth, the small print taketh away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/an-all-time-favorite-the-large-print-giveth-the-small-print-taketh/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'll tell you all my secrets but I lie about my past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-ll-tell-you-all-my-secrets-but-i-lie-about-my-past/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [For a songwriter, you don't really go to songwriting school; you learn by listening to tunes. And you try to understand them and take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/for-a-songwriter-you-don-t-really-go-to-songwriting-school-you-learn/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'm trying to learn how to write faster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-m-trying-to-learn-how-to-write-faster/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [The world is a hellish place, and bad writing is destroying the quality of our suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-world-is-a-hellish-place-and-bad-writing-is-destroying-the/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I'm always looking for sounds that are pleasing at the time. The sound of a helicopter is really annoying until you're drowning, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-m-always-looking-for-sounds-that-are-pleasing-at-the-time-the-sound/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I was born in the back seat of a Yellow Cab in a hospital loading zone and with the meter still running. I emerged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-was-born-in-the-back-seat-of-a-yellow-cab-in-a-hospital-loading/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [There's not much difference between what I appear to be on stage and what I am. I think people like that, that I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/there-s-not-much-difference-between-what-i-appear-to-be-on-stage-and/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [Most of the things you absorb you will ultimately secrete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/most-of-the-things-you-absorb-you-will-ultimately-secrete/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [The devil knows the Bible like the back of his hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/the-devil-knows-the-bible-like-the-back-of-his-hand/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [I bark my voice out through a closed throat, pretty much. It's more, perhaps, like a dog in some ways. It does have its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/i-bark-my-voice-out-through-a-closed-throat-pretty-much-it-s-more/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) [Explore all 328 Tom Waits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) ## More Blow quotes > [The wind always seems to blow against catchers when they are running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/the-wind-always-seems-to-blow-against-catchers-when-they-are-running/) [Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/) > [Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage! Blow! You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout Till you have drenched our teeples, drowned the cocks! You sulphurour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/blow-winds-and-crack-your-cheeks-rage-blow-you-cataracts-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If he wants to blow his head off, let him. I don't give a damn about Jim Bakker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-hahn/if-he-wants-to-blow-his-head-off-let-him-i-don-t-give-a-damn-about/) [Jessica Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-hahn/) > [If we blow ourselves up we will do it by misapplication of science; if we manage to keep from blowing ourselves up, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/if-we-blow-ourselves-up-we-will-do-it-by-misapplication-of-science-if/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Not I, not I, but the wind that blows through me! A fine wind is blowing the new direction of Time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/not-i-not-i-but-the-wind-that-blows-through-me-a-fine-wind-is-blowing/) [D. H. 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Guys would drink and fight one another like circle saws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-armstrong/the-brick-house-was-one-of-the-toughest-joints-i-ever-played-in-guys/) [Louis Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-armstrong/) [Browse all 2,324 Blow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blow/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I started looking for pointed shoes, I used to go to Fairfax on Orchard Street in New York City, one of those little pushcart guys. I'd say, 'You got any pointy shoes?' They would go way, way in the back and come back with a dusty box, blow the dust off the top, and say, 'What do you want with these things? Give me twenty bucks. Go on, get outta here!' 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