What seems like a lifetime ago, in a far away city, I happened across a bootblack on their knees, a boot cradled in their lap, hands filthy with polish. I knew in that moment that life as I knew it would never be the same. In the years that followed, after a bit of a bumpy start, I began to pursue my passion for the art of bootblacking. If you’d asked me back then, or even just three years ago when I moved back to Toronto, if I would ever dream that the path I discovered that long ago day would take me to an international title I would have laughed hard and long…and then laughed some more. And yet that is exactly what happened.
Initially I started competing locally because I did not see myself represented, and I didn’t want another person to put off pursuing something they were drawn to because they didn’t think it was possible. I also wanted to challenge myself, to work through my fears of public speaking, to find out the truth of who I was. Two years ago, I was blessed to compete with a group of incredible men for the Bootblack Toronto title, and was thrilled to be first runner up to a man who inspires me, and has become a very dear friend. This past August I competed a second time and was fortunate enough to win. These experiences were incredible; they changed me and helped me to grow as a person and bootblack.
After winning the Bootblack Toronto title there was no doubt in my mind where I would go next, even before then I knew in my heart that if I were presented with the option International Ms Bootblack was where I wanted to go. There were several hard lessons learned between the competitions, about who I am at the very core of my being, about what it means to be a titleholder and life in general.
I spent a lot of time preparing; talking to the wonderful people I am blessed to have in my life, listening to their stories, and advise. I did research, watched interviews and discussions, I soaked up as much information as I could, reading books and blogs and interviews, and I questioned…boy did I question! Eventually I reached a point where I just couldn’t take any more; it became so easy to lose myself in all of the opinions and information.
The truth was that as much as I wanted to bring the title home to my community who had supported me, to make my mentors and those of my title line proud; I just couldn’t keep going as I was and remain true to myself. And at the end of the day, it wasn’t worth it to me to become someone I wasn’t to accomplish it.
So there I was a relatively shy and introverted bootblack, about to set off for the wilds of San Francisco to challenge myself in ways and on levels I’d never before experienced. I was terrified…and then I exhaled and jumped.
In that moment the nervous butterflies filling my belly began to still and the universe stepped in. No sooner had I arrived in San Francisco than my wonderful ride arrived and we shared an animated conversation while waiting in a nearby parking lot for the arrival of his next charge.
Imagine my surprise when we returned to arrivals only to see Synn and the lovely Lilith Grey standing there waiting. The ride to the hotel was with laughter and lively conversation. At the hotel I settled in for the night, unpacking as much as I dared, tucking in to await the arrival of my friend and handler, Sarah Sloane. Relaxing for the last few moments of freedom I had, because the next morning things began in earnest.
Before IMsL weekend we had all chatted a bit via email, read each other’s bios, and with few exceptions, it wasn’t until the Thursday morning that we actually met. I wish I had the words to express how incredible it was to stand there amongst them, this group of women with whom I would share an insane and wonderful experience. There I stood surrounded by eight beautiful, interesting, charismatic and welcoming souls; I was awed by our ability to be incredibly diverse and similar in the same instant. I am so grateful to have shared the weekend with these women that have inspired me so greatly.
The rest to be honest passed in a blur of bootblacking, rehearsals, near death experiences and all of the incredible hotness that abounded that weekend. It is hard to put into words the things that one experiences while competing, to be stripped so bare before friends and strangers alike. To stand up and be judged, to want and fear the results in the same breath, to stand tall and trust in one’s self in the midst of a whirlwind.
And then I won.
Now close to three weeks later I still can’t believe it’s all real, that I was so blessed to meet the people I did, to make the connections I was fortunate enough to make. Here I am; a relatively shy introvert, who has learned to speak publically without stuttering, still blushes at the drop of a hat, and hopes to be able to spend the rest of my life sharing my passion for bootblacking and life in general with as many people as possible.
So if you should happen to be at an event I’m attending please come and say hello. Come and sit for me if I’m bootblacking, come and share a moment, an experience, a story or recipe with me.
