Sam's shoe tale wins story comp

A PAIR of shoes which had a 'lifetime of misery' helped Alstonville Public School student Sam Limpenny-Fawcet become an award-winning writer.

Alstonville Public School student Sam Limpenny-Fawcett has won the Norman Lindsay Short Story competition. . Picture: CATHY ADAMS

A PAIR of shoes which had a ‘lifetime of misery’ helped Alstonville Public School student Sam Limpenny-Fawcet become an award-winning writer.

The Year 5 student recently took out first place in the Norman Lindsay Short Story Competition for his story, ‘My Best Friends, a Long Suffering Pair of Shoes’.

His work was selected above 600 other entries in the national competition, held as part of the Festival of Australian’s Children’s Literature.

“I actually got the idea for the story from my twin brother,” Sam, 10, said.

“Ben had to do a talk on something that was important to him, and he talked about his shoes, because they were always with him.

“I thought I could write about how my shoes are my best friends.”

It took Sam ‘a few days’ to write the 1000-word story, which he then typed and submitted.

In the story he explains why his old shoes are his best friend: “My best friend never argues, back chats or walks away from me.

“My best friend does not even have a good life, but still sticks with me.

“Now that is a best friend.”

He goes on to describe all the terrible things that happen to his shoes – stepping on glass, rocks, insects and hot tarmac.

He feels sorry for them because they miss out on things like views of the Eiffel Tower, ‘bright sparking stars shining at night’, and ‘monstrous waterfalls’.

Sam’s story ends: “Last, but definitely not least, when my friends get too small, broken and old, they do not get thanked and buried in a nice cemetery with flowers.

“Oh no!

“After years of always being with me and supporting me, my best friends get chucked in the bin to rot and decompose, with all the other putrid and disgusting rubbish in the tip.

“You could not find a more loyal and long suffering best friend than my tremendous, magnificent pair of shoes.”

Despite the effort Sam put into the story, winning the competition still came as a complete shock.

“It was a very big surprise,” he said.

“My mum and my teacher (David Wright) knew that I’d won, but they kept it a secret from me.”

Sam and his family travelled to the Norman Lindsay Gallery in the Blue Mountains last week so he could be presented with his prize.

“I won a $300 book voucher for me and another one for the school,” he said.

“I like to read, so it’s a pretty good prize.”

Originally published as Sam's shoe tale wins story comp