I think I must have contracted a disease from ‘ma-noy’ K (‘ma-noy’ means ‘brother’ in his province) from reading his post, ‘Postsecrets: Looks like I’m wearing a panty’. I’m not one to go shopping at the mall but after reading him saying that ‘I think it’s a disease that sometimes I cannot stop spending my money unwisely.’, I’m beginning to see why, and totally agree with him, I might have contracted this disease just by reading, you’ll see what I’m talking about.
I was bored, so I went to the mall during my lunch break, didn’t have anything particular in mind that I need to buy until I saw a Summer Breeze stand; they sell Rainbow Sandals. I remember one of my co-workers told me in the past that I have to get one, because it’s so me. I’ve never seen them before so walked around the stand twice, and stopped at the lady section.
I asked to try them on, a size M in black, and I can’t believe they were too small, I do have long feet for an Asian person, so I asked for a size L (size 7 ½ - 8 ½), which feel somewhat odd because I’ve never buy anything in a size L before. The sales person asked if I want the single stack or double stack, I thought for a moment, since I want to be tall, so I asked for a double stack. They were a bit narrow, but since my feet are thin, they look okay. I decided to make my purchase.
When he told me that it’s $47.95, $51.23 included tax, I couldn’t believe it, that much for a pair of sandals. He explained that it’s lifetime warranty, which sounds a bit better. I’m thinking to myself, if I have to buy a pair of sandals every 2 years for the next 30 years at $8 a pair, that would be $120 future value, then the present value of these sandals at a discount rate of assuming 6% would roughly be $20. The sales person probably was seeing smoke coming out from my head, I don’t know if it’s worth it. Its $51.23 now but assuming that I put this in a saving and earning 1.50% interest, in 30 years it’ll be $80. I’m torn if I should part with $51.23 as an investment for this pair of Rainbow sandals, if you’re still confusing about the calculation, don’t feel bad because I’m too.
I keep thinking, if ‘ma-noy’ K can buy his silly ‘tri-colored’ briefs, and was smiling up to his nose when he left the store, why not. So I made the purchase. When I got back to work, all the ladies wanted to see what them pair of $50 Rainbow Sandals look like. One lady mouth dropped open after finding out the price. I had to explain to her that they made me look tall and thin; she then wanted a pair if they’d do that for her; it’s strange that short people want to be tall, and tall people want to be taller.
At this point, I feel kind of bad that my co-workers think that I’m paying too much for a pair of sandals. I went back to my desk, then my office buddy, whom is in her early 60s wanted to see what them $50 pair of sandals look like. She asked me if they’d be damaged if they get wet. I didn’t think they would, and stressed to her about the lifetime warranty. She said, “If it’s comfortable, then its worth it, just like the sandals that I have on, I washed them several times in the dish washer, and they still look brand new.” I didn’t think I heard her right, so I asked, “You mean washing them in the washing machine with your laundry, right?” She said, “No, I washed them with my dishes, most of the time if I’m washing coffee cups, and glasses on top, then I usually wash my sandals on the bottom, it’s antiseptic, everything come out clean at the end.”
I looked at her strangely, I keep thinking, “Note to self: if invite to her house, not to eat or drink from her cups and plates.” I’m Laotian, I don’t do this, in fact, I seldom use my dishwashers. I’m beginning to wonder, do all American wash their sandals with their dishes?





18 comments
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July 26, 2007 at 1:24 pm
fefal
Yes the price is really over-expensive…You are in Thailand, and you know the price for this kind of stuff…
so funny, i think this person is very crazy.
I just need to confirm also with you that I never wash my sandal with dishes.It’s really the first time that I heard this! For sure, if it’s real i would never eat at her home…
Sandal is an antisceptic
But It really happen often for me to wash my shoes/sandals in a real washing machine (better also if this machine isn’t mine)
Thanks again for your story always fun and good.
Have fun.
July 26, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Ginger
Hi Fefal, it’s good to hear from you again.
Thanks for confirming that she might be, you know what. I can’t complain much about her because she loves me to death, literally. Every day, she’s like a little sunshine greeting me, “Hello, How is my little office buddy doing?” or if I’m out, then she’ll say, “It’s been so quiet here yesterday, I missed you.” But a good thing is that she only works part-time, otherwise I might get too much love from her, if you know what I mean. 
July 27, 2007 at 10:47 am
Anonymous
Don’t we all agree that the middle man makes most of the money and makes most of the lying. I always try to buy straight from the factory because I feel better dealing with the honest people.
Wal-Mart, in a PBS documentary, buys items from a Chinese plant at rock bottom price then sells them for an extremely high price. Wal-Mart agrees to buy for 90-cents per item then after the product is delivered Wal-Mart wants it for 40-cents or else Wal-Mart walks. Where is business ethics when we need it.
Wal-Mart has done so many other disgusting things that I can’t believe not many people are learning from them. I stay away from stores that don’t share my values.
July 27, 2007 at 11:45 am
Ginger
Hi good guy Anonymous, I think sometimes we’d find it’s disgusting that the big dogs take advantage of honest manufacturer. Looking from the manufacturer side of the coin, would you rather go under or let your people work because manufacturing these products or not, your fixed overhead cost would still be there regardless.
If this were you, would you lay your employees off, or keep them working and pretty much break even or might even be loosing some money on these products but hoping to make it up on the other products. I think it’s a hard decision to make, especially if you know that the other party is not being fair to you, but because of your righteousness, would you let your people go. If this were me, I’d let my people work; at least they’d have money to feed their family, I can swallow my pride.
It’s easy for us to boycott certain products or stores but at the end, we’re indirectly taking away underpaid jobs that might feed these families, if that’s all they’re capable of doing, then we shouldn’t take that away from them. I think a stricter law might be a way to go.
As a consumer, it’s not as easy to buy directly from the manufacturer, and if you could, you’re not getting the wholesale price, regardless of what they’re telling you, that’s just the way it works.
From the manufacturer and cost accountant point of view, I’ll try to make as much profit as I can, if you’re willing to pay for it…I’ll make it worth your while and tell you that you’re getting a great deal.
I believe that you’re the type of person that would make many things for yourself, If that’s the case I don’t blame you because I hate paying for stuff that are over priced with bad quality. I often find myself making things that I could, instead of buying.
July 28, 2007 at 10:56 am
K
They say, if you’re comfortable it doesn’t matter how much you pay for a sandals or how it looks for that matter. As long as you’re confident that the thing you wear is likely “up to the standards” (which means, up to their taste), I think that’s alright.
A rubber slipper was such a big deal for me when I was still at school. I was in my elementary years and in our school in our province, wearing shoes was optional (now, they considered it a non-uniform) so I worn those typical rubber slippers. I washed them, brushed them (specially when they are so new) and hang them where no one can stepped on it. I don’t remember how many times I asked my parents to buy me a slipper. I sometimes purposedly tore them just to get a new fresh-looking ones. My first shoes was a REEBOK, I was in my Freshman in college. I was so happy.
So you see, I like slippers. Even if on a winter months here in HK, I refused to wear a boots. I bought my Havaianas (looks like an ordinary footwear to go to the wet market) - it isn’t cheap but because I like it, I wear them like every single day. So whocares what others think? If you can afford it, buy it, flaunt it and let them feel JEALOUS.
Thanks for the mention.
July 28, 2007 at 11:26 pm
Ginger
Hi K, when I was in Thailand, I had to wear uniform to school, and it was the basic black shoes, which is good because there’s not that much different in social class as far as the rich or poor, I don’t stick out like a sore thumb.
I like to wear sandals on the weekend or a quick run to the supermarket, people in this town dress very, very casual, not like in NYC. We don’t have a dress code at work, but definitely wouldn’t feel right to wear this Rainbow sandals to work, too casual in my opinion. I used to be a big fan of boots, I guess it’s bad habits from NYC, especially when it snowed, but it doesn’t snow much where I’m living right now, might snow once a year, but very little.
I honestly don’t care what people think.
you should be able to tell that about me by now. 
July 31, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Lao Planet » Blog Archive » Emotional Scars of the War
[...] one of my co-workers, the one that washes her sandals in her dishwasher approached me today and carefully wording her question, “did you get a yellow t-shirt [...]
July 31, 2007 at 6:58 pm
Darly
That’s not such a bad price for a life time warranty. But I question the fine prints on that warranty.
I have a few pairs of sandals around that price that my youngest sister bought me last summer. I also have a pair of flip flop about 50 Euros in price but I got 75% off last summer. I wear them inside the apartment because I don’t like to walk bare feet since I get cold too easily. I even wear socks with my flip flop, lol.
I walked by this shoes store, which is next to the Chinese grocery store I normally go to on the weekend and I saw this pair of sandals for like 145 Euros. Then a couple of weeks ago the price went down and then went up again. The owner must have seen me looking at it every weekend, lol. Now the price is down to 85 Euros but I can’t bring myself to part with the money. For 40 Euros a month I can have my Lao food.
I will take pictures of that pair of sandals for you. Most of the shoes stores here I noticed are small business owners that make their own shoe lines. Same goes with clothing stores so the prices are somewhat high with all the added taxes. When shoes or clothes are imported from the US, then 30% taxes are added.
I wear mostly boots since it’s always wet here. When my boots get a bit torn, I can always take them to the shoe repair shop. It’s like in Laos where nothing is thrown away easily.
July 31, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Ginger
I did look, lifetime warranty of the soles, not my lifetime. But when I made the purchase, he just told me its lifetime warranty, sneaky.
My oldest sister also buys expensive shoes, and when the soles worn out, she would get them repaired at a stand in Chinatown, the old man charges her about $5-$10. I discovered that living in the country, the soles of my shoes aren’t worn out as fast as living in the city because I don’t walk as much.
August 9, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Best Way To Wash Baseball Caps « Nye Noona
[...] August 9th, 2007 in Funny After I wrote a post on “Over Ridiculously Priced Pair of Rainbow Sandals,” and one of my co-workers washes her sandals in a dishwasher with her dishes, it’s been bothering [...]
August 16, 2007 at 1:49 am
spenser
keep wearing them and theyll get broken in…then before you know it you wont want to wear anything but rainbows on your feet. i wear rainbows just about everyday and everywhere. the sandals are actually all handmade and will honestly last you a very long time(especially the double stack). you dont need to worry about getting them wet, ive dunked mine in pools and the ocean several times.
enjoy your rainbows.
August 16, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Ginger
Thanks Spencer, I have many hits on this trying to find out how to clean Rainbow sandals and I feel a bit guilty that I didn’t give any, instead a story of my co-worker washing her sandals in a dishwasher, but hoping that the story would be amusing to read.
Mine is broken in now; I really like it, even comfortable enough to wear for walking at the track.
August 26, 2007 at 5:12 pm
C
sooo how do you properly clean rainbows? just the dishwasher?
August 26, 2007 at 10:38 pm
Ginger
I definitely wouldn’t wash mine in a dishwasher, I forget to ask the sales person about how to clean, but I’m thinking that damp cloth should do the trick, or just wash with soap and water. I also heard that you could use baby wipes to clean almost anything, it might work in this case as well.
September 7, 2007 at 10:19 pm
Anonymous
Just curious, but what is the longest anyone has heard of a pair lasting?
September 8, 2007 at 7:30 am
Ginger
Most people that I knew only have had them for about 3 years, some already got themselves a second pairs, and when I asked, they said that they like it so much. For most of us, we wouldn’t be wearing it all the time, so it should last a long, long time, unlike shoes or snickers that could be worn more often.
May 3, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Amanda
I just finally bought a pair of these Rainbow sandals myself. I have two friends that were these type of sandals every single day. I can never find comfortable sandals. I paid around $40 for these and I must say they are “extremely” comfortable. I don’t know if they make me look taller or thinner but they do make my feet very happy and I finally have something comfortable to wear during the hot California summers. For $40 they are extremely well made and my friends have worn thiers every day for a year and they are still in good shape for that much use… plus they’re really comfy. And lastly as far as I know nobody else washes there sandals in the dishwasher.
May 4, 2008 at 8:27 am
Ginger
Hi Amanda, thanks for sharing, this post is getting a lot of hits again, must be the summer season. I did ask the sales person the last time I was at the mall and she said that for the black, and brown sandals to use a damp cloth to wipe clean, but for the white, some people use Windex (window cleaner) to clean the sandals. They are comfortable, I wear mine every chance I get.