Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works...
-- Matthew 5:16
Over the past months I've been working with my very patient
mentors, trying to learn my craft the best that I can. My basement is half full
of old leather that I've been experimenting on, and I take every chance I can
to practice.
But there are other aspects that I’m grappling with that don’t
involve anything to do with boots.
I am trying to understand the history of bootblacking in my
home town of Philadelphia. And I don’t mean history as in dusty old books about
ragged children blacking boots on Victorian era street corners.
My questions are:
- Why do so few people know we exist?
- Why was it impossible for me to find a mentor within a 2-hour drive?
- Why are bootblacks an afterthought at Leather events, if we are invited at all?
- What is the origin of the myth that submissives/slaves/bottoms are the only people who can be bootblacks? How do we change that belief?
I want to make it very clear that my above questions are NOT
complaints against the community or my teachers. I have received a tremendous amount of
support and encouragement since I started my training, and words cannot express
my gratitude.
But the fact is, it has taken me a lot of persistence to get
where I am right now, and I would like to make it easier for the next
generation of bootblacks to participate.
I’m sure there is a lot of background that I am missing. If
you want to write to me here or privately (anything said will be kept
confidential), and shed some light on things, please feel free.
I love serving my community as a bootblack. I know there are
others out there who feel the same way but are struggling just as I have.
We have a talent that can help others in so many ways. We
need to be free to share it.
I really think it is time for us to come out of the darkness.
