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Dear Nice Kicks,
So, I’m officially 0 for 6 in obtaining any of the adidas Yeezy Boosts. I wish I could say it was because I wasn’t feeling them, never tried, signed up for one lottery, but that wouldn’t be the truth. The truth is that I have done anything and everything in my power to get just one pair and have come up empty handed EVERY SINGLE TIME. The harder I tried and the more involved I went into trying to attain them, the more I realized just how fixed the game was.
Chicago Skyline
Being from the Southside of Chicago makes me want them even more. What the shoe represents to me is power, overcoming obstacles of adversity and fighting for your dreams. Don’t get me wrong, the stylishness of them and the full ability to stunt on anyone walking by also played into my desire to cop. Amongst all the haters I come across, I back up Kanye, and as much as I defend his opinion (and freedom of speech as an American) I am still left without that coveted box in my hands. Why, Universe, Why?
With every Yeezy drop in 2015 I went deeper and deeper into my quest to obtain the seemingly unattainable. First, I tried the app. Then, I decided to enter a few raffles. Still, nothing… So, I decided to call in the troops and asked multiple friends and family to log on to help me online. Then, I decided that I would be willing to give up my Christmas holiday in the hopes of finally being able to purchase Yeezys through retail. It all started nine days before the 350’s officially dropped, even before adidas released the store locations that would have them.
Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 “Turtle Dove”
The black 750’s released and once again I lost, no app win, seven raffles lost, and online was a frenzy of cart jacking. I had had enough, I needed the win, had to win with the 350 tans. So eight days before the drop I got word that an LA retailer (that shall remain nameless) was doing a line up with wristbands given to only 100 people. I rushed over and got the second to last place in line. I was 117. People were “waiting in line” right after they purchased their 750’s, so I was already technically too late.
However, still hopeful, I didn’t go back to Chicago for the holidays. I knew if I just held out, people would eventually fall off because well, it was Christmas. Everyday for eight days, three times a day until the drop, people with a wristband needed to check in. First check-in time was 12 noon, then 4pm and 8pm. You had to have your wristband still on your left wrist and your I.D., as well as be there on time or you were disqualified and “out of the line.” This only gave enough time to eat, use the restroom, enter in a bunch of raffles around town, and panic that you might be late for the next check-in.
Everyone definitely laughs at you for putting yourself through this torture for a pair of shoes but bro, these are the YEEZYS we’re talking about! THE SHOE! Ridiculous resale prices worldwide in the thousands illustrate the demand. To me, what I was enduring was definitely worth it, and the haters didn’t know what they were talking about. Things got so bad that I threw my hand up to my girlfriend (more than once) when she said I needed help. It’s all good though,I brushed it off because I’m getting Yeezys this time.
Adidas Yeezy Boost 750
Wristband holders at check-in were dropping like flies. Yes! From day 1 to day 3, it went from 117 to 63. One of the managers said that last time they got just 40 pairs of the 750’s so this time they may get 60 to 70 pairs of the Tans because that’s what they got for the Moonrocks. I’m good, I’ve just gotta hold out and keep going. As the days went on, people were getting restless as we all realized that it was almost Christmas Eve.
We had so many other things to do in our lives that we just put off, and the management went from being ruthless in taking people off the list to all of a sudden giving them more chances. People started getting upset that if we were late, we got cut, but at times they wouldn’t come outside for more than 30 minutes after the check in time. Also, we were not allowed to stay inside the store for check-in, we had to wait outside in line, in the winter (yeah, I know, LA winters don’t compare to Chicago, but it was in the 30s and it sucked).
After a few seemingly uneventful days, the people in the line up had had enough. A wristband holder attacked one of the store employees because he simply couldn’t keep waiting that long to check in. His girlfriend was cut off the list because she had to leave to prevent her car from being towed. That guy ended up running away with the list that had everyone’s name and number for check in. You can’t blame him though, it was Christmas Eve, they were running really late, no one wanted to be there that long. Happy Birthday Jesus.
Me, on the other hand, I knew it was going to be stressful trying to park, so I just took a Lyft/Uber as I had an promo code from https://www.ondemandly.com/lyft-promo-code-existing-user/ which made the ride cost-friendly there and back each time. At first, I thought it was a genius plan, but then when I added up that I was basically spending $60 a day to check in for 8 days. 8 times 60… Let’s not talk about it. So, I started begging people for rides or just staying down there all day. I still had hope, because I was going off the fact that they said they “definitely will get 60 tans” and I just got to number 52. Now, it wasn’t about getting my size, I just needed some to be able to trade. The only thing that was CERTAIN, was that if you were in the top 30 you were DEFINITELY getting a pair, and I needed to get up there. But it was damn near impossible because the management kept giving friends of theirs that didn’t show up 2nd, 3rd and sometimes 5th chances.
The closer to the top I got, the more I realized that the people surrounding me weren’t in it for the same love. Some paid bums to wait in line for them, most people were only there to flip the shoes, and some were really intense computer hackers who already had six or seven pairs on lock and just wanted another pair to flip. On the second to last day at the 8 o’clock check-in, the manager came out to tell everyone that he had bad news. Oh shit. The store was only getting 40 to maybe 45 pairs of shoes. They left it up to everyone from 45 on up to decide if they wanted to still show up the next day and see what was available. And not only that, they didn’t have the shoes in-store yet, so you wouldn’t get them on release day.
At this moment, I felt like I played myself. I was still very late 40’s, I just wasted my time, my money, and a lot of holiday cheer trying to win one pair to wear. I was the only person there that just liked the shoe for the shoe. The only person that appreciated the art, the design and the craftsmanship of the shoe. I just played myself. I went home once my girlfriend picked me up and I was just bummed, didn’t really want to do anything. I felt numb. All the hoops and loopholes I went through just for a shoe. I was dumb and such a fool to have a dream. Once again, my last hope was late night on the Internet. I’ll say right now it was a massive fail. I didn’t even get close. Not even a cart jacking close. I had given up mentally, physically and spiritually. My girl felt so bad that she took me to all the rest of the check-ins where I was so blase about it all.
Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 “Oxford Tan”
A lot of people I met along the way got shoes online through bots. One guy got 17 pairs last night and five from adidas because he figured out the coding. Others won four or five raffles and wanted more to just sell. I was the only there left with nothing, but now I was number 43 on the list.
Check-in day at 8am, I get there at 7am just because I couldn’t remember 7 or 8am. I’m numb in my mind. I didn’t want to go, but before I left both my mother and girlfriend said if I didn’t go I would always wonder what would’ve happened if I didn’t go. And plus, I’m in the high 40’s now, there’s still a chance. So 8am rolls along and the manager comes out and says, “Good news everyone! We have 45 pairs to give out so if you’re in that check-in range then you’re all good!” I began to feel hope and was so excited (and relieved that this wasn’t for nothing.)
Well, all of the people weren’t there yet at 8am. I wanted to push up so that I could be in the 30’s range. However, they didn’t check us in till 9:15 and I had to watch the people that almost lost their spot arrive just in the nick of time. Whatever, I’m still good, but I wanted to make sure. So, I’m waiting for everyone to take their sizes and everyone is eating up the low sizes ’cause apparently they sell for more which I could care less about because I’m a size 11 and everyone says that they run a little big so all I need is a size 10.5 or 11 and I’m good.
Remember, I’m the only one there just trying to wear the damn shoe. So, sizes are going left and right and they’re yelling out certain sizes being sold out and then they just stop. They said they’ll be back and then the manager comes out and says, “Hey, sorry guys my bad, we’re only selling 40 pairs.” One of us said, “Hold up, didn’t you say there are definitely 45 pairs today?! What happened?!” The manager gives the Kanye shrug and says, “Sorry man, that’s just how it is,” and goes back inside. My heart drops. I feel like I just lost twice at the same place in the same line. (Another one.) I just played myself. I had to laugh, this was unbelievable, inconceivable bullshit that all this could happen.
I literally wasted one of the most wonderful times of the year. I couldn’t believe it. I just stood there and watched each person buy their shoes, come out satisfied and finally leave that place. Not going to lie, the last option was to just bring out the Southside of Chicago in me and just take their shit. I just had to whisper to myself what everyone else has been saying to me since February, “They’re just shoes, Kev.” All the way to the last one, I watched them get what they worked hard for. And then I just needed to take a walk for a sec and breathe. Why would that store give all that false hope throughout the holidays? They should’ve just said in the beginning that they were only selling 40 pairs of shoes, and then hooking up friends and family with the other 20 or 30. Hell, I would’ve even taken that honesty over wasting my time and money.
In the end, I just have to let it go. And when the new ones drop, as much of a Kanye fan that I am, as much as I love the heart and creativity that he puts into all of his work, I just can’t say I’m going to try anymore. I may stumble on the app, or give it a shot if I happen to be in a store running a raffle, but I have to truly just let it go, and definitely throw a good two middle fingers to that shitty store for giving no fucks about the people there.
Sincerely,
Kevin Miles
