Murphy's (new-shoes) Law:

Buy your daughter a brand-spakin' new pair of (fifty dollar) sneakers for spring... (Hey, you'll pay anything as a parent to get your child the "only footwear engineered & specifically patented to address the podiatric needs of a child's rapidly growing feet")

Figures A & B:

...and she will, upon the first day of wearing them, stumble upon the only piece of stray gum in her school parking lot and step DIRECTLY ON IT.

Figures C & D:

It's a good thing my daughter is as cute as she is... Oh, and it also helps tremendously that these are from Stride Rite's new, 100% machine-washable line. Crisis averted- Whew!