The Moth Radio Hour: “If the Shoe Fits”
Original Air Date: December 2, 2025
Host: Jennifer Hickson
Episode Theme: True stories of memorable moments, transformation, and connection—all through the lens of the shoes we wear.
Episode Overview
This episode of The Moth Radio Hour centers on stories where shoes are more than just footwear: they're symbols of love, resilience, aspiration, and belonging. Storytellers from diverse backgrounds recount pivotal experiences—family trips, bold moves to new cities, difficult job hunts, acts of kindness, and artistic dreams—all of which are given texture and meaning by the shoes on their feet.
1. “Topi Knockoffs” by Edgar Ruiz Jr.
From Detroit, MI – [02:56–13:29]
Story Summary:
Edgar tells the tale of a summer he spent in Puerto Rico as a 12-year-old—a trip that became memorable not just for family revelations, but for one particularly ugly pair of sneakers. After his own shoes were stolen at the airport, his father, struggling financially, bought him unfashionable, off-brand knockoffs. Edgar grows to treasure them as an emblem of his father’s love and sacrifice, and years later, the role of shoes recurs as the two men mend and deepen their relationship.
Key Insights & Moments:
- Shoes as Social Status:
"On my block, what you wore on your feet represented where you were at in the food chain. You wore some busted-looking kicks, the kids were gonna eat you alive." (05:21) - Disappointment & Love:
Edgar’s dad buys him $13.99 knockoffs instead of coveted Nikes, leading to childhood resentment, which transforms over time into deep appreciation. - Generational Reflection:
"Those ugly things hugging my feet were the closest I was going to get to a hug from my dad." (08:02) - Understanding His Father:
As a college student, Edgar realizes the depth of his father’s struggle:
"My dad wasn’t cheap. He was just struggling. … Those $13.99 that he spent on them ugly sneakers must have been half a day’s work for the dude." (10:18) - Cycle Completes:
As an adult, Edgar tricks his father into picking out a new pair of shoes, buying him the Nike sneakers he always wanted.
Notable Quote:
"Ironically, several weeks prior to that trip, I wrote this psychology paper on nature versus nurture... But then I got to know my dad, and I realized I had a lot more of Caborojo, Puerto Rico, coursing through my veins." (11:09)
2. “Barefoot in New York” by Isabel Raphael
From New York, NY – [14:28–19:18]
Story Summary:
Isabel, newly arrived in New York and barely established, loses her keys down the elevator shaft. Shoeless and braless, she must hike 13 city blocks for a spare, encountering indignant city dwellers, warnings from homeless men, and, ultimately, an act of kindness from a doorman.
Key Insights & Moments:
- Isolation & Vulnerability:
"I did not know my neighbors. I had no bra on and I had no shoes and I was so hungry... I was dead in New York." (15:46) - City’s Quirky Kindness:
A doorman offers to piggyback Isabel home after she arrives barefoot. - Humor & Connection:
The piggyback becomes an exercise in awkward bonding, ending with her feet dragging on the sidewalk. - Gratitude in Glitter:
Days later, she finds her keys (retrieved by the doorman) and "a pair of pink bespangled child slippers… and a little note that said ‘for next time.’" (18:56)
Notable Quote:
"A homeless man kind of shuffled along next to me and whispered in my ear, ‘You’re gonna regret this.’" (16:32)
3. “Macy’s (and the Universe) Says No” by Satori Shakur
From Austin, TX – [23:36–34:20]
Story Summary:
After devastating personal losses and facing financial hardship, Satori embarks on an absurd job hunt, culminating in a humiliating Macy’s interview for which she can’t even find fitting shoes. Macy’s rejects her—prompting a breakthrough: she’s meant for something greater, and soon lands a meaningful acting job that uses her storytelling talents to support families in times of crisis.
Key Insights & Moments:
- Rock Bottom:
"I was so scared, I started applying for jobs everywhere…script supervisor on a CC Dynamite porno film." (27:52) - Shoes as Obstacle & Metaphor:
Fails to find shoes that fit at Macy’s:
"Look, these corporations gonna ship the shoe jobs overseas. They need to ship them to a country that knows something about Bigfoot feet." (29:15) - Humor Amid Desperation:
"I look like a cross between Cornel West and Lil Wayne with black lipstick. I mean, she lied to me with her purple hair." (30:13) - Message from the Universe:
"This feeling of relief just came over me. It was like a message from the universe saying: you better do what you love to do for the rest of your life." (32:36) - Healing and New Beginnings:
Finds purpose in a job facilitating sensitive organ donation conversations.
Notable Quote:
"I’ve always sacrificed for years to develop myself, to become who I am, so I could do what I love to do... and it paid off... Life was good. Until 2005 when it all fell apart." (23:51)
4. “American Shoes” by Sufian Zhymokov
From Washington, DC – [35:25–40:56]
Story Summary:
Sufian, a Russian Muslim immigrant, seeks to fit into American life. Advised to swap his pointed-toe shoes for round-toed "American" ones, he embarks on a shoe-shopping journey filled with unusual spiritual encounters and surprising lessons on belonging and tolerance.
Key Insights & Moments:
- Assimilation Advice:
"One of my friends said, ‘You need different shoes. Nobody's wearing pointed toe shoes in town.’" (35:39) - Bizarre Evangelism:
Meets a man in the shoe store proclaiming, "Jesus is coming." (36:18) - Unexpected Tolerance:
"Muslims are better believers," the man admits, astonishing Sufian with his acceptance. (38:46) - Belonging Through Shoes:
"I knew two things for sure. One, I knew that I was going to fit in here among these wonderful and tolerant people. And two, I was going to get rid of my vacuum cleaner." (40:45)
5. “The Glitter Shoes” by Stacy Miller
From New York, NY – [44:00–47:26]
Story Summary:
Stacy describes adopting her daughter from foster care and realizing, on their first solo day together, that the child only had worn-out white sneakers in the dead of winter. They go shopping for galoshes and practical shoes, but the real magic happens with the discovery of magenta glitter ballet shoes—a recurring purchase that becomes symbolic of love, joy, and transformation in their family.
Key Insights & Moments:
- Motherly Pledge:
"You're never going to have to do that again. We're just going to get you shoes that fit." (45:25) - Magical Shoes:
"We needed something else. And I saw these magenta glitter ballet shoes... It was just this wonderful, wonderful thing." (45:45) - Growth & Change:
Over a year and a half, her daughter grows from a child’s 2 ½ to a women’s 8, with a new pair of glitter shoes each month. - Memory of Love:
"We don’t have a photograph of those shoes, but the way they look is just in my heart forever." (46:50)
6. “Design Dreams” by Munjen Eng
From New York, NY – [48:05–55:04]
Story Summary:
Munjen recalls growing up in Chinatown with parents who discouraged art as a career. He attends Pratt, befriends fellow designer Evan, and both chase the dream of designing sneakers. Mun passes along a job lead to Evan, who lands his dream job (eventually designing for Michael Jordan himself), and later, Evan repays Mun by helping him launch his own career in footwear design. Their story becomes a testament to creative ambition and mutual support.
Key Insights & Moments:
- Defying Parental Expectations:
"Whatever you do, don’t study art. You’ll never find a job. You’ll never make any money. You’ll probably starve to death." (48:06) - The Power of Friendship:
"[Evan] says, ‘Mun, I know you don’t know anything about footwear, but if you’re willing to learn, I promise you we’ll have so much fun.’" (52:57) - Full Circle:
Evan achieves his dream—presenting shoe designs directly to Michael Jordan:
"'Mun, I just got out of a meeting with Michael Jordan. He’s telling me how much he loves the shoes I’ve designed for him. If it wasn’t for you 14 years ago, I would have never gotten that job.'" (54:24)
Notable Quote:
"If you’re willing to help each other out, I promise you they can all come true. … And it all started with a pair of sneakers." (55:04)
Notable Episode Themes & Quotes
- Shoes as Metaphor for Connection:
“Those ugly things hugging my feet were the closest I was going to get to a hug from my dad.” — Edgar Ruiz Jr. [08:02] - Empathy and New Beginnings:
“I just will never — they're so clearly etched into my memory, into my heart.” — Stacy Miller [46:55] - Encouragement for Creative Risk:
"If you’re willing to help each other out, I promise you they can all come true. … And it all started with a pair of sneakers." — Munjen Eng [55:04]
Timestamps of Key Segments
| Time | Segment / Story | Storyteller | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------|----------------------| | 02:56 | Topi Knockoffs | Edgar Ruiz Jr. | | 14:28 | Barefoot in New York | Isabel Raphael | | 23:36 | Macy’s (and the Universe) Says No | Satori Shakur | | 35:25 | American Shoes | Sufian Zhymokov | | 44:00 | The Glitter Shoes | Stacy Miller | | 48:05 | Design Dreams | Munjen Eng |
Episode Takeaways
This Moth Radio Hour episode illustrates how something as simple as shoes can embody family love, mark independence, create unlikely connections, and even launch careers. Each storyteller’s journey is unique in detail but connected by a shared sense of resilience, humanity, and the literal and metaphorical steps we all take—sometimes in high-tops, sometimes in sparkly slippers, always with heart.