The south campus neighborhood in which I live is an illegal dumping hot spot. I often see abandoned couches, mattresses and curiously, shoes. 

For the past school year I’ve made an attempt to photograph every pair of abandoned shoes I come across. When I find them I am filled with wonder about who once wore them and where they’ve been. 

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Photo taken by Molly Myers April 24 outside of the fraternity Phi Kappa Tau.

The holy trinity: white Nike Air Forces, space heater and a trash can. The frat shoes abandoned right outside of the fraternity Phi Kappa Tau is nothing less than I’d expect from our beloved college town — a quintessentially Chico scene.

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Photo taken by Molly Myers on Sept. 3, 2023 downtown across from where the Farmers Market is held.

Someone call in an Amber alert because a baby was just plucked from their Mary Janes in downtown! Seriously, why is there a pair of baby shoes propped up so perfectly like this? Maybe a parent was changing their child’s shoes … I guess? 

Again, it seems someone was abducted straight out of their shoes. In this case it’s a well used pair of Converse. God only knows their original color. 

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I would have taken this Air Max sneaker I had found its counterpart. Hella cute. Photo taken by Molly Myers Feb. 1 near the intersection of Hazel and Sixth Streets.

Dear friends, we’ve lost a baddie. A moment of silence for our fallen sister. The platforms, heels, L.L. Bean slippers and single Air Max sneaker tell the story of a well rounded party girl fallen from grace. Where is she now? And why is her entire shoe collection discarded near frat row?  God be with her. 

An abandoned camo rain boot I said “good day” to as I walked to and from school for countless days. 

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Photo taken by Molly Myers on Sept. 21, 2023 on Hazel Street.

Growing up you always hear that shoes hanging from a telephone pole wire means someone sells drugs nearby or that it’s something to do with a gang. I’ve lived next to these dangling shoes for two years now and I am disappointed to say not one person has ever tried to sell drugs or the gang life to me.