Tried to buy a new pair of shoes: same color (brown), same model, same shoe store. They keep a record of the shoes that I buy. They were not is stock. A couple of months later they called to tell me that because of supply chain issues it would probably be three more months before they would be there. Probably moldering on a ship outside the Port of Los Angeles.

I repaired the shoes I have, thread and glue: still comfortable.

I waited.

Then came another call. Nope, production had been stopped to manufacture other shoes. I bought the same model, a half size bigger, and in black (they had none in brown), in stock (probably not a popular item in black). A half size bigger, it still fit well enough. Black does not wear well for everyday use, but alright.

The upshot is I did not own a black belt, had to buy one.