The Approval System
A few minutes later, Noah sent me a message.
"Bro, don’t be mad at Mom. She actually cares about you. So does Pops. He’s just afraid you’ll spend money recklessly and pick up bad habits. Come back. I bought a bunch of new sneakers. I’ll give you a pair."
He attached a photo. It was his shoe cabinet, which had rows upon rows of sneakers under bright lights, appearing dazzling and excessive.
I saved the screenshot and replied, "Keep them for yourself. After all, your Pops said athletes need gear. They need the right setup. As for me, I’ve long been used to wearing old clothes."