ISLAND BAY WOMAN FINDS ONE SOCK ON THE PAVEMENT, STARTS SUPPORT GROUP BY TUESDAY
The sock is grey. The group has 34 members. The other sock is still missing.
An Island Bay resident who found a single work sock outside the dairy on The Parade has set up what she's calling the Wellington Lost Sock Collective. It has weekly meetings and a printed agenda. This all happened in 72 hours.
Founder Helena Mortimer, 58, said the sock got to her. "There it was. Soaked. Southerly doing its worst. Somebody got dressed this morning and made a compromise, and I won't stand for it."
The first meeting was held Sunday at the Empire and pulled 11 attendees. One was a bloke from Berhampore who brought a Tupperware of 23 odd socks he'd kept since 2019. "I'd given up," he told The Daily Yarn. "Helena's given me something back. Not the socks. But something."
A Wellington City Council spokesperson, asked if the council had a position on roadside sock recovery, said it did not. They asked to be taken off the email chain. Helena has added them again.
The original sock is now pinned to a corkboard at the cafe under the heading EXHIBIT A. Helena is accepting submissions by post and is drafting a constitution.
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Reader Letters
Garry (Halswell)
I recall when everything had a partner and folks took responsibility for their socks. This modern nonsense doesn't surprise me. Next, it'll be a support group for missing teacups.
couchgremlin
Lol, the sock is exhibit A. What's exhibit B? A missing glove?
Trev_Hornby
What a load of bollocks. It's just a sock, mate. If the Council gets involved, you know they're running out of work.
Sandra_Wgtn
Imagine actually believing a council would care about socks. They're too busy with cycle lanes that no one's using.
BarryBishopdale
@Sandra_Wgtn, they only care when they can charge you a fee or make it a compliance issue.
Margaret_F
This reminds me of when my husband lost his hat to the wind in '98. Never did get it back, but such things create camaraderie.
Ropeable_Dave
Mate, I'd join just to neaten up my sock drawer. Maybe pair up some hopes with my missing left Plimsoll.
MumOf3
I think it's actually quite sweet. In this day and age, finding support even for the smallest things is important.
KiwiPedant
Actually, Helena shouldn't have added the Council back to the email chain. Email etiquette says remove if they request.