Tug-of-War with a Sneaker

I grabbed a thick, woven shoelace dangling right over the rim of a giant blue sneaker! I planted both feet firmly into the rough entryway rug, threw my weight back, and pulled with everything I had. The heavy shoe gave a slow creak, wobbled on its rubber sole, and tipped sideways with a muffled thump! The sudden give sent me tumbling backward into a soft roll. I scrambled straight back up with a chirp, planting my hands proudly on the mesh toe box. That giant shoe was totally defeated!