No Shoes? No Problem.

It was morning, and there I was, sitting on the MAX. It was a particularly rainy fall day, everything seemingly normal. Other students were headed to campus, men and women off to jobs, and starting the day.
He was reading a book.  He was obviously a student.  He had donned a "Portland State" shirt, in the indicative forest green color, as well as a pair of khaki Dickies.  He had a shoulder strap backpack flung around him, headphones plugged in his ears.
He wasn't wearing shoes.
I did a double take, and my first impression proved correct: he wasn't wearing any shoes!
The MAX ambled from stop to stop, until finally it stopped at PSU.  As everyone heaved themselves up and started toward the door, I positioned myself behind him.  We stepped out into the windy rain sodden streets, and I poked him in the back, "is there any reason why you aren't wearing any shoes?"
He took one headphone out, and I repeated the question.
"It is more comfortable this way" he explained.
"Even in the rain?" I exclaimed.
He laughed, "yep."
And there you have it. He wasn't wearing any shoes!