Ankles and feet. Taking the subway one often falls in behind others taking the stairs and is confronted with the inescapable spectacle of feet. Elevated to roughly waist level, these feet are subject to closer scrutiny than would normally be permitted on other types of pedestrian passages. Therefore one becomes – over the course of half-a-minute or so – intimately acquainted with a variety of characteristics: the pace and quality of the stride, the type of footwear, tendencies as a pronounced instep, pigeon toes or a limp. Sores or blisters on the ankles suggest a whole range of martyr-like sacrifices to the altar of foot fashion. How much can actually be inferred about a stranger based on (the back of) their feet alone? How aware are people climbing stairs that their feet are subject to close observation by the people behind them?