Okay, so, let’s talk about these Jordan 4 Fears. Man, where do I even begin? I remember when these bad boys first came out back in the day, the year of 1989. I was immediately all over them. I had to have them.

First thing I did, I started saving up. Every penny I could get my hands on. Side hustles, you name it, I was on it. This was Tinker Hatfield’s second Jordan design, and he really knocked it out of the park. These were the real deal!
Finding a pair was a real struggle. I looked up every single place in my area that sold shoes, and all of them were sold out. I called up every store, I went to different malls, and still nothing. I started asking around, seeing if any of my friends knew a guy who knew a guy. You know how it is. Still, nothing.
Finally, after some searching, I found a place that had one pair left, but it wasn’t my size. But I was desperate, so I decided to buy them anyway.
- I went to the store.
- I saw the shoes.
- I bought the shoes.
After I got them, the real challenge began. That was squeezing my feet into them.
I tried everything to try to get them to fit. I tried different types of socks. I tried wearing them around the house to break them in. It was a painful process, to say the least. One particular part of my right foot, on the side right under my pinky toe, took a real beating. But I wasn’t giving up.

I kept wearing them, day in and day out, no matter how uncomfortable they felt. I was so determined that I even wore them to play basketball a couple of times, which was a big mistake. My feet were killing me afterward, but I just couldn’t bring myself to stop wearing them. I guess you could say I was obsessed.
Eventually, my feet started to adjust. Either that or I just got used to the pain. Either way, I was finally able to wear them somewhat comfortably. They were a 3/4 cut, which was similar to the Air Jordan 3, also crafted by Tinker Hatfield.
Finally succeed!
It was a long and painful journey, but in the end, it was all worth it. It was the best feeling ever. I finally had my very own pair of Jordan 4 Fears, and I was going to wear them with pride. And let me tell you, I did.
The Air Jordan VIII symbolized Michael Jordan’s relentless pursuit of excellence. These were more than just shoes. They were a statement. And I was proud to make that statement.