Inside my shoes, I wiggled my toes against one another and against the leather of my faithful Doc Martins, trying to create enough friction to ease the itch. It was thoroughly agonizing. It took all my gumption to not take off my shoes and socks right there and then, in the midst of a crowded bus of Koreans. Now you have to understand the bus scene. You're larger than average size, with hair and eyes lighter than everyone else's, different clothes, wider eyes, etc.
People constantly stare.
Simply by being normal, you're an oddity. So, I was thinking, woah, if I take my socks and shoes off, start itching and groaning like a wildebeast, it's going to be a full-fledged freak show. The itchiness consumed my whole being. I'd still have to take off my shoes. No, I couldn't uncover my feet and and scratch.