This Little Piggie Went to the Ocean...

In my neck of the woods we've had a bit of a problem with feet. They keep getting washed ashore with no body attached to them. Seriously. In the last year 5 bodiless feet have washed ashore, each one clad in a running shoe and sock. Four of these have been right feet. As you can imagine, the entire situation has sparked a lot of curiosity. It even prompted a hoax foot to turn up, this one a dog's paw stuffed in a shoe.

As a mystery writer, I'm fascinated by the entire thing. I mean, who's cutting off feet and tossing them into the ocean? Mass murderer? But where are the rest of the remains?

A Seattle oceanographer told The Times that disarticulated feet do show up in oceans from time to time. Really? I gotta say, that really makes me re-think the idea of going to the beach with my kids.

All experts involved from the coroner to the RCMP have been quick to point out that there is no evidence of foul play here. As far as they can figure, the DNA from feet isn't from missing persons or victims of an air crash. So what then?

One of the most popular theories is that the feet are the natural decomposition of people who have drowned in Georgia Strait. I can almost by this except for one thing, why only feet? Four of the right. No other body parts. Sounds more like a foot fetish to me.

So there's a real live (or dead) mystery floating about the coast of British Columbia these days. Do any of you, my wise readers, have opinions on why feet would wash ashore?