In the crime/drama movie Drugstore Cowboy, after returning to his hometown, Bob talks to a drug counselor lady:
Lady: Have you ever considered becoming a counselor and helping other
addicts with their problems?Bob: No.
Lady: Why not?
Bob: Well, to begin with, nobody and I mean nobody can talk a
junkie out of using. You can talk to them for years, but sooner or
later they'll get a hold of something. Maybe it's not dope. Maybe it's
booze. Maybe it's glue. Maybe it's gasoline. Maybe it's a gunshot in
the head. But something. Something to relieve the pressures of their
everyday life, like… having to tie their shoes.
Best Answer
Here, "tie their shoes" means exactly what it says. You tie your shoes -- which is to say, you pull the laces tight and knot them -- to keep your shoes from falling off.
This is called "tongue-in-cheek" humor. The statement does not literally mean that a junkie will find it difficult to tie their shoes. Rather it mentions a completely ordinary activity to reinforce the earlier comment that a junkie will inevitably start using drugs again -- that they will use any excuse, no matter how trivial, to justify their habit.