Memories: Inspired By Ann

On the first day of 4th grade, I got sick.  It wasn't cool, because the first day of 4th grade also happened to be the first day in a new school.  When I came to school on Day Two of 4th grade, I was assigned to a new class.  I had gone to the school to find the original classroom.  Now--just one day later--I had a new teacher in a different part of the school, and I had a hard time finding my class.  Therefore, absent on Day One; tardy on Day Two.  Day One + Day Two = Tears.

But that's not what I wanted to tell you about.

On Day One (you remember, I was sick), Mom took me to the doctor.  She had seen Dr. Ely before, but that's the first time I remember seeing him.  He was a loving, gentle man.  He gave me kisses.  Which a doctor could never do now.  But he was just a sweet, kind man, and I believe he loved his job.

Anyway, Dr. Ely looked me over.  As part of the general examination he checked my eyes, and guess what?  Not only was I sick, I was blind!  Sick + Blind = Tears.

Mom and I did not pass go, and we did not collect $200.  We went straight to the eye doctor and then straight to the department to order glasses.  Which was not cool.  Because what 4th grader wants to wear glasses?  4th grade + Eyeglasses = Tears.

Two. Weeks. later, I had new glasses.  Which I was dreading.  For two weeks.  (Modern-day miracle:  60-minute eyeglasses!)

But they put those hateful specs on my face, and I learned that there were individual bricks on the buildings, there were individual leaves on the trees, and it was really possible to read the street and restaurant signs on the way home!

Oh, lovely, beautiful spectacles!

I never washed my glasses.  I hated the way there was a glare when they were clean.  When they would get particularly bad, my mom would lick her index and middle fingers, hold them up like a number 2, and smudge them down my glasses (one finger for each lens). 

Ann's grandma just cleaned her glasses for her.  My mom licked mine.  But both are sweet memories.

Funny how life is...

That was her way of MAKING me clean my glasses.  I hated it when she did that!