"Dad...I can see every leaf, every branch and every blade of grass!" That was my first reaction to riding home with glasses at age 8. I was in third grade, Mrs. Handley's class, and she had sent the "sealed" envelope home with me stating a vision test at the eye doctor was needed. I went to Dr. Wiseman's in Rochester, Michigan, just north of Dad's work at Mitzelfeld's Department Store. I wasn't quite sure what this was all going to mean, but I hoped I didn't need glasses. NO ONE was wearing glasses except John Szacz, who sported a black frame with thick, coke bottle lenses. But, I did need glasses and was able to look at the several dozen frame styles and pick something out...BLUE, with some shiny accents and kinda pointy on the sides. I don't remember there being any discussion about price...just what style do you want. It was on the first ride home from the glasses fitting that I told Dad how much there was to see. In later years, I remember Mom and Dad both saying they had no idea I wasn't seeing what everyone else did!
Glasses were a big pain in the neck, though. In the very beginning, I would forget them and then struggle all day. On bad teasing days... kids were very mouthy and mean with the "four eyes" and other snide comments....I wished I had forgotten them and never had to wear them again. I was still one of the only girls in my school with glasses. In Junior High School, there was talk about contact lenses. That sounded like the perfect solution to me, until Dad told me that I was not going to put anything in my eye, glasses were just fine. "When you can pay for them, you may wear contacts." was his solution to my contacts suggestion. True to form, as soon as I had my waitress job at the Chuckwagon in Dryden, Mi in the summer of 1969, I was fitted for and purchased by first pair of contacts. I was finally free of the glasses. The only time I wore glasses was the last thing at night and the first thing in the morning. My nearsightedness has kept my glasses within reach of my bed...always. To hop out of bed for any reason would be a disaster without my glasses.
Now, 43 years later, I still appreciate the opportunity to wear contacts occasionally. Glasses are much the rage, with 100s of styles to choose from (and price tags to match) and I enjoy wearing glasses, too. I'd love to have several pair in all styles and colors, but the cost is still too prohibitive. I'm still vain enough to think about it, though! Best of all is that I still have my vision...thank goodness for the doctors and the corrective lenses to make that happen.
Great post too!
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