I needed a new pair of reading glasses.
After the eye test, I was invited to choose a frame from the
bewildering number on display. I ruled out the expensive designer frames and
told the assistant I just wanted something plain, simple and comfortable. I
work at home, and rarely need to wear glasses in public, so having the latest
fashion in eyewear wasn’t important.
I tried on a few frames but, because they were all fitted with plain glass lenses, the only thing I noticed in the mirror
was that they all made me look like my mother!
“Yes, that will do,” I said, choosing what I thought was a
basic, lightweight frame. It wasn’t until I went to collect my new glasses – with the
magnifying lenses in them – that I noticed a worrying detail. There’s a little
artificial diamond set into each side piece.
My first thought was, But I don’t do bling!
My second thought was, Nice and comfortable and – hey! – I
can easily read the smallest print on the test card.
My third thought was, Can I take this as a good omen? Will
they help me to put more sparkle in my writing?
(Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that my NaNoWriMo novel this
year is about the different kinds of magic that people encounter and create.)
