For my first day of spring break I went to the eye doctor. This is not exciting vacation stuff, but it is something I needed to do.
I realized a couple of weeks ago that I was putting in my last pair of contacts, so I made the appointment that day. When I mentioned to my kids that I had to go to the eye doctor, my daughter looked at me confused. "You hurt your eye?" "No... I just need to make sure my eyes are healthy and that I can still see okay!" "Your seeing is broken?" To be honest, it kind of feels like it is. I've been wearing glasses since 6th grade, but really got my first pair in 2nd. It wasn't until I was standing in the office of my optometrist at the time, my uncle Tim, wearing the mock glasses, staring across the street at the school, that I realized, "Wow, I do need these." I remember staring at the chain link fence, the leaves on the trees, the texture of the grass- and realizing I really could see them. My family was always up to date on eye exams, having my uncle as our optometrist. We would all load up once a year, even into my adulthood, until he retired, and make the hour drive to his office. Usually it was a day they weren't actually open. But he, seemingly gladly, would come in to take care of us, along with my aunt, and sometimes a receptionist. As a kid I really didn't realize how good we had it. I guess I assumed that all kids just jumped on a trampoline and played games with family while getting an eye exam. I guess I figured everyone chatted with their eye doctor about what they were working on in school, and heard stories about fishing expeditions and camping trips at "the property." I guess I thought everyone had a cheering squad while trying on glasses: cousins, aunt, siblings, and parents saying "Oh yeah! Those look great!" As time went on, we would help clean up the office. At the time we thought we really were helping, but as a mom now, I'm thinking it was to keep us busy while the last of the family finished up. We always made a day of it, too, going back to my aunt and uncle's house, having dinner and spending time together. The last time I visited was for my uncle's celebration of life. A very different feeling surrounded the day. So many people who knew and loved him gathered, a year after we lost him, because at that time, the dangers of Covid were too high. It was a party that Tim would have loved. He would have stood in the garage with a Michelob Golden Draft and cracked his famous one liners. He would call my sister "Right Eye Ramona" after her BB shooting skills. He'd tickle one of his grandkids as they walked by. I remember my cousin saying to me, a while back, when I was probably no more than 20, and after she became a parent herself, "I get it. I get why sometimes he's just quiet." He was content to just watch. To enojy the moment and the family he created. Whether he was going into the office on a Saturday to take care of my family, or drinking a beer in the garage, it was always about family for him. In the past few years, I've learned what a typical eye exam entails, and they will forever be subpar.
4 Comments
3/28/2022 07:53:05 pm
Such sweet memories in your writing. No wonder any other eye exam would be subpar! I've been going for eye exams for years but I've never experienced one quite like yours. I went to a new dr 2 weeks ago and he was late getting me in. I saw him walk out of his exam room with an older couple. They left and he apologized for keeping me waiting. Then he said he would not do that for anyone but his Mom and Dad. He was giving them an annual exam! Funny
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Glenda M. Funk
3/28/2022 09:36:05 pm
This really is a lovely memory. As a life-long glasses wearer myself, I have many memories of eye doctors but none as focused on family as this. Dr. Tim saw clearly in many ways.
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Sara T.
3/28/2022 10:05:20 pm
What a sweet slice about your uncle. He sounds like he was a great guy and I love that your eye visit evoked all these memories!
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Laurie Crozier
3/29/2022 01:32:39 pm
Very Well Written!!! Great Memories!!! 🤗🤗😘😘❤❤❤❤❤XOXOX❤❤❤❤❤😘😘🤗🤗
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Author5th grade teacher, wife, mama to my 3 magical babies, ally, advocate, doggy foster mom... just stumbling on. Archives
March 2022
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