ON silver sands on a beachfront a pair of reading glasses looked myopically at the sea. They belonged to me. I discovered they were missing only after reaching home. Couldn’t find my spare pair either, nor the ones made for computer screens. I could do everything but read. The morning papers arrived the next day:
“Don’t strain your eyes!” said my wife. I did and smiled, how different was the news. “Awesome!” I shouted as I read the headlines, “Israel and the Palestinians were going to sit and work things out!” A little farther I read how North Korea had decided to send their president to South Korea for talks.
“Why are they sending Kim to South Korea?” I pondered aloud. “Maybe to sit with his counterpart and have talks!” said the wife. “And so it is!” I cried, “Kim is being sent to have talks with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to work out issues and get things sorted out! This is fantastic!”
I held the newspaper closer to my eyes and eyeballs nearly fell out in sheer astonishment, “China is willing to talk to Taiwan!” I shouted, “They’re willing to have peace talks with Taiwan and discuss the issue threadbare. This will herald peace in the region!” I shouted, waving the newspaper and jumping around the room.
“You better be careful, you’re not wearing your spectacles!” said my wife, “I don’t need broken limbs and a blind husband!” “Who needs glasses!” I shouted jubilantly, “Peace is round the corner!” I switched on the television, and watched the prime minister speaking about the constitution of the country, “He says it’s the best constitution in the world, and there’s no need to change a single word.”
“He said that?” asked the wife. “Yes,” I said, “Even without my glasses I can see his lips saying those words! And he looks sincere without my glasses!” I walked over to the window and looked out, “Hey,” I cried, “Look at Mr Hussein walking along with Mr Talwar! I wonder where they’re going?”
“Maybe to the friendship club!” said my wife with a yawn, “are you sure you’re seeing right?” “Never better!” I shouted, “The world is changing!” The doorbell rang, “Sir,” said a man smiling at the door, “we found these glasses at the beach!” “Thank you!” I said and put them on, and quickly looked at the newspaper, “Putin bombs Ukraine!”
I ran to the TV, the newscaster had tears as she showed bodies piling up in Palestine and one of the bodies of an Israeli who was kidnapped. I stared at the newspaper again, “Bulldozers raze shops in Mumbai!” read the headlines. I threw the glasses on the floor. “Why didn’t you leave my glasses where you found them?” I cried as reality hit me hard..!
—Email: bobsbanter@gmail.com
