Spectacular Insights
Writing Challenge 2024
Posted by Chris Sissons on Feb 28, 2024
Writing Challenge ยป Chris Sissons
My thing for today is, perhaps, spectacles. Odd really to choose something designed not to extend the power of eyes but to return them close to what they should be.
I suppose I could have chosen the lens. Lenses have a long history and they are used to expand the possibilities for the human eye. To see the impossibly small Tardigrades, Water Bears that look like tiny teddy bears swimming in the water. The magnificent thing about them is under stress, they shut up shop and can survive for many years in space.
And in space, lenses help us to see planets, stars and galaxies. Copernicus first described the revolution of the planets. And in the process gave us the word revolution. Such is the power of lenses.
And there’s stuff involved! Lenses are made of glass, a substance we see and simultaneously don’t see every day. Apparently, it’s a liquid and so it is stuff. It’s a very slow liquid but over hundreds of years, you can see it flow.
It’s a good job then that market forces dictate we should change our spectacles every few years.
Nah! I hear you mutter, “This is his usual revolutionary claptrap. You change your glasses when your eyes change. That’s why you go to the opticians.” Have you ever walked past an optician, let alone set foot in one? Have a look next time you’re passing. It’s all about fashion. If you can’t see that, you need a pair of glasses.
Yeah, not to put too fine a point on it, glasses are sexy! That is until you kiss. Now you inexperienced youngsters pay attention.
Remove your glasses before you kiss. Especially, if your inamorato also wears specs! Why? Just trust me on this one. Mutual injury is a proven passion killer.
Where was I? The way we see specs has evolved. I can remember films from the 40s and 50s, where some dowdy secretary type had her specs removed by some random male and turned out to be Audrey Hepburn!
These days of course we avoid these images in case they’re construed as sexist. But there is at least one prime example of a male transformed by the removal of specs. You see mild-mannered Clarke Kent is none other than a cleverly disguised Superman. Who would have thought that a pair of, admittedly, heavy-framed specs would be such an effective disguise? Although, I don’t think this is very realistic. Where does Superman put his specs when he doesn’t need them? He can hardly leave them in a random telephone booth. And they’re likely to be squished by the villain of the day if he carries them.
But this fantasy encourages me. When some hitherto unknown inamorata makes herself known to me and tells me I’m her super man and then reaches out and removes my specs (thus avoiding any chance of injury) and gazes into my eyes she’ll see … Gulp!! … me …
This is Day 1 of Writing Challenge 2024. I'll be sharing 21 articles based loosely on parts of the body. Do we fully appreciate the role things and stuff play in our lives? I've no idea where this will go but hope you enjoy the journey. The last introductory post was Things and Stuff. The next post will be Red and Blue.
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