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RICHARD'S EYEGLASS
PRESCRIPTION
Copyright 2020 Christina M. Guerrero
DEDICATION
For everyone who has put things in books and forgotten about them.
STORY BEHIND THE STORY
Finding the unexpected.
ABOUT THE DRAFTS
Second draft: Nothing yet.
Sometimes, when I buy used books, I find things hidden in them.
Through the years I have discovered all kinds of paper, laminated stamps, beautiful (and what appear to be rather expensive) bookmarks, signed photographs by Grammy-winning bands, personal notes, directions to a French patisserie, newspaper articles, fabric, and thin plastic.
Recently I took a used book from one of my bookcases, considered whether I wanted to add it to my reading pile, and then began to flip through the pages.
Just inside the cover was an eyeglasses prescription for a man named Richard, from the mid-2000s.
I sort of remembered the prescription was there; I had not thought about it for a while.
Once again, I wondered about this Richard.
When, precisely, did he realize he had misplaced his prescription?
Was he squinting at something, which made him think: Oh yeah! I have to get those glasses! And then begin the search? Did he remember sticking the paper in the book? Probably not, or it would not be there, right?
Did he then conduct a thorough search of the immediate vicinity? His living room; his wallet; his bathroom? Did he search his car?
Did he misplace the paper? Perhaps was multi-tasking, put the paper aside, and it somehow slid into the book? Then went to look around later, and had no idea what happened?
Did he do what I did once, and decide not to order the glasses?
Did he die, and that’s why the book -- with enclosed personal paper -- was available for a dollar at the book sale?
Perhaps he did die, but before that shrugged, contacted the doctor, and got a new prescription, and got the glasses.
A couple of Internet searches satisfied my curiosity a bit: Some of the doctors at the eye clinic still appeared to be alive and well.
A few more searches later, I may have found Richard.
He appeared to be happily involved in his profession ...
Happily married with children ...
And ... not surprisingly ...
Squinting at the camera.
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