Double Vision

He had always struggled with his eyesight. In fact, he was sure that he had emerged from the womb blinking and feeling around for his glasses. He was not convinced by the new optician. He refused to believe that technology had improved so much in the last ten years that it may even be better than his vision.

"Six eyes" was the affectionate term used by his friends towards him. It had started in his early 20's when he used to play badminton with a group of five other guys. Thinking back on it now, he could believe that he'd ever been able to see the shuttle-cock as it hurtled towards him. If only the guys had known the truth, he smiled with the smug memory. Of course they had known all along, how could they not, they had been hitting the shuttle-cocks from behind him on almost every shot. He was livid when he found out, then embarrassed, then mortified. Yet still the guys stood by him, well, behind him in games!

The optician had said that the surgery to fit lenses on top of his eyes permanently was ground breaking. He just thought that it was like having contacts, and they hadn't worked for him either. They were so thick that they would constantly be falling out. They used to hit the ground with such a clunk that there was never any guess work or crawling around on hands and knees to fit them. No, contacts weren't the best.

It seemed to be taking ages according to the clock in the waiting room. Of course it had only been ten minutes, but with vision as bad as his it looked more like forty. Then he saw three white coats walking purposefully towards him.