Grandpa, Eyeglasses & A Vintage Case

 

I did not know my mother’s father very well. The first time I met him was in 1966. My mom and dad drove across the country, from the East coast to California to visit her family. It was the first time she had seen them in 11 years.  It was an emotional time. Lots of hugs, kisses and tears. By trade my grandpa was an optician. He didn’t give vision tests. He fit frames, eyeglass lenses, contact lenses using the prescriptions of optometrists or ophthalmologists.  Having never been exposed to such a thing. I found it fascinating. Only one of my friends wore glasses and nobody else I knew did.  I learned a lot from my grandpa, that week there. The knowledge proved quite useful, years later, when my eyesight began to fail me and I needed a prescription to see better.  And a pair of glasses to do it.  Fast forward to now. I recently got a new pair of glasses. In my lifetime I’ve had about 18 pairs??? When you buy them, as a bonus they give you a complimentary case to put the new glasses in. But those cases tend to be big, gaudy with atrocious colors. Not the least bit stylish.  So I went on a mission to find a case more to my liking with a sleeker footprint. Something with a vintage old fashioned flare.  I searched high and low. Came up with nothing. My grandpa passed years ago so I couldn’t go through his inventory. But I was convinced he’d have something to fit my needs. I moped around the house for a couple days upset about it. But I focused my attention on something else, instead. Cleaning out a shelf in my closet. Mostly junk. But one thing caught my eye. An old optical box from which my grandpa dispensed the lenses. I opened it and inside was a golden velour eyeglass case . Satin lining and a snap closure. 

My fingertips gently caressed the case. It was very, very old. But in pristine condition. Just what I was looking for. Imagine that? A part of my grandpa’s history, in my hands.  I didn’t even know I had it. Life is strange with it’s twists and turns. Sometimes the unexpected becomes the most precious gift. This vintage case, is always on my nightstand and my glasses are protected because I know my grandpa is watching over me. And that fills me with great joy.