The Optician, the Broken Glasses, and the Little Screw That Changed My Life

Three years ago, I found myself standing on the street with my glasses in two pieces. One screw had fallen out, and along with it, the entire right temple (arm) of the glasses.

It happened at a street corner where a construction site was set up. The screw seemed to have disappeared in the gravel. After searching for several minutes, I gave up.

I was alone and lost in an unknown city. Now I couldn't even see properly. Even if someone was kind enough to point out directions, I would not have been able to read the street names from afar. In the midst of desperation, I completely blanked on the name of the person who makes glasses. So I searched for “glasses”.

Optician.

Right. Luckily, there was one 200 meters away.

I found my way there, couldn’t speak the language, but as I held up my glasses in two pieces, with a sad expression on my face, the optician immediately knew what to do.

He walked into the working room, and after less than a minute, came back to the main room polishing the restored glasses with a microfiber cloth. He handed them to me – whole, and spotless.

I was going to pay him, and he just waved dismissively and said with a smile, “No, no, it was just a small screw, don’t worry about it, have a nice day”.

“Oh”, I was baffled. “Thank you, thank you!”

As I came home, I was suddenly overcome by emotion. I couldn't really understand why I was so touched by this gesture. It felt as if he had saved my life.

Then I realized, without my glasses, I have a physical handicap of being nearsighted. I can't live as freely without sight-correction. I had never thought of it this way.

Something so simple for a person, just a tiny screw and less than a minute of work, can mean so much for someone else. A tiny screw, and a handicap resolved for years to come.

I still use these glasses to this day. The same glasses, almost every day.

I got the optician flowers and a card. I think he was surprised I came back to say thanks.

I thought to myself – I hope that one day, I will be able to help people in that way. Something simple for me, that gives a lasting benefit for the receiver.