glass and glasses

 The shop that repairs the glass on mobile telephones is open, there are people inside. Wait outside until they are outside, then go in.

The bald man is there, he knows the name and he has the spare parts. And he also has a little plastic basket for the 'phone itself. Put the 'phone into the basket, he say that his work will take an hour, to be back then.

Return one and a half hours later, there are people inside the shop. Wait outside until they are outside, then go in. The little 'phone is ready, it has a new glass.

Pay the bill and leave.

Walk through the town to see if it is possible to get a new pair of glasses. These would just be reading glasses, for the eyes have grown older and distant things have come back into focus. In the optical shop look at the readymade reading glasses in their ugly frames. An assistant comes over and asks whether she could help, and succeeds in convincing her new customer that an eye test would be a good idea. Do an eye test at the back of the shop, a different assistant, higher qualifications. She talks of all the difficulties with the masks, with the misdirected exhalations fogging over the optical gear.

When all is said and done, the young lady acts as a guide to another table, and yet another assistant. There is a tray of  four pairs of frames to choose from,  and ask for a pair, but not in black. She scurries away and gets two pairs. Ask her which she would prefer, and she says that the paler pair would go well with the grey hair.

And just a few measurements later, she says that an email will be sent next week when the new glasses are ready.

There is no bill to pay yet.