It was like in one of those poems, you're living your life in this dark tunnel that is your awareness and then all at once you get to the end of the tunnel and are embraced by this all encompassing white light. That was exactly what happened, except replace "embraced" with "slapped in the face" and "all encompassing" with "excruciating explosion of."
...then all at once you get to the end of the tunnel and are slapped in the face by this excruciating explosion of white light.
Yeah. That's about right.
So, my brain feels like its about to blow, but really, I thought nothing of it. In a few minutes my eyes have adjusted to the light off the snow and then I was good to go. Went to school, trained, went to ethics, sat there, and went home. No incident.
The next morning I noticed a change in my eye. Now, it was not just the obscene brightness of Saint John in the wintertime that was bothering my eye, but all light. Not only that, but evidently it was now turning red... or maybe pink...
Still. I had stuff to do, so I went on with my life. And so went Friday. And so went Saturday. And so went Sunday. Plus, it is hard to see a Doctor here, and even harder on a weekend...
Today. I woke up, and you know, my eye felt better. I was up getting ready to go to school. Door locked, shoes on, and BAM! Damn that light! So, it was not better. Still... I did not think much, I would go to the Doctor on campus, and get it looked at.
I arrive at my group meeting. The first thing said to me. "What happened to your eye?" Well, I guess it was that noticeable. Maybe I couldn't notice because my vision isn't great right now with my one-eyed squinting all day. Well, it so happened that the first thing to come out of the mouth of the next person I spoke with was: "What happened to your eye?"
Ok. Perhaps this is a problem.
Off to the Student Health Centre. I'll get an appointment with the Nurse or Doctor or whoever. I get there, and the Receptionist greets me.
Me: "I'd like to book an appointment with the Nurse or Doctor or whoever."
Receptionist: "The Doctor is in today and Thursday but she is all full."
Me: "Yeah, I just need to see someone about my..."
Receptionist: "Eye?"
Me: "Yeah, I just want to get it checked it out."
Receptionist: "Yeah, that might be a good idea. You might consider the After Hours Clinics..."
So, I guess it was noticeable.
I had class all day so there was no way that I could get to a Doctor today. I went to class and all I heard as I went through my day was "what happened to your eye?" There was also a whole lot of squinting going on. Well, a certain someone suggested that I skip class to go to the Doctor. Novel concept, as I had not thought of that. I do know that some of my classmates were concerned that I had pink eye (if my eye is pink then technically its a pink eye right?) which is ridiculously contagious. I thought about this concept, and though my class this evening was strictly mandatory, I thought I might be able to cut out after the quiz.
Right before class I went to the professor to explain my situation.
Me: "Professor I know you told us to tell you if we had to leave class, and I think I will leave after the quiz."
Professor (Looking Down): "Ok, what for?"
Me: "To see a Doctor, I am having trouble with my eye."
Professor (Looking Up): "Oh! You should get that checked out. After all, you only have two."
And that Ladies and Gentlemen leads me to this evening, walking down Union St. alone slowly stalking an elderly man... Our steps weren't in sink. He knew that I was behind him and that I was not far. I knew that I had slowed to match his pace and that I was staying behind him.
All of that is true. The one thing that I did not mention is that I may or may not have been... misplaced. To say lost is such a strong word... misplaced is far better. Eventually he became too suspicious of my presence and he stopped to let me past. At which point is said...
Me: "Uh Sir, is Crown Street this way."
Sketched out Gentleman: "Right up ahead."
Me: "Thanks."
And all at once I was no longer misplaced. I found Crown Street, and I found the clinic. I waited, the Doctor stabbed my in the eye with a beam of light and then I was free to go. Pharmacy, walk to the bus in the rain (what kind of winter is this?), bus, home, then here to you.
As I write my one eye is half-shut. I hope that after this ill-mannered adventure I will be able to write to you both eyes open.
We will see.
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