A George Worthy of My Thanks

While my entire immediate family has worn glasses, contacts, or gotten lasik, I've been lucky. Other than wearing glasses for driving at night (or better sight in the nosebleed section of the Ahmanson Theatre), I haven't had sight problems. For whatever reason, both of my daughters take after the rest of my family.

Sylvia's vision problems were discovered in first grade. I found out Riley would need glasses upon entering kidnergarten. And so our adventures with glasses began.

I know that I'm luckier than most since I have vision coverage. But even our higher vision plan doesn't take into account the fact that 6-year-olds aren't so careful. They only allow one pair of glasses per child per year. Thus, my ode to our optical technician.

They both broke their glasses within weeks of getting them. Being a single, working mother with a deadbeat dad for an ex doesn't allow for lots of extra funds lying around. Our optical technician, George, could most likely see the fear in my face as I came in with the "bendy" glasses that still managed to break. He fixed them without charging me a dime. When I came in a few days later with my other daughter's glasses, he laughed (to keep me from tears, I'd guess) and fixed them again without charge.

The next year came, with a new allowance for glasses. I'm not kidding you, the very day we picked them up, Riley (then in 1st grade) was hit in the face with a ball, and there went her new glasses. And there was George again, to repair them. George came to Sylvia's rescue days later. Maybe it's my rescue. Either way...

We've moved three times since the girls started wearing glasses, but I have always kept them at the optometrist where George works. I'm not crazy about their actual optometrist, but it's worth dealing with him in order to keep George in our lives.

Because the day after I scheduled their appointments for this year's set, Riley broke her glasses. And a few days before said appointment, Sylvia's broke in a cheerleading accident.

Sure, there are many other important relationships in the girls' lives, but I will forever cherish George, and any other empathetic optical technicians out there!

Originally posted on LA Moms.