The Night I Went Blind
Believe it or not this a true story from many years ago. I’ve finally decided to commit it to the written word. Without further ado…
I woke up abruptly, at least I thought I did. I couldn’t see anything, but seconds before I’d been in the middle of an unpleasant dream, no doubt induced by work stress. I lay there for a minute and calmed myself down, and then decided I should see what time it is. I looked towards the clock and saw only darkness. I blinked, more to be sure my eyes were actually open than anything else, and still couldn’t see.
I glanced towards where the bedroom door should be. I knew that lights from the street outside shone in through the windows and lit up the door. But I couldn’t see anything… There! Maybe? There was a slightly lighter blurry patch, unless I looked directly at it. Maybe it was just in my head.
I looked towards the windows and saw no light seeping around the curtains. Hell, I couldn’t even see the curtains. Everything was just black.
A realization dawned on me. Too much time staring at screens too close. Too much stress about work. Not enough outside time. I was paying the price, and with my vision first.
I lay back and stared at what must be the ceiling. How would I be able to do my job? How would I be able to play tennis or hike? How would I bake?
I began to focus on the things I still would be able to do. How maybe I would finally get into music.
After spiraling around in my own head for a while, I wondered what time it was and how long until I had to wake up. I lifted my watch to my face and pressed the button on the side.
One square of inch of LEDs lit up with the fire of a thousand suns and fried not only my retinas, but what was left of my ability to think. I stared dumbfounded at the glowing numerals - 2:37. I could not comprehend how I could be able to see this since I had just discovered I’d gone blind.
I don’t know how long I lay there, but it can’t have been more than a minute. I realized Kayla was rolling over next to me. She grumbled slightly, and I assume looked around because the first words out of her mouth were “Huh the power must be out”
And with that mind crumbling utterance, she quietly fell back asleep and left me to pick up the pieces.
A few hours later, I was awake to see the sunrise, as always. And I had never seen a sunrise more lovely.