So About the Eye Patch Thing
In a recent blog entry I mentioned an I eye patch phobia that I have had in the past. I think I should explain it so you will know how to pray for me. Not that any of the 3 people who look at this thing might think me nuts or anything.
Okay. It started in a barber shop around 1970. After the haircut Gil (barber/bookie) would give me a piece Bazooka bubblegum. Gil was my favorite person for a long time. I wasn't his favorite though. I wiggled a lot and drove him crazy. He would always take a pill as soon as I would walk in the the shop. Anyway, I loved the gum but one day my dad saw that I had been throwing the wrapper and told me that I was throwing away the comic strip. I had seen it but never unfolded because I saw that there were words on it and anything with words was not welcome to my eyesight at age six (couldn't really read til much later). So I opened the comic and there was Bazooka Joe. HE HAD A PATCH ON HIS EYE! He was a little boy like me WITH A PATCH ON HIS EYE. Where were this kids parents that such thing could happen ! I hated that my father showed me the comic strip. He sealed my fate. I was convinced that I would lose an eye. And I would have to wear a patch because my parents were never going to spring for a cool glass eye. They wouldn't even buy me super elastic bubble plastic and one of those eyes had to cost more than that. So I figured that I should start working on the replacement eye thing while I still had both of them in my head. So I stared a small collection of things that could work as a spare eye in pinch. Super balls were a logical choice (just about the perfect size) but color and pattern were a problem. A swirly pattern super ball would not be appropriate for church. I could never find a steel ball bearing the right size. That would be the ultimate fake eyeball. Highly polished and very intimidating. I made some out of clay and playdough too. Playdough was not acceptable cuz it dried funky .I actually thought about a snow globe type eyeball before it was mentioned in "the world according to Garp". As you can tell i SPENT ALOT A TIME on this. I couldn't stand the fact the I was going to have to wear a patch the rest of my life. But I'm better now -REALLY! Just don't ask me where the collection is now.
posted by Father Rich at 8:25 AM
5 Comments:
This is indeed true. I didn't know about the collection of potential eyes, come to think of it he does have a lot of little eyeball shaped things. But he has always been sensitive whenever I do dangerous things like cross stitch or quilt that I might poke him in the eye with the sharp needle.
Gee, I thought my husband was the only one who worried about wearing an eye patch to church. His little bout with bell's palsy earlier this year had him ready to stay home from church so as to not cause a "sensation" (direct quote), not even mentions of playing pirate and salty wench could overcome this reaction. (I know--TMI)
I work with a guy who when he was a kid had his eye poked "out" with a car antenna (it had been broken off, and was no longer attached to the car)that was being used by a sword. He had a glass eyeball but I guess those things are irritating. So now he just wears the eye patch. Being ever sensitive I refer to him as "Cyclops", or captian Blye, or ask him to sing the Sponge Bob theme song which on the surface may seem mean...
well that's the most logical reason to be afraid of losing an eye right? -naomi
The great thing is he gets obviously uncomfortble when you bring this up... he gets the shivers... its good stuff.
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