A Life in Pictures
September in Bangor, Maine
"Summer. Pssst. Summer!"
"What? What's going on?"
"Look!"
"At?"
"Ah! You just missed him. He's in the waiting area."
"Who? Who's in the waiting area?"
"The guy I told you about. You know, the hot guy who's sooo nice."
"Oh. Right," Summer said before going back into her little hideaway where she adjusted frames and kept track of the inventory of glasses and prescription sunglasses coming in and going out.
Summer Davidson was on optician who loved her job. She'd gone through the required training shortly after her divorce, and she looked at it as being emblematic of one door closing and another opening. She hadn't worked since getting married when she was just 20 years old, and loved having a job. Especially this job.
Her former husband had been her college teaching assistant or TA and was five years older than her. She fell head over heels for the handsome, intelligent, older man and dropped out after her sophomore year to become Mrs. Ted Johnson.
A year later she was a mother at 21 and as happy as a young woman could be. That remained true for roughly the next ten years, and then she and Ted slowly began to drift apart. They stayed together for the sake of their son, Keith, until he graduated from high school, who was now starting his junior year at Michigan State.
His father, who was a tenured professor at MSU was taking care of the tuition, and Summer was working to pay her bills. Things weren't easy, but having been on her own for the last three years, she'd been careful with her money and was doing reasonably well for a divorced woman who was nearly 42.
Her training involved getting an Associate's degree then passing the state exam to be an optician and was fortunate enough to be hired within two weeks after getting her exam results. She worked for a female optometrist who was also divorced and who understood what it was like being 40 and single. While she was the boss both women shared several common bonds, and Summer found coming to work each day a true pleasure.
Her fellow optician, Sherri McKay, was a bubbly, single, 32-year old woman who was very cute, and at times, very flirty. So when this 'super hot' guy came in, it was no surprise he drew her full, undivided attention. Even at the expense of her job.
Sherri got up and followed her into their little 'cave'.
"Summer. Go take a look. He is SO fine. He's a few years younger than me, but uh, let's just say I wouldn't kick him out of bed for that. Or for eating crackers. Or...for anything. Go on. I promise you won't regret it!" she whispered.
"That's okay. I'm good," she replied politely trying not to sound annoyed.
Summer occasionally dated, but it just wasn't a priority for her. She was still quite attractive and could date as often as she liked, but knowing her husband had cheated on her with a TA who was barely 19 had soured her on men. Not all men. But she wasn't about to spend time with, let alone hop in the sack with just anyone, and getting serious was out of the question for the time being. No, for now at least, she had everything she needed, and a man was just an unwanted complication she didn't need.
"Fine. Suit yourself. But when he comes out to be fitted for new glasses, he's mine."
Summer didn't even look up. She just said, "You got it. He's all yours."
It was about 25 minutes later when she heard the optometrist laughing and talking with a male voice, and she rightly assumed it was Sherri's 'hottie'.
"You, too, Micah! Sherri will get you all taken care of, and we'll see you in a year!"
"Thanks, doc," he said as Sherri smiled and asked him to have a seat.
Summer heard every word and felt sorry for the guy who was clearly polite but not taking the bait anytime her colleague dropped a hint. Out of curiosity, Summer slid her wheeled chair across the room then took an oblique look at the customer Sherri was fawning over.
"Wow. She wasn't kidding," Summer said as she snuck two short glances.
He was extremely good looking, and had a smile to die for. But Sherri was also right about him being younger than her, and Sherri was nine years younger than Summer.
"Eye candy," she said to herself before forgetting about him and going back to what she'd been doing. "A male TA. No thanks."
As Micah Wells drove back to his apartment, his mom called.
"Mom. Hey."
"Are you done with your appointment?" she asked, not wanting to bother him if he hadn't seen the optometrist.
"I am. What's up?"
"Just checking to see if you want to come to dinner on Sunday."
"Definitely."
"Oh. Did you remember to tell the doctor not to take away power?"
Micah sighed loudly then said, "I rehearsed that a couple of times, but when she got in the room we started talking, and I left without saying a word. And, of course, the optician looks at the new prescription and tells me it looks like I needed less power in both eyes this time."
"Uh-oh," his mother said in a concerned tone.
"I know. I bet I end up needing a recheck. I told her last year and she thanked me for it because most people prefer less power. I can't believe I forgot."
"I know. You don't like it when you're on the edge and the eye doctor goes the other way. You've always been like that."
"I know, Mom. I still can't believe I forgot."
Ten days later Sherri called Micah and let him know his new glasses and sunglasses were in. He made an appointment to pick them up at noon the next day during his lunch break.
Sure enough, the moment he put them on, he knew they wouldn't work. He also knew the optician would plead with him to try them for 'a couple of days.' This had happened three years ago, and once when he was 16. Both required a recheck and a reorder.
Micah dutifully agreed, but by the time he got back to work he was getting a headache from trying to make things come into focus. That was true for the sunglasses, as well. Traffic signs were blurry, the computer screen was fuzzy, and everything was just...off.
The next day he called and asked for Sherri to schedule the recheck.
"I'm sorry. Sherri's with someone else. May I help you?"
Micah explained the problem, and the woman said she could get him in the next day at 9am.
"Um...I can make that work," he told her.
"Okay. Then we'll see you at 9 tomorrow morning."
He didn't catch her name, but she seemed...businesslike. Or least much less enthusiastic than Sherri. It was almost a relief not to have to deal with her, however, and he hoped this other person would be helping him when he gave the frames back. Helping and not...hitting on him.
The eye doctor was very upbeat about the recheck, and when he explained how he'd forgotten to mention his preference, she laughed.
"Okay. I'm making a note in your file to 'push the plus'."
He knew exactly what she meant by that. Most patients favored less power when they were on the cusp of going either way, and optometrists preferred prescribing less power. They called that 'pushing the minus'. But a percentage of patients couldn't deal with it and just couldn't make the adjustment. Micah Wells was one of them.
She took him back to the fitting area and called for someone named Summer.
A very attractive woman, older woman came out and said, "Yes?"
"Can you help Mr. Wells? I just rechecked him, and we'll need to reorder both."
"Sure. I'd be happy to!"
