That day came the following week, when the two girls went shopping again, and decided to take in a movie. They settled into comfortable seats in the back row of the cool, dark theater. Just before the film began, Bobbi slipped off her glasses to clean them, but didn't have a tissue with her. Amy, noticing they were off, much to Bobbi's surprise reached over and took them from her hand. "If they're dirty, I'll clean them for you" said Amy and she did. But as she handed them back, Bobbi said "It's OK try them on, no one will see you".

"Oh, Bobbi" sighed Amy. "I have to confess. I did try them on at the ice cream shop." Bobbi responded "Yes, I know, I was watching. The question is, did they help you?" and of course Bobbi already knew the answer. "It was wonderful" came Amy's response. "But I don't need, I mean really need glasses do I? Just because they help, maybe they'd help anyone too, someone who had good eyesight, right?"

"Amy, that's just not right and you know it" said Bobbi, who was still holding the magic lenses in her hand. "Fess up, have you been having any other problems seeing far away?" Knowing her sister was correct, Amy sighed and took the glasses in her hands, but didn't put them on just yet.

"I can't read the board at school, and at the ball game last weekend, the scoreboard was just a blur. And trying to read the players' numbers? Forget it." Just then, the previews started and Amy squinted and blinked at the screen. Then she looked around to make sure there was no one around she knew who would see her in glasses, looked back at the screen and slowly slid them in place over her ears and on her nose. She couldn't help but gasp at what she saw through her sister's powerful lenses.

The screen jumped out at her crisply and clearly, with vivid colors; she could actually read the opening credits and see the expression on the actors' faces. After a few minutes, she peeked over the top of the glasses, only to once again see a soft blurry swirl of color. She quickly replaced them and gazed at the wonderful sight of actually seeing a movie. But then she felt a tug on her sleeve, and it was Bobbi wanting her spectacles back.

"Hey, sis, now that you know how I see without them could I have them back?" Bobbi asked in a joking manner. Reluctantly, Amy took them off and Bobbi put them on. Amy squinted to see, but even that only helped a little and besides, it was uncomfortable. But Bobbi had a surprise for her little sister.

As Amy was struggling to watch the blurry images on the screen, Bobbi reached into her purse and produced a glasses case, inside of which was a pair of large, blue plastic rimmed glasses. The younger girl looked at them and asked "Is this a joke? Where did these come from?"

"They're mom's old ones; I found them in the writing desk, and remember when she wore them before she got her new ones. They're pretty close to mine, maybe not as strong, but maybe they'll help" she said, handing them to Amy.

Willing to try anything at this point, Amy slipped them on. They felt huge on her petite features, but "Hey, they help!" she exclaimed as the movie did seem a lot clearer. After wearing them for a few minutes she again borrowed Bobbi's for a few seconds to compare. Being stronger, things were much sharper and clearer with Bobbi's, but still and all, after she gave them back and resumed wearing the older ones she was able to enjoy the rest of the movie, really the first time she'd truly seen one in a long, long time. When the show was over she removed them as they left the theater and said "OK, I give up, how do I go about getting my eyes tested too?"

The movie was in the same mall as the optical store, and Bobbi walked her right there and an appointment was made for the earliest possible time, which was three days away. When they got in the car for the ride home and when no one they knew would see them, Bobbi was amused to see her sister immediately slip on the blue plastic frames and gaze at the world. As the car turned onto their street, Amy took one last look around with the glasses on, and as she removed them said "now I can hardly wait for my eye test. I think I really want to wear glasses."

When Amy was getting ready for school the next morning, she remember she still had her mom's glasses in her pocket and took them with her. She peeked at the world through them on the first few blocks on her walk to school, marvelling at the clarity of things. She could actually read the street signs before she was right next to them, but she had to take them off when she caught up to the friends she always walked the last few blocks with.

Now, the blurriness bothered her, and the bother turned to frustration in the classroom when she couldn't read the chalkboard but didn't want to be seen in the clunky oversized glasses. For the next couple of days, when no one could see her, she wore them all the time. And of course, she could wear them when she was with Bobbi since her sister knew her "secret". She was excited, but apprehensive, about the eye test.

to be continued...