It finally caught up with me: years of bragging about my 20/15 vision. I scheduled an eye exam and hoped I needed glasses. I’ve always wanted glasses. When Steve and I first dated, he even bought me glasses without prescription lenses.
The doc wrote me a prescription and his assistant whisked me to look at glasses. One fell swoop. She brought me different pairs which I tried on in front of a mirror. I picked out some awesome Betsey Johnson frames. She rang me up: the best possible lenses, frames, anti-glare protection. She gave me the total: $550. I choked a little and asked her what forms of payment they accepted, stalling a bit. Trying to give my brain a second to digest this price. “Check, credit card, or cash,” she said.
“I don’t carry that much cash around,” I said, handing her my credit card. And as she scuffled toward the credit card machine, I could think only of how I would explain this to Steve.
It didn’t go well. Everything with a price tag became a glasses quip. “We were going to try to have a child soon, but Holly got glasses instead. We were going to take a vacation this summer, but Holly got glasses. We were going to go out to dinner, but Holly got glasses.” Within 16 hours, my glasses order was canceled.
It took me about a week to gather the gumption to try again (and it took that long for the refund to post to our account). I went to Target Optical and asked for the cheapest possible lenses – no fancy stuff, no anti-glare, just shitty glasses, please. I knocked a couple hundred off our previous price. These aren’t by Betsey Johnson, they’re Sydney Love. Whoever the hell that is. It doesn’t even sound like a real name: it sounds like an Amanda Bynes alias. Steve reluctantly agreed that this price would suffice.
I can actually read street signs and the time on the microwave. Our marriage is, once again, in tact. I don’t need expensive glasses, just ones that let me see.
holly pelesky 
Not sure what the other glasses looked like…cause…well…you know…but I like the ones you are wearing.
Very nice.
And what is up with the credit card companies taking our money right then and there…but to give it back takes a week or sometimes more??
Glad your marriage is once again in tact! 😉
Cute choice of glasses!!
glasses are a killer… i miss being on my moms really great insurance that included optical. 1 pair of glasses (every other year-i think) or a year worth of contacts covered at 100%.
this is why i wear my contacts for 2 months instead of 2 weeks, and only get new glasses when they break into an unrecognizable state.
i wanted glasses when i was little, but after wearing them for like 16 years, i am pretty over them. lasik sounds ideal at this point in my life.
I have to say that my nephew needs to realize that glasses, for a woman, are not only a necessary thing, but an accessory. It is important for you to feel pretty and see well. Think about it…..it is something that you use EVERY DAY!!!! Men don't blink about paying $100 here and there for tennis shoes and some kind of electronic gadget…..or even more on a flat screen tv or a pool table…..you are worth it….the anti glare thing is awesome too. You are a beautiful woman no matter what.
—Aunt Carol