I have two pairs of eyeglasses — one for medium distance (computer) and another for long distance (driving). I don’t need one for reading, go figure. Over the Christmas break, the screw that connects the left temple to the rim of my computer glasses got loose and fell off. I didn’t even notice until the left temple got totally disconnected from the rim. I only use that pair of eyeglasses when working on the computer so I knew that the most logical place where it could have fallen was either on my desk or under it. It was hard work, considering how tiny it was, but I managed to find it. I used the tip of a knife to put it back in place.

The second time it happened, I found it again and put it back again. The third time, I wasn’t so lucky. It disappeared. One of the cats probably swallowed it or the concrete opened for a split second and the earth swallowed it up. Whatever. Thing is, I wasn’t willing to give up my computer hours until I could go to an optical shop for a replacement. I called out to Sam and asked if she had a strong piece of string. She handed me her box of embroidery thread, I chose the lilac roll, cut a piece, wet one end, inserted it into the hole where the screw should have gone and knotted it tightly — twice. Perfect! Well, until wear and tear loosened up the thread and the fit wasn’t so good as when I first put it in.

When I replaced the thread, I didn’t have to ask Sam. I knew where the box of embroidery thread was, took it, chose the yellow roll, cut a piece and went through the same procedure. Yellow is definitely more visible than lilac. Speedy never noticed the lilac thread on my eyeglasses (if he did, he said nothing) but less than a day after the yellow thread was in place, he looked at me with that mixture of disbelief and disgust that only his face can wear with such a funny effect.

“You’re the only person I know who can buy an expensive camera and an expensive computer without so much as a second thought AND NOT be able to afford to buy a little screw.”

I looked at him, quite exasperatedly, and thought: I am the one who is bad in math and he couldn’t figure out the money implications.

I told him: “Okay, a screw plus installation costs about twenty-five pesos. But how much gasoline will it cost to go to the mall to find a decent optical shop?”

I mean, really, a camera might cost — never mind the price — and a computer might cost — never mind the price too — but they deliver what they’re supposed to deliver so what they cost is worth every centavo. But does the price of gasoline justify the cost of a screw? Of course, I didn’t deem it necessary to mention that between the time I lost the screw and the day he saw the yellow embroidery thread we had gone to the mall countless times and I never remembered to bring my eyeglasses to have the screw replaced.

UPDATE on January 21, 2007 @ 7.11 a.m.

So, yesterday, I packed the glasses in its hard case and made sure I brought them with me when we went out. We made four stops — we met with friends before lunch, we had lunch at a cafe in Antipolo, then The Podium and, finally, TriNoma.

I’m posting this update now and the yellow embroidery thread is still where it’s been for the past so many days. See, Speedy did not remind me to take the glasses, in the case, from the glove compartment of the car. His fault, his fault!