On a bright Monday morning, I was happy to resume school after the long weekend away from my friends and classmates.
I usually pack my school bag the night before or the day before so as to help me focus on getting ready and getting to school early. Scrambling to pack my bag as I prepare for school usually messes with my timing and delays me especially when I have to leave early in order to take the bus to school.
That fateful Monday was just like any other Monday for me with the same routine.
Bag already packed, check.
Uniform ready, check.
Shoes, socks, check.
Lunch box, check.
And off I went.
I am shortsighted and my glasses were always with me in my backpack because of my difficulty seeing what was written on the board.
Though I use my glasses regularly, I'm not overly dependent on it. I can go about the day's activities without having to put my glasses on as long as it doesn't involve me having to read tiny words that are far away or finding someone in a crowd.
Morning assembly went well that Monday and we all marched to our classes when it was over. There was the usual greeting and catching up that occurs every Monday between classmates and everything was fine.
But everything was not so fine when the bell signalling the beginning of the first period rang and the teacher entered the classroom all set to teach. Out of habit, I reached for my glasses in my school bag hoping to feel the familiar smoothness of my brown glass case but I didn't feel anything.
Immediately, alarm coursed through me and I immediately ransacked my school bag to be sure that I didn't have my glasses with me and I did forget it. It wasn't in my bag and the teacher had already begun teaching.
I know the importance of having my glasses within reach whenever I need it so it's very rare for me to forget it because I know at some point in the day I'll surely need it.
Forgetting my glasses that day left me disoriented. In my mind I went over my activities for the previous day to when I packed my school bag for school and I was so sure I put my glass case in my bag.
So where could it be?
As I kept thinking, I couldn't help but wonder if my glasses had slipped out of my bag and fell on the road or in the school bus. I was also afraid of getting scolded for losing my glasses if that was the case.
I resolved to search the bus thoroughly during recess and probably walk home slowly from the bus stop in case it was lying on the ground.
From my seating position in the class, I could see the words written on the board but the words were a little blurry and squinting gave me a lot of headache, so I didn't want to squint. I called the attention of the teacher and told him that I couldn't see the board properly and he asked about my glasses and I told him that I forgot it at home (I still wasn't sure at that time) and he expressed his surprise because he knew I always had my glasses with me.
He then asked me to switch seats with a fellow classmate whose seat was directly in front of the board with no obstruction to my view whatsoever, just for that day.
I was able to focus on classes and even forgot about it for a while until I searched the school bus during recess and didn't find it there. I began to worry again if I had lost it out of carelessness. I even asked the bus driver if he saw a brown glass case but he said he didn't see anything like that.
I tried my best to keep my mind off my glasses for the rest of the day so that I could focus on what was being taught and prevent overthinking which would eventually lead to tears.
Immediately I heard the closing bell, I hurriedly packed my things and headed out. Normally I'd stay back and catch up with friends for a while and probably take the last of the school bus home but this time I didn't even bother to wait for the bus. I used public transport and arrived at my bus stop in no time.
Walking slowly and searching the ground yielded nothing, still I had hope that I'd find it at home sitting pretty somewhere.
I got home and it was the first thing I saw. I found it on the dining table in the living room and immediately memories of the past night came back to me. I had actually put it in my school bag after packing my essentials but I took it out again when I wanted to watch cable TV before going to bed and after watching TV I took it off, put it back in the case and left it on the table.
It was a relief to find it safe and sound and I felt happy immediately. I vowed to always put it back in its place after use so I don't forget to take it with me to school again.
Losing things makes me sad which is why I always make sure to prevent any loss to the best of my ability.
I never forgot my glasses at home ever again after that day.
Though this is a new glasses, the one I forgot that day is quite similar to this.
Image is mine