Magu was a normal guy, at least that’s what he thought. Today, just like on many occasions before, he went out to experience life.
Walking through the streets he found people to be strange beings. Dark beings without a predetermined form. He saw them with imposing poses. Creatures that rule their environment. They seemed powerful.
Magu was one of them. Something had to be wrong. Despite his determination, he wasn’t able to feel part of the rest. What gave other humans the power to walk with such confidence? he wondered.
The world was dangerous from Magu’s perspective. A mysterious place where other beings could appear without warning. Different creatures. Of course, Magu had only seen images of these wild animals. For some reason, being surprised by one of them was his constant fear.
Sounds were more familiar to him. Trapped in a dark environment, he went in search of places that would help him calm his anxiety. Somehow, and from an early age, Magu discovered peace near singing birds.
Over time, he noticed that silence portends danger. He also realized that there was nothing to fear. He learned to live in the dark. He discovered that beings like him were harmless, for the most part. Avoiding those who weren’t had become easy.
Interacting socially made him realize that he was different. Different in a way that seemed impossible. Magu couldn’t understand the rules the rest followed.
Being part of a social group has always been difficult for him. Everyone seemed to naturally follow the pre-established norms. It was curious to see how groups without any connection respected the same laws. Magu had to learn them, but they didn’t feel natural. Paying attention to follow them left him exhausted.
Even going to work was a difficult task. Of course, he had to continue staying away from the others: Fulfill his obligations and return home. There was always someone ready to start a conversation.
Magu found the conversations surprising. He understood that the subjects were important, he also understood that the rules directed the interests of the people. It was strange, but he could become interested in any of the topics. Everything seemed trivial to him.
Despite that, Magu was happy. He lived in peace and enjoyed what life had to offer. Until one day he was going about his daily routine when Claris approached him.
“Magu,” she said, “I need to show you something.”
Magu was surprised to hear his boss’ voice. “How can I help you?”
“Follow me.”
Both of them crossed the meadow. They enjoyed the beautiful scenery on the way to the main house. Magu was afraid, this job was the only thing that allowed him to be an independent person. Losing it would be terrible.
“Have a seat,” Claris said, once the two of them were inside the house.
Magu looked from one side to another, searching for clues.
“Look at this,” Claris said.
Magu looked at the laptop screen on the table in front of him. “What am I supposed to see?”
“Can’t you see?” Claris said. “It’s yours. A gift from my family to you.”
Magu smiled happily.
Claris was surprised to note that Magu couldn’t read his name on the screen. “Be right back.”
Magu waited sitting in front of the laptop. Observing the darkness that surrounds him. Imagining a good use for his new tool.
“Try this on,” Claris said, walking back with a pair of glasses in her hand.
Magu stood motionless, waiting for Claris to finish placing the strange artifacts on his face.
In that instant, the universe changed. Suddenly the darkness disappeared and all the objects around him took shape. What is this? he thought, getting up. Taking off the glasses he noticed that the darkness returned.
“What did you see?” Claris asked.
“I can see…” Magu said, placing the glasses back on, finally understanding his experiences. “This is amazing.”
Claris smiled at the sight of her young employee.
Magu turned to look at Claris. This cannot be. She was beautiful. The most beautiful creature Magu could imagine. Immediately, he lost the ability to communicate his ideas. He could only admire the beauty.
“Are you okay?” Claris asked.
Magu couldn’t answer, as his gaze traveled over every inch of Claris’s face.
She smiled.
“Can I touch you?” Magu asked, raising a hand.
“Of course.”
Magu ran his hand down the side of Claris’s face. In his brain, millions of neural connections were created. After so many years, Magu finally understood the rules of society.
Ok, wow. His eyesight was impaired all this time and he didn’t realise that he needed glasses to help him see the world. I enjoy the way that you described this. Great read.
Wasn’t expecting that but I love that twist
Sebastion,
I like the way you made the words flow seamesly together, you are a gifted writer.
Peter.
Was that just optical correction? Or virtual reality?
“Everything seemed trivial to him. Reminds me of the opening words of the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Jewish Bible, what Christians call the “Old Testament”, in which the speaker contends “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity!” (The word ‘vanity’ is one translation of the original. One could also say “meaningless.” In this sense the Book of Ecclesiastes is a forerunner of existentialism. Your written sentence establishes the mood at the beginning. Nice work.
Wow, I think so many more people need glasses these days and don’t realize it. This reflects a lot but I wasen’t expecting it to be somethng as simple as glasses. I love the story!
MAKES M WONDER HOE HW GOTA JOB AAAAAAAAAND KEPT IT IN THER FIRST PLACE.IT WAS A VERY CLEVER TWIST.
hUGS
So beautiful
In the beginning I couldn’t tell where the story would take me, although my first inclination was Sci-Fi reading. In a small way I wasn’t wrong, spectacles is a product of science.
Amazing how inward and outward beauty can change a person once you can see.
I agree with Jaime, it is very close to Ecclesiastes. Loved the twist and the lesson that goes with it. In this context “eyesight” can be used as clarifying information from your eyes to your brain. It can also be used as Expanding the focus to see all of what you are looking at, instead of just a small portion. Well done.
What a beautiful story! I’m still looking for those glasses, though, to understand the rules of society. xD The way you write really pulls people in!
Good twist at the end. It started out to be a bizarre, dark, sci-fi world. He needed glasses? He couldn’t see? How many of us are spiritually blind? How many can’t see and yet don’t recognize it?
Fantastic Sebastian, excellent twist at the end! 😁👍👏 All he needed was a pair of glasses to improve his eye sight; take away the darkness and change how he sees the world.🤔🤔 Genius!! 👏👏
Awesome read….
Flawless!!! You never seize to amaze me! Normally a situation or story would start out simple & then turn out to be complicated. But your skill of turning it in the opposite direction, from complex to simple is what I admire the most. Outstanding!
Love the way this has a double meaning: Magu´s dark reality was replaced by beauty thanks to the medium of the glasses, but at the same time his individuality was now replaced by the conformity of society, drawn away from their own individuality because of the distraction of that very same beauty. The age-old struggle of self and ego, illusion and reality, inner peace or outer conformity well portrayed in a modern sense.
Sebastian–Thank you for sending to me this morning. I am still working on my weekday column blog and it was refreshing to take the time to read this good effort. Of course I will post my own on WordPress and also my drafts go to a number of other readers.
Was a good short story. So much left unsaid, but allowing us to use our imagination as to what we want to do with the story.
Como sempre uma delicia seu post, AMEI.
very cool
We had a saying in our community growing up, which said”” stick to your own kind”””, it’s much safer, you avoid humiliation, pain and suffering. Elders will constantly give you that lecture. And that saying was also for the people that lived in the so called” “” status””” communities. You took your glasses off when interacting with the people of status, and so did they, it was societies rules. I’m not one for society rules, but I had the unfortunate experience of why that rule was created. Sometimes people know that they have to follow those rules, but selfishly disregard them for self gain, with a total disregard of the pain they inflict. In some situations it’s good not to wear those glasses. If people can only fit in their respective groups, there they should remain, and not venture out just to torment and shatter another soul
Wonderful idea.
Many years ago, my wife got her first pair of eyeglasses and she was in a state of awe!!! When we left the optometrist we went for some grocery shopping, inside the store she couldn’t stop saying: “everything is so beautiful”!!!!
Amazing story ,great imagination.. keeps the reader glued to the end
Great story👍. In the end he find someone to trust I like it
Wonderful!
Great material and writing!
A touching story with an uplifting twist at the end. Aside from Magu receiving glasses from his beautiful teacher, Claris, your story felt a bit like a spiritual metaphor to me because Claris also awakened Magu through her grace and understanding.
Before realising Magu was vision impaired, I was anticipating that he was on the autism spectrum.
I like the growing self-awareness throughout the story–especially at the end! And of course, now he also has much greater awareness of his surroundings.
Beautiful! I can’t help but think the glasses symbolize multiple types of sight and being in touch. There is an other worldliness to your writing because I feel you are not quite in this world yourself.
Magu is you?
The prose seems auto..
It’s simply and usual to see; to feel is a that sticky mess more tan not wish to avoid. feigning a not so elusive connection.. thus that dreaded emotion of some complexly deny: o b l i g a t o r y care. that emotion so easy for some whose vision is not, thus sort of replete wiith demanded activity. said situation is easy to
avoid. the balance of mood isn’t that easy to remove. soul-less waste’s of space do ‘trhink itthus emphatic for the greasing of what will there is; that’s remained after said opinion creator. we might, well… usually those who’ve had the tiniest taste of infamy, had grown, or WILL grow far away , distant from such emotion…
not knowing he was blind he did not realise he had never seen before. now with the light revealed before him magu knew that moving forward would forever more be a little easier, a litter bit more fun, and thus, hopefully a lot more productive. The angel on his right shoulder quietly counselled magu though – “what is the price I will ultimately pay for this gift from the beautiful claris?”
Thanks, I needed that. I love the way your mind travels, thanks again for taking me along.
Excelente relato, gracias por compartirlo.
Saludos Sebas.
Paz y bien.
I really enjoyed this story and the twist at the end was unexpected..but explained everything!! Well done Sebastian!!
Great story, my imagination really did run wild for a bit. 😊
Reading this makes me cry.
Sebastian!!! I’ve just caught up on your most recent stories! I had previously been searching for you, as I enjoyed reading your stuff so much and was concerned and wondering what had happened. I echo the thoughts of others; Welcome back!
Wow. Was not expecting to be this wowed, I do not lie.
Sebastian:
This is a great story with a terrific surprise ending. I assumed that Magu suffered from autism, but it turns out that he just needed glasses.
Thank you.
Steve Rhinelander
I don’t get it. So his boss sexually harassed him but that’s okay because she’s a hottie? And he only sees beauty with his eyes and had never felt attracted to her mind or personality before? If you ask me he’s wear rose-colored glasses and still living in the dark. Which ok. Interesting story.
Beautiful and uplifting! Touches a very common nerve. Truly, when my twins were babies I had trouble cutting their tiny fingernails. I had a helper at the time and she did it for me. But I felt sad about it. Trying to breastfeed premie twins, I was off my meds so it wouldn’t get in the milk. I felt like I was sinking into a dark hole… Then I noticed that I couldn’t read some tiny print on a jar label. I was 38 and I needed reading glasses! That was all. I got some glasses. I gave up trying to breastfeed. Went back on my antidepressants. And it was just like in your story! The world made sense again!
Wow, beautiful how it ended. 🙂
Masterful! I hope my stories can be so… thrilling!? (Is this the right word? LOL!)
Anyway, I’m a fan.
I’m wondering if Magu is Mr. Magoo… LOL!
💗🧎🏽♀️🕊
Thank you, Sir. I appreciate your work.
I was wondering for a while. Then, the glasses! Nice job there. You made Magu complete and you made him come to life!
I love the way this story can be interpreted on many different levels. The fact someone mentioned the autism spectrum in the comments is saying something (and I was diagnosed at the age of two years). This is easily one of your best stories. Keep up the good work!
Wow. You started with the suspense and ended with the suspense . Very interestingly written. Happy to see you broadening your writing landscape.
Very descriptive <3
the world in Magu’s previous world was different from the new world Clair has just helped him discovered, but not necessarily better in every way. a writing full of imagination!
it looks like you have a LIVE audience, and your stories are interesting. Your Magu reminds me of Mr Magoo, an almost blind character with thick glasses.
I noticed your reference to the Andes Highlands. I have been going back and forth the Chile for many years, and the Andes are always there waiting.
I think when an artist relates to another artist in a similarity of feelings, expression or life experience, it is really cool…absolutely! Or even when someone admires your work for what they say is a learning tool for them… Although my financial success and my admirers in my own artistry is so small, I still create. Sebastian, you are a great artist. I will visit your site sometime in the future and browse around!
I liked your way with words.
Beautiful
Hoping to read more
Good story with an even better ending.
Great read!
Brilliant!!!! I loved it-so simple yet so powerful. A metaphor for life-sight is like knowledge. And when one undestands life comes into focus. Great job once again!
Poor Magu! Great work as usual!
I love the approach on this one. Could imagine the turn of events in the long run. Awesome!
As Mr. Bobby Bob Dillon SANG; The Times are a Changin”.
Everything changes!
I didn’t not see that coming! Had a similar experience in grade two. I was very myopic and then got eyeglasses. Unlike Magu – I hated wearing my glasses until about grade nine.
I can relate. Many of us faced similar circumstance. Thanks for sharing.
I really love the way the story of the main character was built up very creative and fun. Thank you for sharing.
Very well done — reminded me of Plato’s The Cave.
I don’t know if I deserve it, but thanks. ☺️
This left me awestruck….truly an amazing masterpiece I must say. The way the story progresses is fascinating and wonderful! The twist at the end was hilarious but at the same time deep and wonderful. Sir Sebastain, you are really a wonderful writer. I have been obsessed with your posts recently and have been reading all your short stories for the past few days. You truly have the magic of touching people’s heart and make them come back for more. I’m already a big fan of yours❤️ Love all your works❤️❤️❤️❤️
Interesting twist at the end of the story. It leaves one a lot to think about. Thank you! Sometimes one can get overwhelmed with seeing all the things that are happening around us. To quote the Little Prince by Antoine de Saint- Exupéry :’It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye’
Wonderful… at first I read it about being “on the spectrum”, and maybe it is, using familiar vision as a metaphor for the harder-to-describe “gaps” in “the spectrum”.
More literally, I’ve seen the joy of sudden vision in others as a child. During our “vacations”, my father did free eye clinics and surgery in rural areas, where folks were really isolated and poor. A common operation was removing cataracts, i.e. opaque lenses from within eyes – one of the oldest ops, since thorns were jabbed into eyes to push the lens out of the way. The usual kind of cataracts grow slowly. eroding vision towards blindness, late in life. The surgery itself leaves results that are initially disappointing, as without the lens, vision is unobstructed but way out of focus… but the next day, when putting on +10 diopter glasses, it was like watching someone experiencing a miracle!
You write well my friend. In this story you provide a good reminder of why we must communicate with each other in ways that we can helpfully understand. We must be willing to see what we as yet do not, and be willing to show others what they as yet do not.
Peace to you. 🙏
Very interesting read
Great narration, very well said!
Cute story. Living in a world foreign to him yet equip with the ability to adapt then coming into an awakening while still partly connected to his own distinct nature. -This is my take