Me and Charley

21. Darkness Once Again.

The four of us, me, Charley, Sammy and Simon, headed for the door where we said our good-byes. As the weatherman had said, the clouds were breaking up and producing patches of bright sunlight. When they fell directly upon us they were distressing my eyes to the point of just about squinting them shut. I didn't want to say anything but one hit us just as we were about to cross the street and I cried out, "Ms. Rhoda, wait!"

"Trey, what's the matter?"

"It's too much light. I can hardly see," I said in anguish.

"Oh, Trey! Here, take my arm." I grasped it as if it were a life ring in a roiling ocean. "Trey," she said, "you're crushing my wrist," but I held on until we reached the Suburban. I got in the back with Charley and began sobbing uncontrollably. He slid over to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders until I had cried it out.

"Trey," said Ms. Rhoda. There's a phone booth. I'm going to pull over and call your mother collect and tell her what's going on. Maybe she can get in touch with Dr. Hynes."

"Yes'm. Call our house, she'll be off work by now." While she made the call I removed my sneakers and peeled off my socks, drew my knees up in front of my face and wrapped my arms around them.

 Charley said, "Trey, I wish there was some way I could help you."

"No help for it," I muttered. 

Ms. Rhoda returned and we rode in silence all the way to my house. By the time we got there the sky was clear and the light was intolerable. As soon as the car stopped Mom flung my door open and said, "Oh Trey, oh Trey!" I got out and wrapped my arms around her, weeping uncontrollably as she caressed the back of my head. Finally I got myself together and she said, "Here's your dark glasses, put them on for now."

"Mom, give me my cane." I asked.

"I didn't think you'd want it. Come inside. I caught Dr. Hynes just as he was about to leave the office and he helped me understand what's happening." I hung my glasses on my shirt, put on the dark glasses, and put a death grip on Mom's wrist.

"Trey, please," she exclaimed. "Don't hold me so tight."

"Sorry, Mom.

"I'm so scared."

"Just come inside. I think you'll feel better when I've explained a few things." Once inside our familiar kitchen I found my way to a chair with its back to the only window in the kitchen. I sat down, opened my eyes and found the light subdued enough that I could tolerate it, though I could not distinguish much of anything. The others settled in around the table, with Mom across from me.

"OK, Mom," I said, "What did he say?"

"Honey, when Dr. Hynes's office called the week before your appointment to confirm it, I mentioned that you were squinting in bright light."

"I was?" I asked. I was not at all aware of that.

"Yes, and they said they often see that develop in kids with your condition, especially those with pale blue eyes like yours. The doctor told me just now that he'd ordered a coating on your new glasses and that should address your sensitivity to bright light, and that he didn't think to tell us about that when we were there."

"You mean, I'm gonna hafta go around in dark glasses all the time?"

"No, honey. He says the coating is to polarize the light coming to your eyes. It will deflect the bright light from above but let you see in front of you normally. You'll barely notice the effect and the coating will hardly be noticeable to someone who's not looking for it. I asked if he was sure, because things seemed pretty drastic at the moment. He says it appears the the drug is aggravating your intolerance for light longer than he expected, but I described your pupils' reaction and he's satisfied with your progress so far."