Where Are My Glasses? by Sonali Garge

Kannu and Mannu had just woken up when they heard their neighbour, Prakash uncle call out to them, “Children, come here to help me find my glasses. I can’t find them.” 

“Okay, uncle. We are coming,” they said together. They quickly brushed their teeth and ran over to Prakash uncle’s house to look for his glasses.

Prakash uncle often misplaced his glasses and could not recall where he had kept them. And whenever that happened, which was often, he called Kannu and Mannu to help him. 

They looked everywhere. On the table, near the window, on the fridge, in the kitchen, on the television and even in the backyard but couldn’t find the glasses. 

Prakash uncle was upset as now he couldn’t do anything without them. The children kept looking but had no luck. 

Just then, Kannu and Mannu saw their neighbour, Jugnu pass. They called him and ran to the door to tell him about Prakash uncle’s glasses. “Uncle lost his glasses again. I don’t understand how this happens every time. 

He is so smart otherwise. He remembers everybody’s phone numbers, addresses and names. He is good with maths too. Then how can such a smart person forget where he kept his glasses every day!” Kannu said, exasperatedly. 

“Kannu, this generally happens with most old people. They can do different tasks with ease but lose track of small things. The famous scientist and inventor, Thomas Alva Edison was known for overlooking small things,” said Jugnu. 

“A long time ago, Edison was working on a project in his laboratory. His cat and her kittens lived with him in the laboratory too. They kept leaving the room and coming back. He had to leave his work and open and close the door for them whenever they wished. This disturbed Edison. So, he drilled two holes in the wall—a big one for the cat and a small one for the kittens. Now, the cat and her kittens could easily come and go without disturbing him.”

“Edison then got busy with his work. After a few days, he saw the cat and kittens use the same hole to come in and go out. He laughed at himself and said, ‘why didn’t it occur to me that the kittens and cat could use the same hole! What a fool I am to not think of this small thing! There was no need for me to make the small hole at all’.”

Kannu and Mannu nodded when they heard this story. They couldn’t believe that such a great mind could overlook such a small detail.

“Just like Edison didn’t think of such a small thing, Prakash uncle, too, is busy with many tasks and forgets small things like where he has kept his glasses. Now, go to him and ask him when was the last time he used his glasses,” said Jugnu. 

“Alright, Jugnu. Let’s go, Kannu,” said Mannu.

“Uncle, when was the last time you used your glasses and what were you doing then?” asked Mannu. 

Prakash uncle thought for a while and said, “I was sitting right here, on this sofa, reading today’s newspaper. Then, I went to have a bath.”

“Ohh! Now, we know where they are. Just wait here, we will get your glasses,” they said and ran to the bathroom and saw the glasses on the shelf. 

Within seconds, they were back and handed the glasses to Prakash uncle. This time, they got a string and tied the glasses to them so that Prakash uncle could wear them around his neck and not lose them again.

“Thank you, children,” he said, seeing the string and got on with his work.