Into the light and back part 3

Auggie woke up, he slowly opened his eyes and enjoyed the first rays of sunlight streaming into his hospital room. His vision was still a bit hazy and pictures were slightly fuzzy, but he could see. After all these years of total darkness, he could see again and that was a feeling that he could not describe.

He slowly got out of bed and went into the bathroom. The day before, Dr. Mazzini had taken off the bandages and Auggie had been unable to believe, that the operation had really worked and that he could see again. On his way to the bathroom he spotted his neatly folded up cane on the nightstand. His so called best friend would now be useless, but he would keep him as a memory or for an emergency case that hopefully would never arise. When he had finished his shower he got dressed and put on a pair of dark sunglasses. His eyes were still sensitive to light and sun glasses were a relief. Contrary to the belief of many people and a very common cliché Auggie had almost never worn sunglasses when he was blind. His eyes had looked perfectly normal and so he saw no reason to hide them.

Now Auggie thought of all the things, he could do and he wanted to do again, as a sighted man. His hospital stay would be over in two days and he did not want to go back to DC directly. He had still three weeks of vacation left until he had to go back to his desk in Langley and he intended, to go on a very special trip. He wanted to visit a place, that he had only „seen" or more precisely experienced as a blind man. He was considering to take a trip to Barcelona. He had been there on his first mission as a blind man with Gary, and later on with Annie, when they were hunting down Red Rover, the famous computer hacker. His memories were not the best, though. He had almost spoilt the mission because he was attacked and unable to defend himself. His handicap had been an obstacle and had made him feel frustrated. Barcelona was a stunning place, at least that was what he was told and he wanted to see all of the sights and the masterpieces of famous artists like Gaudí, for himself. He took his cell phone and dialled the number of the airport. He booked a ticket to Barcelona with a return flight.

Two days later he was on a plane again. A taxi had taken him to the airport and he had made his way to the ticket counter on his own. He had been depending on the use of a cane for so many years, that it felt awkward now for him now to have „two free hands". Up until a few days ago, he had needed one hand for his cane and the other for further orientation. Now, he took in the hustle and bustle at the airport and moved freely around. But despite his sight restoration. Things were not as easy as they seemed at first. During all these years of total blindness he had unlearned many things. His perception of depth, distance and colour had faded. Now, he experienced problems, when he had to estimate the speed of an approaching car when he wanted to cross the street and he had to remind himself to look instead of listening to the traffic sounds. He hoped that he would soon adapt again to a sighted life.

Barcelona was all he had dreamed of. During his taxi ride from the airport he took in the architecture, the colours and everything else that Barcelona had to offer him visually. Auggie had booked a hotel room for one week and enough time to explore the city. When he reached the reception desk of the hotel, the receptionist asked him for his passport. Out of pure habit, Auggie opened his messenger bag and felt for his passport. He handed it over to the receptionist without making eye contact, instead he stared straight ahead, waiting for the receptionist to return his passport. The young man at the reception desk was a bit confused but did not comment Auggie´s behaviour.

After he had received the keycard, Auggie made his way to the elevator. His room was on the third floor. He pressed the third button and noticed that the buttons were all labeled with Braille marks. Auggie smiled. He appreciated this thoughtfulness, since it was not customary in all public places to offer orientation help for blind people.

The elevator door opened and Auggie got out. He walked along the corridor until he found his room. The room number was 333 and Auggie opened the door, by sliding the key card into the slot.

His room was nicely appointed. A huge kingsize bed on the left, yellow curtains, a desk with desk chair on the right, a huge flatscreen TV opposite of the bed and a bathroom with tub and shower completed everything. Auggie put his messenger bag on the desk and lifted his trolley suitcase onto the bed to start unpacking. He was excited and could not wait to explore and discover Barcelona.

Auggie´s first way led him to La Sagrada Familia. This beautiful church, or more precisely cathedral was a masterpiece of the architect Gaudí. Its long and slim steeples were the outstanding characteristics of the building. Auggie entered the church he enjoyed the quiet and peaceful atmosphere of this religious place and closed his eyes to listen to the sounds around him. Blindness and meditation had a lot in common he thought by himself when he opened his eyes again.

The visit of La Sagrada Familia was a memorable experience. He remembered when Asma, the asset he had turned with the help of Gary, had described him the place and he had been a bit sad and sure, that he would never really see Barcelona.

Auggie was hungry and decided to find a Tapas bar. After a few minutes walk he found a place that pleased him. He entered, took a seat at one of the round wooden tables and ordered a beer and a plate full of Spanish Tapas. After a while the waiter returned with a delicious selection of green olives, cheese, Serrano Ham and a variety of other delicacies. Auggie started eating. He even enjoyed taking in the colours of his food. The green colour of the olives, the red Serrano Ham and the dark yellow colour of the cheese cubes on the plate were a feast for the eyes. Eating blind was only half as fun, he thought.

Auggie had eaten everything that the waiter had brought and now called „La cuenta por favor". Seconds later, the waiter approached again and Auggie started counting the Euro bills. He gave a generous tip and left the bar. His mind wandered back to Annie. Exploring Barcelona with her, would be great and he wished intently that he could take her hand and walk around the city with her by his side. But she was in Langley and she did not even know that he had regained his vision. He wondered what her reaction would be when she realized, that he could see again COULD SEE HER. Annie was one of the people he had met, when he was already blind. He had no real picture of her or at least not a visual one. He was excited to see her when he came back to Langley.

The week in Barcelona passed quickly and Auggie slowly adapted again to a sighted life. He had started reading again as well. After reading by touch for so many years, even that was complicated. He had to get used again to reading with his eyes and so he had bought some British and American Newspapers at an international bookstore in Barcelona. But too much reading strained his eyes and caused him unpleasant headaches. He was not supposed to exaggerate reading, at least not so quickly after his operation.

Auggie´s plane was right on time and when he landed in DC, the sun greeted him. He enjoyed the freedom to walk to the exit alone. There was no necessity to call service staff to guide him and he could even find his suitcase now without assistance. Auggie grabbed his trolley suitcase and looked around for a taxi. He waved and a taxi driver stopped, to let Auggie get in.

„Lincoln Road please" Auggie said, when the driver had stowed his suitcase in the trunk of the car.

After ten minutes, they arrived at Auggie´s loft.

What happened now was strange. Auggie got out of the car and walked towards the entrance. He asked himself if this was the right address and the right building. He needed to convince himself, so he closed his eyes, felt for the doorhandle and walked in. Yes, he thought, I am in the right place when he took a few steps more and felt the glossy tiles of the entrance hall beneath his feet. Then he opened his eyes again and walked on. He found the elevator, pressed the button for the 2nd floor and two minutes later he stood in front of B7, his apartment.

Auggie slid the door open and entered. The arrival at his house had already been strange, but seeing his own apartment for the very first time with his own eyes, was even stranger. Auggie looked around and thought Wow, this is the place I have been living in for the last 7 years? It looked so different from the picture he had had in his mind. Of course, he had had an idea where everything was and he had some sort of tactile picture of his furniture, but actually SEEING all of it, was completely overwhelming to him. Auggie took off his dark sunglasses and wiped away a tear, that was now rolling down his cheeks. Then he walked around his apartment, touching every piece of furniture. He closed his eyes from time to time, checking whether it was the same thing or object he knew from his former tactile experience. When he had finished his tour around his flat, he put the sunglasses on the kitchen counter and brought his suitcase up to his bedroom.

In his apartment, everything was still set up for a blind person. Now that he could see again, he would have to make a few changes. He needed to buy printer for his laptop that could print regular sheets and he needed to buy some pens and paper instead of Braille paper. And he needed proper lighting. There were lamps in his apartment, but lighting was dim. So Auggie decided to go on a shopping tour the next day. He was also curious to find out how neighbours, friends and colleagues would react, when they realized that he could see. Most of them had known him only blind and he on the other hand had no idea what they looked like. He felt like he was going on a journey to the unknown.

Beep, beep, beep...it is 8:30...Auggie woke up to the sound of his alarm clock. He felt for the button to stop the annoying noise. Now that he could see again, he did not need a talking alarm clock anymore a regular one that he could read with his eyes would do. And this was the next item on his shopping list. Auggie´s fridge was empty, too and so he decided to have breakfast at the café around the corner, before he went on a shopping tour. After a shower, he got dressed and took his messenger bag from the credenza. When he checked his wallet for enough money, he came across his cane. He took it out, looked at it and stowed it in the top drawer of the credenza. He would not need this tool anymore he thought and quickly left, sliding the door shut behind him.

The café on the other side of the road was crowded. Auggie scanned the room for a free table and finally found one in a corner. He took a seat and waited for the waiter to arrive. He ordered coffee, scrambled eggs with bacon and toast. While he waited, he enjoyed to watch the people around him. A young couple across the room was holding hands, a young mother fed the baby on her lap and inbetween she sipped on her coffee and an elegant old lady with a hat and an expensive golden necklace chatted with her friends. Auggie loved watching people and being blind had isolated him from the rest of the world in some way.

After 10 minutes, the waiter arrived with his breakfast tray. Again, Auggie realized how much better everything tasted, when he could see what was on his plate. When he had finished eating, he waved for the waitress. The young lady looked over to him and was stunned. She had served Auggie a couple of times before and now she could not understand, that he could obviously see her.

She went over to Auggie´s table and when she arrived she asked „Sir, may I ask you a question?"

„Sure" Auggie replied but did not make direct eye contact with her. He would have to relearn that, too.

„I don´t mean to pry, but is it possible that you were blind before?"

Auggie shifted a bit on his seat and replied „Yes, you are right. Up until a few weeks ago I was blind. A new operation method has restored my vision again"

„Congratulations" The young waitress said and walked away with a smile.

Breakfast had been good and Auggie was now prepared for a shopping tour. Just like before, he realized, that the picture of his environment was only based on tactile, olfactory and audible experiences. He had moved into his apartment when he was already blind and he had actually neither seen his apartment before nor the neighbourhood he lived in. He knew that the shopping mall was close, and tried to remember the way. Okay.., 50 steps to the traffic light, across the road, one block further and then 100 steps to the right. Auggie started walking and out of old habit, he counted his steps. After 15 minutes, he arrived at the shopping mall.

He took the elevator to the second floor. He knew, that he would find furniture and home accessories there. At a store he got a nice lamp for the kitchen and living room area, and one for his bedroom.

Shortly after, a new alarm clock, paper and a printer went into his shopping cart. Auggie decided to call a taxi, because he could not carry everything he had bought.

The supermarket was close to his apartment and he would go grocery shopping later when he had taken everything else home.

The taxi arrived and the driver got out. He recognized Auggie and greeted him.

„Good morning Mr. Anderson!" The voice was familiar to Auggie and then it dawned on him who the man was.

„Good Morning Gary" he smiled.

Gary took Auggie´s bags and put them into the trunk. He was more than surprised, when he saw Auggie walk towards the car quickly and confidently. Gary slipped behind the steering wheel and started the motor. He looked over to Auggie and asked incredulously „Mr. Anderson, am I wrong or is it possible that you can see?"

Auggie turned towards Gary and replied „You are right Gary, I can see and you are one of the first people to know".