I Made a Mistake and Accidentally Discovered My Destiny

From as far back as I can recall, my eyesight had always been poor, so I wore spectacles since childhood. As I grew older, I switched to contact lenses, but there were always those occasions when Id venture out to walk my dog with neither, or pop off to the shop and forget my glasses entirely. Thats just what happened on that fateful evening many years ago. In my haste, I hurried out to the corner shop, dashing down all five flights of stairs (our flat had no lift), only to realise, far too late, that Id left my glasses at home. I couldnt be bothered to climb back up, so I carried on without them.

I stood by the shelf with tins of fish, endlessly pestering the shop assistant with questions about what sort of fish each tin contained and what exactly it was preserved in. The assistant started serving another customer, so I turned instead to a young lady nearby. I gazed at her for a moment, beginning to find her figure oddly familiar. She had a comical messy bun perched atop her head, almost like a pair of horns, a huge, scarlet scarf, and a long, black coat.

Could you tell me which of these is the mackerel in tomato sauce? I asked.

Wed once been in parallel school years, I remembered. Shed always had this curious style, and the teachers perpetually scolded her for her painted nails.

This is the perfect mackerel for you, she replied rather properly. Anything else?

Forgive me, I said. I left my glasses at home and can hardly see a thing.

We walked together through the shop, reminiscing about our teachers. She nodded, laughing at some of the stories I recounted. Once wed paid for our shopping, I suggested we linger outside in the crisp, autumn air, or perhaps go for a cup of tea or coffee and carry on chatting. The young woman told me she worked at a veterinary surgery, which surprised meI hadnt expected her to choose such a path. We exchanged telephone numbers and spoke about the chance of meeting again.

When I got back home and put my glasses on, I read the message she sent five minutes after we had said goodbye.

Sorry for fibbing, she wrote. I wasnt actually in your class. I was in Year A at a different school. But, if you dont mind, Id still like to have a coffee with you one day. My treat.

I didnt refuse. We met again, and I found that I could hardly take my eyes off her; she was so lovely, far more charming than Id first remembered.

We started courting, and we still see each other to this day. Now and then, she teases me, wondering whether my eyesight is truly so poor or if I was merely flirting with her from the start. But I know shes only joking. Looking back now, it almost feels as if fate, in its quiet way, had arranged it all.