When I was 19, a buddy and I entered the Marine recruiting center. We were taken in for a physical. I remember that after a general going over I was sent into a room for my eye exam. At the time I was totally blind in one eye and wore bifocals with corrected vision in my good eye of perhaps 20/60, in optimum conditions.
The room was pitch black with only two small lights. One light was over the desk in front of me and the other was a blob on the wall behind the desk. A voice ordered, "Step forward and remove your glasses". I did this.
The voice came at me again, "Cover your right eye and read the chart".
I said, "I'm blind in my left eye and can't read the chart".
The voice came again, "Cover your left eye and read the chart."
I removed my hand from over my right eye and placed it over my left eye. "I can't make out the letters," I said.
After a long pause I was ordered to repeat the process with my glasses on. I was able to read about three lines down with my right eye, wearing my glasses.
After a long silence the voice said, "You may leave by the same door you entered."
I turned to leave. Now I had been staring into a patch of light for several minutes. The room was pitch black and my eyes did not adjust quickly, if at all. I took two determined strides toward what I thought was the door and slammed into the wall.
There was a very long silence. I stood there.
Then the voice said, in the same flat calm tone, "I said you may leave by the same door you entered."
Quickly I groped my way along the wall and found the door.
The recruiting sergeant escorted me out to the sidewalk while they hustled my buddy to a waiting bus.
Curious Carl
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