My son Eddie (18) is an accomplished cricketer. I know that by his achievements that have now reached 2nd Division County Championship and Academy level with Somerset in Taunton, England where he is about to go into his final A Level year at King's College.
As he passionately and single-mindedly aims for a professional career as a left-hand opening batsman I am an equally dedicated follower.
Yet, I've never seen him play! It seems that cataracts in both my eyes have obscured my sight for many a year without my realizing the extent of the issue. Season after season at St John's College in Harare, Zimbabwe, fellow fathers have been aggravated, baffled and bemused by my frequent questions.
"Is that Eddie facing? Where did that ball go? Was that a four? How was Eddie out?
To me I now know that all the action has been a flash.....and a BLUR!! But, hallelujah, all that has changed! In mid-June 2015 I had cataract operations in both eyes; actually complete lens replacements, at the world-class Pretoria Eye Institute.
I'll returned home to Harare when - whooohooo - I had a fighter jet pilot's 20/20 vision. Gone are the thick lenses, replaced by a pair of stylish sunglasses.
I am not without ambition. Those "older" weekly tennis partners of mine are about to discover that they have profited too long by my incapacity. The apt word for them is actually "weakly." Dave Westerhout, Berry Brown, Rob Stewart, Bill Woodman take note. And worry! I'm buying a new racket and Hi-Tec tennis "takkies". The wonders of modern technology......
