AT THE SPEED OF NOOR

For the first time in my life today, I saw a hard labor foreign worker wearing glasses. I had to do a double take, because for over 30 years of me being alive, I've never seen a foreign construction worker wearing glasses here. It made me imagine if those among them who needed glasses had worn them... all the work they could've done or could have finished sooner... all the educational opportunities throughout their lives that they could have taken up... all the accidents they could've avoided/prevented. In case you forgot (as I usually do), short/long-sightedness is still a disability. Although these issues can be managed using glasses/contact lenses/lasik surgery, all these require money and a certain level of care that not all of us can afford. I'm so glad that the man I saw has glasses for his eyesight (I hope he has the right prescription!), but I also wish more people could get the help they need for conditions impacting their quality of life. It really is sad that...

6am at a McD. A fairly old staff member sweeps the floor of the restaurant near me, but he pauses every few minutes. I thought he was trying to figure out how to remove stubborn stains in those areas, but after a few times of him doing this, I notice him standing quietly (almost swaying) behind me longer than before, this time right next to a table.  When I turned to look at him properly, I realised that he'd actually drifted off to sleep while standing - had he lost his footing, he would've fallen down or worse, knock his head on the corner of the table. As someone who can fall asleep quite easily and in the randomest positions, it was deeply concerning (and I can also empathise) how dangerous it would be if this happened. I was quickly considering ways to wake him up when he suddenly came to and continued sweeping, probably thinking/hoping that nobody saw him. He is mopping the floor now, which has woken him up some, thankfully. I sincerely hope he is okay.