There is a hole in my floor

But it is not what you think.

This is a real hole, with a specific purpose. Photo by author.

Every time I walk the corridor alongside the den in my house, out of the corner of my eye, I see this dark black hole in the floor. A hole in the floor? I need to get that fixed. I stop, turn to look. I need to assess the damage. Is it really a hole? Is it something that got spilled on the floor that needs to get cleaned up?

Given that this is the route from the bedroom side of the house to the public side, I probably cross this path twenty times a day (or more). And every time, I notice that ‘hole.’

Except that it isn’t really a hole. Or something spilled on the floor. It’s a spot in the wood of the floor that took stain differently in the finishing process. I know that because I understand enough about wood finishing to know how that sort of thing occurs. And when I turn to look at said spot on the floor, it’s obvious.

Every time.

I attribute this behavior to getting new eyes a couple of years ago. Before, I was nearsighted. I knew there was a floor down there because I felt it with my feet. Then, I had cataract surgery. That changed everything. I am no longer nearsighted. I can see everything on the floor. Hell, I can count the leaves on the trees at the back of the yard. I never had vision like this.