Whitney 154

"What a wonderful way to end this journey through time, Mr. Photographer. It was fascinating to try all your glasses on. You saved the best for the last. Thank you for the oral history about this part of Amsterdam during the fifties and sixties. And the experiments with the time machine are something I will never forget. It leaves me with a thousand questions. How on earth did you do it? But now I really have to walk to our first location to see the people who contracted me for a photo shoot in a studio".

"The pleasure was entirely on my side, Whitney. You see, vintage glasses are dead objects on display but you brought them to life. And not just that, you brought my childhood and my school days back in a magnificent way. Thank you so much for everything. I will walk you to the first location and we can talk about your well deserved fee".

"Are you sure? I was only killing time after the misunderstanding about the meeting point. And our chance meeting filled the hours in a magnificent way. You were telling me about the magicians from your youth. But you are the real magician".

"No, we created the magic together. Half the credit for the magic goes to you. Before I forget, here is a little present for you". He handed a CD to the actress. "This is the solo album I was referring to. One of the tracks is called Francesca. That's the song I wrote for Cis during the Love Summer. One of the other tracks is called Crystal Veil. It's a tribute to all girls and women in prescription glasses, you included. Here you are. And if you don't like the music, you can use the CD as a frisbee".

"No way. Your album will travel with me when I am heading back to the U.S. in two weeks. Now let's hit the road".

..............................................................................................................................................

This fine portrait marks the end of a highly unusual but epic photo shoot with marvelous results. Whitney is the 86th Lady behind Crystal Veil.

A word of thanks goes to the owners of the house where I lived during the early sixties. Seeing the house and the back garden brought back many precious memories. I look forward to talk with you about the early history of the house next time in Amsterdam.

Another word of thanks goes to the owners of ice cream shop Venetië for allowing us to do a part of the photo shoot in their premises. And the ice cream was as good as ever. Grazie, Paolo. Arrivederci!

Readers interested in a visit to the shop can check Venetië81@libero.it for more information.

A well deserved word of praise to Whitney will be added soon.

Whitney 153

Glasses: Neostyle (Quadrette), early 1970's 
[L=R: -2.00]

The inventor handed a square green pair of glasses to the actress.

"Final pair. It landed in the box by mistake but you may like them. The lenses are minus two".

"They look fabulous. I like large frames. Why do you talk about a mistake?"

"They were made in 1972 or 1973. So technically speaking, they have no link with this trip down Memory Lane. You may be interested to see how fast the design of frames evolved after the sixties".

The actress checked her look in the hand mirror.

"These are fantastic. I never saw this style in the shops. What a pity that they don't make such glasses anymore. How about one final pose?"

"Yes, please"

Whitney 152

Glasses: Flirt, made in 1969 or 1970
[L: -5.50 / R: -5.00]

"You look fantastic in these glasses. They are from the year I graduated".

"Congratulations, Mr. Photographer"

Whitney 151

"Do you see any people?"

"No, but can you translate the word on the sign for me?"

"Ah, it says that the school is a smoke free zone"

"Small wonder that all the hip youngsters are somewhere else"

"Time is nearly up. There are two pairs left. Can you take off the hippie glasses?"

"Sure".

Whitney 150

"Relaxed scene, chick" (SNAP) "One more, please"

Whitney 149

Glasses: Gan Aimh, 1969 or 1970
[L: -1.50 / R: -1.25]

"These hippie glasses are fun. But this subculture newspaper is double Dutch to me. You pointed at the right page, but what is the list about?"

"Prices of stuff and weed on the illegal market".

"In a newspaper?"

"Yes. Of course it was highly controversial but the authorities did not forbid it".

"Wow. Hold on, I need a paint brush. Didn't they smoke massive joints in those days?"

"They did, but not in this school. Yes, you have the scene now" (SNAP)

"Can you try the time machine for a moment?"

Whitney 148

Glasses: Metzler, 1969 / 1970
[L: -2.00; c-0.50 h / R: -3.00; c-0.50 h]

"Yes, that's a nice frame and I like the tinted lenses" (SNAP)

"These glasses are beginning to warp. It's good that this photo saves them for posterity"

"I have a request. Is there anything more revolutionary in the box?"

"There are three or four pairs left. One of them is a good example of the hippie glasses that were popular in the late sixties. Mind you, not at this school but in the old part of the city. And I have a contemporary newspaper from the alternative scene in my rucksack".

"Now you're talking. Hand those to me and I will make a statement".

Whitney 147

"Thank you. Next comes a pink pair. You might like it"

Whitney 146

Glasses: Rodenstock (Silvana), late 1960's / early 1970's
[L: -2.75 / R: -2.25]

"That's a fine pose" (SNAP) "One more, please"

Whitney 145

Glasses: Francois Pinton
[L: -1.25 / R: -1.50]

The actress took off the glasses, waited for the fog to clear up and then checked her smartphone.

"They will pick me up at the first address in forty minutes. That gives us some time to try the remaining glasses".

The inventor handed her another pair. "One pose in these will do" (SNAP)

"Can I try the next pair with the paint brushes in my hand?"

Whitney 144

"Nowadays young people interact like this. My generation, baby...." (SNAP)

Whitney 143

"Are you challenging me with your static behavior?"

Whitney 142

Glasses: Zenni 283821
[L=R: -8.00]

"Great pose, Whitney" (SNAP)

"I will check how the old boy is doing".

Whitney 141

"Bye bye, school...." (SNAP) "Now hand me the next pair. Same prescription?"

"Yes, minus eight"

"Good. We can skip the fog and save some time".

Whitney 140

"OK, here is a smiling well educated school girl from the sixties for YOU".

"That's grand" (SNAP) "How about one more pose and then the next pair?"

Whitney 139

"Poor well educated girls in their school days"

"That is a great pose" (SNAP) "But there were often smiles and laughs as well".

Whitney 138

Glasses: Zenni 633721
[L=R: -8.00]

The inventor produced two black pairs and handled one of them to the actress.

"Try these. They are modern but in the style of 1966. The original has broken. They are minus eight so you will be back in the fog. It won't take long".

"There is nothing playful in the frames. Were glasses in the sixties really like that?"

"Yes, they were at this school and in this part of the city in general".

"Alright then. Back in the fog. Now it's clearing up". (SNAP)

Whitney 137

"Yes, back in the past. The container is gone and the cars in the street look old fashioned. But I see no people in the street. Everything is very quiet".

"In that case I suggest that you take the glasses off".

Whitney 136

Glasses: called "Tessa", late 1960's
[L: -5.00; c-0.50 v / R: -5.00; c-1.00 v]

"That's great, Whitney. Can I hand you some more glasses in the same style?"

"Of course. I will check my smartphone in a few minutes. We can do a time machine experiment if you like. I may get a glimpse of the pupils of your school fifty years ago".

"OK, but first keep these glasses on for a moment and we'll see what happens".

Whitney 135

"Oh yes teacher, I will be a good girl in glasses and pay full attention to the lesson" (SNAP)

"That came pretty close to what happened in class. Big compliment".

"What happened to her?"

"I don't know. She left school a few months later, at the start of the Love Summer. I never saw her again. The next year many girls at school chose to wear contact lenses. They were new on the market. I'm sure the complaining girl ditched her glasses for good. I had a girlfriend in the final school year who had just made the same switch. But when she heard that I always liked her in glasses, she was kindly obliging on some occasions. Her glasses were fairly strong. Minus eight. High index lenses did not exist in those days so her glasses looked quite strong. Lots of reflections in the lenses too. The coatings were an invention of the mid seventies".

"Do you have a pair in the same style as her glasses?"

"Yes, you can pose in them next. I will hand them to you".

Whitney 134

"Stupid glasses...."

Whitney 132 - 133

"I hate my glasses but I can't see a thing without them"

Whitney 131

Glasses: Frame France, late 1960's
[L: -4.75 / R: -4.00; c-0.75 v]

The producer handed an oval brown pair of glasses to the actress.

"These look nice, when were they made?"

"A classmate of mine was rather shortsighted but she absolutely hated her glasses and complained each time she had to read the board. Her glasses were in fact quite modern and they looked pretty much like this French pair. They looked great on her and I paid her a compliment. She looked at me as if she was trying to say, nice try but you don't understand me at all".

"Poor you, Well, I will bring her back to life for you. Don't forget to snap"

Whitney 130

"It looks promising but remember the man is pushing ninety".

"OK, maybe it's best to leave him in peace. Next pair of glasses?"

"Yes, they are waiting for you. But thanks for bringing a bit of action".

Whitney 129

"He looks immune to tickling, Whitney. Do you have a Plan C?"

"Well, I can try to seduce him. He is too rigid. This may soften him a bit".

Whitney 128

"That should do the job. Few men are able to resist it".

Whitney 127

"Do you like this revolution on your behalf, Mr. Photographer?"

"I do, but he does not look impressed"

"Well, each scientist has a weak spot. I have a bag of tricks. Be prepared for Plan B".

Whitney 126

"It's high time for a revolution on this school!"

Whitney 125

"So you are a man of science telling my photographer how to dress, what to do and how to behave? Well old boy, I'll teach you a lesson".

Whitney 124

Glasses: Neostyle (Gladys), late 1960's
{L: -2.50; c-1.00 v / R: -5.25]

"You told me earlier on that you had other plans than science. Preparatory high school must have been hard for you. Were you a rebel?"

"No, I would not call myself a rebel then. Rather a boy who was trying to find a way out from the path that was expected from me".

"So you never played tricks with this statue?"

"Nobody did anything like that in those days here at school. It was all quite civilized, even in 1967. Well, except for the rebellion about hair length for boys".

"Well, in that case watch a rebel with short hair. Don't forget to snap".

Whitney 123

"Great" (SNAP)

"Can you tell me a bit about the girl, Mr. Photographer? Did she wear glasses similar to these?"

"Sure. I had a crush on her at the age of fifteen, sixteen. But she never took any notice of me. I had no resources to create an image. The girl had glasses but they were quite mild so she did not wear them full time. The frame was identical to the pair on your nose. Five years later I came across two identical pairs on the flea market and bought them because of the memory".

"Any chance they were hers?"

"No, I don't think so. The lenses are stronger than hers and it was a popular frame".

"Did you write any songs for her?"

"Oh yes, many including the first I thought was a good song. That was a couple of months before Cis came into my life. The song was called Face to Face and it was on my very first recording session ever. Performing on stage started a few months after Cis and Face to Face was always on my set list. And eventually the muse saw me performing. She had heard about the crush. After the concert she joined the group of people around me and she gave me a huge compliment".

"And then?"

"Nothing. She already had a boyfriend. Shall we switch to the next pair?"

"Yes, please. I would like to do a bit of posing with the statue".

Whitney 122

Glasses: Rodenstock (Maya), made in 1965
[L: -2.75 / R: -3.50]

"These glasses may be a bit narrow for your face but the prescription in the left lens is just a touch above yours"

"Sure. How about this pose?"

"Excellent" (SNAP) "one more, please".

Whitney 121

"Weightlifter Whitney" (SNAP) "You can now take off these wooden glasses"

"Any glasses in the box that have associations with girls from your School?"

"Yes, the next pair".

Whitney 120

Glasses: Gan Aimh, made of wood
[L: -6.50; c-1.50 o / R: -7.50; c-1.00 h]

"These are rather unique glasses. They are made of wood. A few opticians had wooden frames in their shop windows but I never saw anyone wearing them in the streets. After a month or two the wooden frames disappeared from the shop windows. This happened in 1966. The lenses are minus seven so you will be in the fog for ten seconds or so".

"Alright, I will use one of the art works as a requisite this time".

"Excellent pose" (SNAP) "These glasses suit you great. I thought they might be too narrow but the size is just right".

Whitney 119

Glasses: Lozza (Baccara), late 1960's
[L: -2.75 / R: -2.25; c-0.50 v]

It was summer holiday so the school was closed.

"Good to see that the statue of Erasmus still stands. It must be pushing ninety. And let's check this big open container. It looks like the school has cleared out some art work of the pupils. We will have good old Erasmus as decor and you can use some of the used paint brushes".

The inventor produced his show box. Out came a dozen vintage glasses.

"Most of these are from the late sixties but there are also a few from the mid sixties. This pair is only a touch stronger than your own glasses. I suggest that we use each pair very briefly".

"No time machine?"

"Not for this pair. Perhaps a few others later on if there is any time left. At what time would they pick you up at our first location?"

"Their idea was six o'clock but they would call me beforehand or send me a message. Hand me the glasses and I will do a pose with one of the paint brushes"

"Yes, that's fine" (SNAP) "Next pair, please".

Whitney 118

"Now let me guess. It sounds like that was the decisive moment. Am I right?"

"She said she had to think. She took off her glasses and stared to the window and then to a giant mirror on the wall. Then she put her glasses on again and I could see that she had made a decision. These are her own words now. Maybe this is wrong. You are so young. but I want to give you something. Not now. Next week, when my foot is a bit better, I know what you want. No man has ever given me what you just gave to me. The moment of our song will never come back. I will never forget it. You gave it to me in your way. What I want to give you will never come back either. And I will give it to you in my way. Just once. But only if you are sure you can handle it. Follow me, don't interrupt me, don't take anything over. And then we'll see how far it goes. Can we agree about that? And I said, agreed, I'll follow you. Again her own words. We need a full afternoon. Just once. And you must not try to follow me afterwards. Don't come back. Can you promise me that? And I said yes, I promise. Then we chose a day. Her place, her room. And we introduced ourselves. Her name was an abbreviation. It's written the same way as C sharp in Dutch. Cis. The song is called Francesca, the Italian version of her name. Before leaving the room I asked about her foot and she showed it to me briefly. It was all black and blue. The last thing she said was, you have very beautiful hands. Your song is still in my head. It will help me fall asleep. See you next week. And then I left".

"You were almost seventeen. Was she much older?"

"At the time I estimated she was nineteen. But she may well have been early twenties".

"And did she keep her word?"

"Yes, and so did I. She taught me everything. I gave her all my trust. There was no rush. I felt safe and protected. It was all about her seduction. She knew exactly what she was doing, step by step. She was like the leader of the rope in mountain climbing. It was all about route finding, not fixating on reaching the top. The book chapter about her is called Symphony in Cis".

"And what happened with the song? Did you ever record it or sing it in public?"

"Yes, it got a place of honor on a solo album and I sometimes sang it at concerts, depending on the audience and the stage. She has always remained sacrosanct to me. But now it's time for you to check your smartphone. It's a quarter past five".

"Thank you for sharing this with me. I completely forgot about the smartphone. Here are the glasses. My glasses are better for the smartphone. Were her eyes worse than mine?"

"My face was about one foot away when she drew me near. So yes, minus three or minus four"

"No news. We have at least half an hour left. Is this the end of the journey you had in mind?"

"The final location is the entrance of the preparatory high school. It's just around the corner over there".

"OK, let's hit the road"

Whitney 117

"Yes, you might call it a date. I did not even know her name. It was a very warm day. I brought my guitar with me. To my surprise, the door was opened by a housemaid dressed in black with a white apron. She did not ask who I was. All she said was "She is asleep but you can go to her room. Follow me". The housemaid quietly opened the bedroom door for me and left. There was a chair at the foot of the bed so I sat down and looked at her. She was fast asleep. All I could see was her long blonde hair, a tip of her nose and chin, and a part of her right hand. I sat there perhaps twenty minutes. And then the inspiration came like music on the air. I heard a fragment of a new melody line. There was always a piece of paper and a pencil in my pocket. That's what singer-songwriters do. Songs never come by order. I started scribbling down the fragment of the melody line and writing a scrap of lyric. Simply describing what I saw in the room. It all went by itself. A simple melody, no variations, no bridge. It was peaceful, serene but also earthy, the present, here and now. The song wrote itself well within an hour. The final lines were "I came in here to touch you but now I draw the line.... I never knew this sleeping girl could be so fine". She was still fast asleep. I quietly took the guitar out of its sleeve and checked the chords, not by strumming but by pressing my whole hand on the strings. Very quiet. It was not hearing the chords but feeling them in my belly. The key of the melody line was C sharp. In Dutch we say Cis. She was still asleep. I started humming the melody, like a whisper, over the silent chords. Everything was in balance and in harmony. Then I started whispering the lyrics over the chords, strumming ever so softly. She slowly surfaced and opened her eyes just before the final verse. She reached out for her glasses when I was whispering the final lines"

"I can hear the emotion in your voice, after fifty years. You are a romantic. What happened next?"

"She said, that was so beautiful. Please sing the whole song. And I said, this song is for you. She sat up and said, that's so sweet. I took a finger pick from my wallet, started thrumming and said, see if this is right. Something dawned to her. It was visible in her eyes. I started singing straightaway and the song came out as if I had sung it for ages. Constant eye contact. And then the two final lines. The look in her eyes changed again. She saw me with different eyes, so to speak. She asked me the name of the composer. And I said, it's for you. She asked, when did you write it? Here, at your bedside while you were asleep. And I handed her the piece of paper with the melody line, chords and lyrics. She read it and then asked, how do you write your songs, what are they about? I explained to her that I often used code words in my lyrics for compactness and safety. She asked, is there a code in your song for me? And I said, no, there was no need for that".

Whitney 116

"And where did you first see her? On this bridge?"

"No. It happened in the city center. She was standing at a tram stop and I cycled past. We spotted each other. Like, who is that? The second time we smiled at each other. I had my guitar with me, hanging at the steering wheel. I had a summer job in a printing shop. They made record sleeves. The vinyl albums, you know. Working there was a treat. It made me feel.... well, free compared to the preparatory high school. A week later I cycled homeward from the city, late in the evening. Again with the guitar at the steering wheel. It happened at the far side of the park, the border between the old houses and the newly built suburb. A wasteland zone between the old and the new part. And I saw an young woman standing on one leg. Next to her a moped with a damaged wheel. She was across the road. So I stopped and we recognized each other. She did not look surprised. So I went to her and asked if she needed help. She told me that she just had an accident and one of her feet was injured. I offered to carry her moped and asked her if she could cycle with the guitar at the steering wheel. She pointed in the direction of this part of the city. And off we went, very slowly. It took us ages but finally we reached the street where she lived and landed on the doorstep. Second floor. She said, "So sweet of you to help me. Will you come and see me next week?". "A visit to the patient?". She smiled and said, "Yes, something like that". And we agreed a day and time. Apologies for the long story".

"No need for an apology, I'm all ears. And I'm slowly getting used to the glasses. So you had a date".

Whitney 115

Glasses: called "Conny", mid 1960's
[L: -1.25 / R: -3.00; c-1.00 v]

The inventor handed the second pair of orange glasses to the actress.

"These frames were popular in 1966, just before frames started becoming larger. Be prepared for a slightly longer adaptation time. The left lens is a bit too weak and the right lens is a bit too strong"

The actress put the glasses on. It was visible that she was in a bit of a struggle.

"Each of these lenses now gives me good eyesight but the images don't blend very well".

"Ah, that's because of the strength difference. I have always had the same problem. Even worse. You can take the glasses off if it makes you uncomfortable".

"Tell me about the glasses if you can. Do they have an association with a girl from your school days just like the previous pair?"

"Yes. My first love had glasses that looked almost identical. The frame now, not the lenses".

"And when was this?"

"During the Love Summer of 1967. I was sixteen, almost seventeen".

Whitney 114

"You told me that these glasses were made in 1968. Did you still go to school in this part of the city?"

"Yes, it took me eight years to finish preparatory high school here around the corner".

"You were called a genius as a child. What went wrong?"

"I had never learned how to learn. The school system was too rigid back then. I was far too young. And my plan for the future was to become a performing artist or an optician, not a scientist. I simply did not fit into the pattern of high expectations".

"That makes sense. Where did your family move to after the years in the big house?"

"A few miles further south. Call it new suburbia, not far from the river Amstel. The family business went through hard times and it ceased to exist three years later. It was a difficult time for all the family members. The big house here is the symbol of the golden years. That's the story in a nutshell".

"Is your book just about girls and women in glasses or about this history as well?"

"It's much broader than a family history or magicians in glasses. It's a bundle of fifty short stories, covering all aspects of life. The steps towards becoming a performing artist. Loves won and lost. And of course sketches of all the changes in society since the mid fifties".

"Do the orange glasses on my nose remind you of anybody in particular? Or are they simply meant as an example of how fashion developed in the sixties?"

"Ah, there was an incredibly attractive blonde that went to a different school. I had seen her from a distance on a couple of occasions. First at some sports event, then at a concert by a famous garage rock band called the Outsiders. Her glasses were orange but she was too vain to wear them all the time. One day I stood on this side of the bridge and she came cycling past on the other side. So I grabbed my bike with the intention to follow her but it took a minute to cross the street. Too much traffic. So I posted on this bridge, on the other side. A few days later she came cycling past and I followed her, say a hundred feet behind her. She disappeared in a street parallel to the Lane, a few blocks further. The third time I grabbed my courage together and went cycling next to her. And of course I introduced myself right away".

"While you were cycling?"

"Yes. And from then on we cycled to her house say twice a week. And then a chat at her doorstep. She also invited me to join her when she walked with her little niece in a pram. That was on the quay. I wrote several songs for her but no romance came out of that. We lived in different circles and she had more liberty and money. I simply was not hip enough at that time. Love in vain".

"Well, at least you immortalized her in your songs. Were you already performing your songs on stage?"

"Yes, that started just after the Love Summer of 1967. It was fantastic. The stage felt as the natural place for me. Can you do one more pose in these glasses?" (SNAP)

The actress handed the glasses back to the inventor and they crossed the road over the bridge.

Whitney 113

"Thanks for the huge compliment. I'm not a shy person but you almost make me blush".

Whitney 112

"I'm not surprised that you are multi talented. You give examples of excellent acting in glorious plenty. The shy woman in myodisc glasses. The angry mother of my classmate. I'm sure you could play a huge variety of characters in the book, myself included. Or several girls from my days at preparatory high school. Of course they all looked different but that doesn't really matter".

Whitney 111

Glasses: Neostyle (Vela), late 1960's / early 1970's
[L: -1.75 / R: -2.00]

The inventor showed two pairs of vintage orange glasses to the model.

"They are beautiful. Two completely different frame styles. Are they both from the sixties? And what is the connection between orange glasses and this bridge?"

"Yes, they are. The smaller pair is characteristic for 1966 and the larger pair for 1968, give or take a couple of years. You can see the evolution of frame design in a nutshell. Orange frames appeared in 1964 and they disappeared from the streets in say 1970. One of my dreams was to become an optician. I was always checking the windows of opticians shops for the latest trends. There were strict thumb rules for frame choice in those days. Brown or black frames were for brunettes, orange frames were for blondes. Good that you ask about the connection with this bridge. It was my favorite place to stand or sit a while after the school day and simply watch the girls that came cycling past. You could check which trends in the shop windows were picked up. Not each new frame type became a success".

"You told me about the magicians in the streets but they were women, not girls".

"Well, as I grew up, the gap between girls and magicians got smaller and smaller. Of course many factors played a role in attractiveness of girls but I always regarded glasses as a bonus. Say the cherry on the cake. And that preference has never changed. Some women can create magic at every age. And of course my preference evolved. The girls became women".

"I get the picture. Your life story sounds very consistent. You should write a book about it".

The inventor smiled. "That job is already done. I wrote a book last winter. Most of what I told you on all the different locations is described in more detail. The manuscript is now circulating among my proofreaders. Yesterday evening I felt an urge to undertake this trip down Memory Lane and see some of the most important locations. It's a three hour journey from where I live to this part of the city. And I brought along some of the glasses in my collection as.... Well, call it symbols. And then there was you, near the doorstep of my Gran's place".

"This afternoon is getting better and better. It makes me feel like being a persona in your book. Or even several of them. You see, I am a model but also an actress and a performer. Now can I try these orange glasses? The large pair first, is that alright?"

"Sure. We can cross the street in a minute and you can try the other pair there".

The actress put the large orange glasses on her nose. "These lenses are almost my prescription. A touch too weak but not much. Great. I'm not a blonde but you can take a few pictures if you like".

"Thank you" (SNAP)

Whitney 110

"Thank you, that confirms my bit of research with the lady in question. Great pose, this one" (SNAP) "Do you mind stepping down and turn around to see if the lock is there?"

"It is, but the old man is not at work. No boats either. And some details about the top floor of the big house you lived in look different. It looks receded, smaller. But it's too far away to describe it to you in detail. Can we switch now to the orange glasses?"

"Sure, right away".

Whitney 109

"Great. The time machine works. You are reduced to a silhouette".

"Do you see any changes?" (SNAP)

"Yes. Your chimpanzee tree. And the passing cars are all vintage. Very few people, only in the far distance". Beyond the tree it looks like the Sahara all the way till the horizon".

Whitney 108

Glasses: Rodenstock (Toxy), 1963 / 1964
[L=R: -1.25]

The inventor and the model walked to the bridge and they enjoyed the view over the canal.

"So this is where you tried a bobsleigh career. You also told me that this was the border of the city when you lived in the big house. Is that a park I'm looking at?"

"Yes. It was already there when I was a child. My Gran and her sister went there for a walk with me a few times. It's more lively now than it was in those days".

"And what's that immense building on the left?"

"Ah, that's a congress center. It was built during the early sixties. That was the end of our playground with three tall trees. You could climb one of the stems and then carefully make a traverse to the next tree at a height of twelve feet. We used planks to connect the solid branches of the trees. Playing we were chimpanzees but we failed miserably. I was envious with the arm power of the Big Apes. And we played cowboys against Indians. Most of the boys preferred the cowboy role but I always chose to play an Indian".

"Do you have any vintage glasses with you that have a connection with this bridge?"

"Yes, two or three. One of them is from 1963 or 1964, definitely. Would you like to try them on?"

"It's worth a try. Maybe I can see the lock again. And the trees".

The inventor checked the shoe box. Out came a black pair and two orange pairs.

"Wow, I never saw orange glasses".

"I will tell you about them later on, but can we start with the earliest pair?"

"Sure. The black glasses. Where did you get them?"

"Ah, that's a long story but the management summary will do. Twenty years ago I had a five year relationship with a clairvoyant lady who always hated her glasses although she had an excellent taste for frames. She heard that I was a collector and she gave me a box filled with all her old glasses. This was the earliest pair in the box. We went through old photo albums, telling life stories. And that's how I managed to establish a chronology".

"They don't look strong at all. Alright, let's try. Never seen the style. Did the parapet of this bridge change since you lived around the corner?"

"No. Why are you asking?"

The model did not answer. Instead, she installed herself on the parapet.

"Remember I'm a rock climber. Nothing wrong with my balance". Don't forget to snap".

Whitney 107

They climbed the stairs and returned to the garden.

"Great that you managed this. You are still wearing the strong glasses"

"Can you take one more picture of me here?"

"Of course. with pleasure" (SNAP)

The model waited for the fog to clear up and then checked her smartphone. "No news yet. What's next? The bridge?"

The inventor thanked the owners of the house for their hospitality. There was no time to accept the kind offer of a drink, but the inventor said he would like to come back to tell them more about the early history of the big house.

"Yes, the bridge. It's five o'clock".

Whitney 106

"Thank you" (SNAP) "High time to return to the garden. There is too much reflection here".

Whitney 105

Glasses: Zenni 628534
[L: -11.00; c-1.25 v / R: -11.50; c-1.25 v]

The inventor produced a pair of green cat eye glasses and handed it to the model.

"This is the last of the three pairs I had in mind for this location. But I will tell you about the old man you saw on the lock. I remember him well. It was his job to maintain locks in the city and he was here once or twice a week. And the boy you heard yelling at the old man was the son of our neighbors. We did not get along well. He was a bit younger but a bit of a bully. And he was always pestering the old man who did his poorly paid job. He shouted in Dutch but perhaps you heard a familiar word as it's the same as in English"

"Now I think about it, he shouted something about beer, am I right?"

"Spot on. He always shouted 'Hey, beer belly!' and the poor old man wisely ignored him. Thank you so much for this. You might have landed in the water. But you might have landed dry in the present unless you swam to the lock to take off the glasses".

"You are right. There is no lock anymore. But it was only ten or fifteen meters to the stairs so that would have been no problem. Well, a bit of an inconvenience".

"Apologies for putting you at risk. Dry in the present, wet in the past, getting dry in the past and landing wet in the present".

"I don't mind. Life is full of risk and that's one of the things that somehow attract me. Not crazy risks but calculated risks. My reflex would have been to forget about the glasses and swim to the lock. You shouted at me when the bull was after me but I concentrated on trying to escape".

The model took a close look at the green cat eye glasses. "These are modern and the frame is great. But the lenses are so thick! They must be awfully strong".

"They are minus twelve. I ordered them in Hong Kong for a lady with that prescription so she could assess her looks in them. We had a relationship for eight years and we are still good friends. But she did not like the frame so the glasses ended up in my collection"

"So they are not as strong as the glasses with the circles in the lenses we used in the Lane? Well, in that case I will give them a try. And then it's time to check my smartphone"

It took the fog about half a minute to clear up.

"Alright, everything is crystal clear but tiny. Keep talking to me" (SNAP)