The Absent Uncle: The eclipse

Last week my wife and I were on a vacation (now that is an item for another column, on vacation when retired) when the eclipse happened over the southern part of the hemisphere.

We knew it was happening (this type of thing has been scheduled by the ancients, not just by today’s media) but we failed to find and bring along the glasses to protect our eyes from the harmful sunrays floating around the part that is not obscured. We were in an area that would have approximately 95 percent coverage.

Luckily, we had newfound friends that had an extra pair of the cardboard encased lenses and we were ready. Bring it on. Let us see the show that has confounded the ancients, started and ended conflicts with its predictability.

But so here is the thing. We had to look straight up. At our age (72-73) we found it impossible without some sort of support to avoid stumbling or falling down. We tried supporting each other by an elbow to give the viewer a bit of support, but finally found a wall about the right height that the person with glasses could hook an arm over and steady themselves to look straight up.

Frankly, that realization of the lack of balance looking straight up was of a more profound affect than the dimming of light, cooling a bit of temperature, and the sight of the moon crossing over the sun. The whole eclipse thing. 

Give it try. See what you think; but make sure you have an elbow or small wall to steady you.