Reading Glasses and Striped Basses (How Did You Pronounce That Last Word?)

Reading Glasses

We had dinner at Striped Bass, one of Philly’s best restaurants, on Saturday night before we saw The Messiah at the Pennsylvania Ballet. For those of you who don’t know, Striped Bass is the restaurant where they filmed the scene in The Sixth Sense where Bruce Willis suddenly realizes that he’s dead. That’s the last time there was good lighting in there.

I couldn’t read the menu.

I held it at arm’s length. Held it near the candle. No luck. The wine carte was even worse for me. So, when the waiter came to take our order, I had to tell him I’d take the special because I couldn’t see the menu and forgot my reading glasses. (I’ve officially become my Pocket-Sized Irish Grandfather — did I tell you he was less than 3ft. tall? — who used to make a production out of holding the menu up to light bulbs and complaining to the wait staff. He’d stand there knee-high to them and say, “Can’t afford lights here?”)

Voila! The waiter left for a quick second, then came back with a finely-tooled box. Filled with reading glasses. No kidding. I had my choice of 20 pairs. And I tried on 3 pairs before I settled on a set that worked.

Now how cool is that? You know you’re in the big leagues when they have reading glasses for patrons. Either that, or a place with mood lighting. Either way I was a happy boy. Old, but happy.

The Ending of “The Sixth Sense” with Striped Bass in It…It Starts at 1:49

WATCH THIS ONE AND TELL ME YOUR REACTION: The Sixth Sense in 5 Seconds

Posted on March 10, 2008
Filed Under Frank's World | Comments

Comments

  • Merci
    I have several pairs of reading glasses, but I never seem to have them with me when I need them. The next time I order contact lenses, I'm going to try the bifocal kind.

    Next up, muffled hearing, I suppose. Hearing less might be a blessing sometimes!
  • This is what I think of glasses - those who wear them must continue to wear them. I got glasses in 5th grade because I got headaches. I said fuck glasses and I never wore them. I went in the Navy at 21 and had 20/20 vision. You hear about those eye exercise programs on the radio that supposedly eliminate glasses - they work. When you wear glasses you get your eye to be lazy so it doesn't have to work to focus - then you need the glasses. I am almost 41 - never wore my stupid glasses - and I can see way better than most people. You think optometrists would tell you to exercise or tell you that you need glasses? Doctor's suck.
  • Pinky Bear, it was certainly my lesson that I need to carry my reading glasses with me. ;-)

    Sarcasmom, that's a GREAT idea. I like it. I would have looked like one of the cool kids with a gizmo. Fun!

    Rick, it's a funny thing. No glasses my whole life. But I found myself telling the designers to make the type larger. They told me to get my eyes checked. LOL.
  • It was that same thing that made me realize it was time for bifocals. :-)
  • Hubby makes gentle fun of me becuase while Xmas shopping I found among those ubiquitous $5 pre-wrapped gifts, a combination magnifting glass/mini flashlight. I take it to restaraunts with me, for just this reason. It beats dragging the table candle over and plopping it on the menu. Right?
  • rick
    Reading glasses are the bane of middle age. My wife just got some because of the menu in the dimly lit restaurant phenomena. I do not have reading glasses.

    Just trifocals.
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