My Cocoons

Last spring I bought a pair of the world's most hideous looking sunglasses. I had tried them on in the optician's office -- as a joke. Unfortunately, they felt extremely comfortable and they blocked the rays as no other glasses I'd ever used. It took me months to get over the embarrassment of it but eventually I made my way back to that optician and bought a pair of Cocoons.

I've now worn them enough that I don't care if they make me look like an aging alien. Cognitive dissonance. These things are so polarized that I look into the sky and see clouds that no one else sees.

Fishermen love them.

Every time I cross paths with another Cocoon owner there is an instant silent bond -- an acknowledgment of another practical person whose common comfort sense has overridden all fashion sense.

A few weeks ago I noticed that the stems were starting to crack. So I took my Cocoons back to where I bought them, hoping they would replace the stems. The replacement package came today -- except it turns out that the company didn't want to replace the stems. They would rather replace the complete pair of glasses! So at 12:30 p.m. I handed in my Cocoons to the optician and received a completely new pair -- no charge. That's service.

This means I can continue on as the goofy-looking but totally-relaxed guy behind the cool shades.