13th March 2013

Last week my son had one of those humpty-dumpty moments with my wife’s mobile phone, which resulted in both a cracked screen and a son with egg all over his face. Now my wife is trying to find a replacement glass on ebay, in exchange for my son, with the hope of making a slight profit once postage and adoption papers are factored in.

And so began the story of glass-repairs on a mobile phone, and the realisation of the hideous expense. If only someone could invent a spray-on glue. Surely in these of days of chemical-wizardry, there exists a Nobel-in-waiting, PhD student who can rise to the challenge. And if the discovery can be made before my wife cuts her finger, I will gladly supplement the Norwegian prize.

Thankfully there is better news for those whose hearts have shattered on the floor, for says the Book: “He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds” (Ps 147:3). The good news of course is not that this is a cheap procedure, for in fact the binding-ointments are very costly; but that the repair can actually be done, and even while we wait. Yet what a strange sight, to see the Repairman at work! Taking the broken “glass”, cutting his own hand, and rubbing platelets from a finger divine in order to effect the healing. Then exhaling his breath on the glass, polishing it against his own chest to make it shine, and returning it, not with a stern, “Don’t do that again!”, but my shop is always open, and you may return at any time.

DM 12^th March 2013