After what felt like an eternity (but was, in fact, just an hour and a half of soul-crushing boredom), Mr. Majid, a dignified gentleman in his fifties, finally entered the eye specialist’s chamber. His gait was confident, his attire respectable, and his expression deeply concerned—an ideal patient, or so the doctor thought.
The ophthalmologist adjusted his glasses, offered a professional smile, and asked, “So, what seems to be the problem?”
Mr. Majid sighed dramatically and leaned forward as if he were about to share a state secret. “Doctor, I have a serious vision problem.”
The doctor nodded sympathetically. “Blurry sight? Trouble reading?”
“No, no! You see, everyone in my neighbourhood can spot the government's failures—clear as day! But me? Every time I try to see a failure, success magically appears instead. It’s like the government's flaws are playing hide-and-seek with me. I squint, I focus, but all I see are glorious achievements! Flyovers! Development! Prosperity! Even when the power goes out, I see ‘strategic energy conservation’ instead of a blackout! It’s terrible, doctor. What’s wrong with my eyes?”
The doctor, a seasoned professional who had diagnosed everything from cataracts to corneal ulcers, paused. He studied the patient’s face, looking for signs of irony, sarcasm, or a hidden camera crew waiting to ambush him for a reality show. But no—Mr. Majid was dead serious.
After a few moments of thoughtful silence, the doctor cleared his throat. “Mr. Majid, I regret to inform you that you have come to the wrong specialist.”
Majid’s face fell. “You mean… you can’t cure me?”
“Well,” the doctor said, choosing his words carefully, “your eyes are perfectly fine. The problem lies elsewhere. I strongly recommend that you consult a mental health specialist—preferably one with experience in treating cases of extreme political optimism.”
Mr. Majid gasped. “You mean I’m… delusional?”
The doctor adjusted his glasses again. “Let’s just say you have selective visual perception disorder—a rare condition where one’s eyes refuse to detect governmental failures, no matter how glaring.”
Mr. Majid looked stunned. “So you’re saying I should see a psychiatrist?”
The doctor smiled kindly. “Yes. And in the meantime, I advise you to watch the news with your neighbours. Maybe their vision will help correct yours.”
And with that, Mr. Majid left the clinic, still unsure whether he was blind, delusional, or simply in possession of the world's most government-friendly pair of eyes.