These reading glasses are in the kitchen in the building in which I work. I noticed them on the table on my very first day last year and other than slight adjustments around the table – ostensibly by the cleaning crew – they’ve seemingly never moved.

They inspire so many questions:

• Did someone leave them there one day and just forget about them?
• How long have they been there? It’s been at least since May 2, 2016.
• Should I put up a Found poster around the building to see if anyone is missing reading glasses?
• Were they forgotten by someone who no longer works here?
• Were they forgotten by someone who still works here and who just hasn’t been back to the kitchen in a long time?
• If the person who lost them went back to the kitchen for the first time in a long time, would they even recognize them as their glasses?
• If someone realized they were missing but didn’t know where they were, did they replace them?
• Do they chronically misplace reading glasses or was this a one-time deal?
• When they realized the glasses were gone, did they blame someone else?
• Are they possibly there on purpose and someone comes in every day, does a little reading and then leaves them there again when they’re done?
• If they are there on purpose… why? This kitchen is a glorified storage room that just happens to have an ice maker, a sink and a microwave. It’s not really a nice place to hang out.
• Are they actually there on purpose as a memorial to a fallen colleague?
• If I moved them to another part of the room, would they end up back on the table?
• If I took them, would anyone realize they were gone?

But most importantly…

• If I took them and started wearing them, would anyone notice?