Whilst living on a kibbutz in the 1970s I was slightly injured in a bombing

The insurgents was all captured or killed but my injuries although slight

Enabled me to see things almost microscopically which is a gift

I can see the smallest of creatures and often look at tree trunks for entertainment

But it does have its disadvantages as when I go to the cinema

 It feels as if I am part of the movie which can be disconcerting

My girlfriend is from Chile but has lived in France since her youth

She tells me that a good number of people from Chile share my gift

And whilst it is not commonplace it is widely accepted

During the years of the Pinochet regime it was outlawed

And people with the condition were persecuted and imprisoned

Manuela’s parents whilst in exile arranged for a number of these dissidents

To come to France and there are about a hundred living in Paris and Toulouse

I often meet people with this gift and we share our values and ideas

But deep down I think that we would like to be ordinary and see as others do

If only I had not been at the washstand on the day of the bombing

I have considered this often but I cannot change my history

And given the opportunity would I really want to