Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Dad's Pocket Watch

This is the actual watch I purchased...very good condition.
 I know when a person sees a clock a number of thoughts might pass through their minds; thoughts like making every minute count or that my life is get shorter every minute. I love clocks and watches. Not sure why, but every time I see a clock or a watch or an old clock radio I just gotta take a look. The loud ticking of a mechanical clock is both relaxing and annoying; but always conjures up memories of grandma and grandpas house or my own house as a very young child. My mom loves clocks as well and maybe that is where my fascination with clocks comes from. Now bear in mind I am not obsessed with the notion of time as much as I am the clock.

I was in a store the other day that sold second hand stuff and I came across an old Westclox Bull's Eye pocket watch. I was immediately reminded of the countless times I saw my dad pull his out of his pocket attached to his belt by a rawhide fob to check the time. We would be fishing and he would pull out his watch, working together, gardening, or any other of a number of times one might check the time. Dad was a tree surgeon and a wrist watch was out of the question for him; I am not sure if he viewed it as a safety hazard or not but it was always a pocket watch. Nothing fancy either, it was always the least expensive most reliable he could get; and it was almost invariably a Westclox Bull's Eye.

When I saw the watch in the case at the store I knew that I wanted to buy it as little reminder of my dad. Brand new I am fairly certain that the watch sold for less than $5.00, the problem is that I could have purchased 2 or 3 brand new watches back in the day for what I paid for this old one. Pursuing nostalgia can be an expensive endeavor, but to me it was worth it. I can almost imagine dad rolling his eyes if he knew that I bought this watch for almost $15.00...funny.