... [this is where i remind you, everything has a story] ...
... many years ago, while i was visiting with my family in the west indies, my little sister, sue, took me for a tour of the "duty free" shops in georgetown ... it was fun looking at the wicked expensive trinkets, but i didn't buy anything because i know "duty free" simply means "if you knew how to shop you could get it for less back home" ... sue noticed me examining the fancy dive watches ... [confession: among my weaknesses is a fascination of stainless steel thermos bottles, high-intensity flashlights, and, of course, the aforementioned waterproof timepieces] ... i remember her saying, "pat, i know the owner, so i can get it for a lot less," to which i replied something like, "nah ... it won't tell time any better'n my inexpensive casio, and that's good for as deep as i'm ever going to submerge myself ...
... when i was getting ready to enter the boarding area at the airport she reached into her bag and handed me the watch ... something i absolutely didn't need, it was of the greatest surprises and best of presents that i have ever received ...
... every three or four years i've had to have the battery replaced ... the last time i said to myself, "this is ridiculous ... while it's true that this watch records the last ten dives i've made, keeps track of the temperature, warns me how fast i'm ascending, and is so unbelievably rugged if i'm gobbled up by a shark when it eventually poops out the watch it's sure damn thing will still be accurately ticking away, it's also a fact that $36 to have a new battery installed is pure foolishness" ...
... so, for the past couple of years the watch has been sitting in my tupperware "special treasures" bin ... (another confession: i've torn movie ticket stubs from when i was fifteen years old ... i suppose it's good thing you can't keep a broken teenage heart in a plastic container) ... last week i said to myself, "i miss my sister" ... so i took the watch out, made a little tool out of some scrap plastic, opened the back and removed the battery ... three days later, courtesy of amazon.com, the watch was back in service ... the bezel had gotten all scratched from banging against the sand and coral rocks, so i pried it off and gave it a coat of black lacquer ...
... yes, i'm fully aware it's just a silly wrist ornament ... but, since wearing it encourages me to think of my dear sister, i'd say that makes it a rather magical watch, too ...
