Hi, Gang!
I was going to post this thread in this week's wristies, but at the suggestion of a friend, I thought I should show case it by itself.
This is a story of the old, battered but still working TIMEX Diver a friend, now long gone, gave to me free of charge back around 1978. It has meant a lot to me because TONY, the man who freely gave me this watch, is now passed away. I received this from him by surprise about 1978 when I visited his store (he was a jeweler and a water craftsman) to drop off the PULSAR Diver my wife had given me for my birthday; it needed servicing and needed its bezel loosened because it was clogged with grit and wouldn't move. As I stood there talking to my friend, TONY, I was belly aching how I wouldn't have a watch on my wrist for several days and needed one in my classrooms so I could keep track of the time. Without saying a word, he reached under his counter and handed me this new mechanical wind TIMEX Diver & told me to keep it. I was surprised and tried several times to give him some cash for it; he refused each time. So I walked out of his shop with a new, free watch.
A wind up watch, I wore this daily until my Pulsar Diver was returned to me, then the TIMEX became my second watch and my work watch -- wearing it to the countless dirty jobs I did around, under, and top of the house for the next two decades. From crawling under the house to repair water lines, to climbing up top of our mobile home to recoat the metal roof with gop every three years, to planting flowers every spring, digging up the yard, building a picket fence around the yard, repainting it every third or fourth year, this watch was ALWAYS dirty and covered with dirt, roof coating, paint, wood dust, dirt, etc. -- you name it, it had been on the watch. And, like the famous OLD TIME advertising used to proclaim; "TIMEX: IT TAKES A LICKING AND KEEPS ON TICKING." How true. I've cleaned this watch with paint thinner, turpentine, soap, etc. to clean it -- and all of that never interfered with its operation. I would even hack it to the Atomic Clock out at Fort Carson, Colorado (www.time.gov) which had shown me its time keeping ability.
My friend TONY died suddenly some time in the late 80's while my wife and I were away, and I never knew of his passing until I walked into his store to purchase a few things and was met by his daughter (and my friend) Jeannette, who was now in charge. When I asked where her father was, she softly replied that he had died a few weeks ago. I was stunned to my core and actually shed a few tears because my now late friend was ALWAYS helpful, funny as hell, and a good friend. I explained to Jeannette why my wife and I weren't there for his wake and funeral; thankfully, she understood & talked a long time about him. (NOTE: chatting with customers was THE NORM at Tony's place, so it always felt like home. As the pictures will attest, the TIMEX he gave me took a licking "...and kept on ticking.' The paint on the bracelet had worn away & looked terrible, but it was a reflection of all the work-years I wore it and was testimony to the friendship I had enjoyed with TONY. JEANNETTE cleaned it for me, remarking out its condition, which was very good, and just oiled it. She asked me if I wanted a new bracelet for it but declined. This old watch was more than an old TIMEX; it was a TIME CAPSULE filled with memories of the good times I had enjoyed with a dear friend who ALWAYS gave me a helping hand when I need it. I now wear it once-in-a-while for a few hours, then return it to its watch box. When I wear it, I'm transported back to my friend's side, where we chatted & laughed & played tricks on both his daughter and my wife. Here it is. dave;
I was going to post this thread in this week's wristies, but at the suggestion of a friend, I thought I should show case it by itself.
This is a story of the old, battered but still working TIMEX Diver a friend, now long gone, gave to me free of charge back around 1978. It has meant a lot to me because TONY, the man who freely gave me this watch, is now passed away. I received this from him by surprise about 1978 when I visited his store (he was a jeweler and a water craftsman) to drop off the PULSAR Diver my wife had given me for my birthday; it needed servicing and needed its bezel loosened because it was clogged with grit and wouldn't move. As I stood there talking to my friend, TONY, I was belly aching how I wouldn't have a watch on my wrist for several days and needed one in my classrooms so I could keep track of the time. Without saying a word, he reached under his counter and handed me this new mechanical wind TIMEX Diver & told me to keep it. I was surprised and tried several times to give him some cash for it; he refused each time. So I walked out of his shop with a new, free watch.
A wind up watch, I wore this daily until my Pulsar Diver was returned to me, then the TIMEX became my second watch and my work watch -- wearing it to the countless dirty jobs I did around, under, and top of the house for the next two decades. From crawling under the house to repair water lines, to climbing up top of our mobile home to recoat the metal roof with gop every three years, to planting flowers every spring, digging up the yard, building a picket fence around the yard, repainting it every third or fourth year, this watch was ALWAYS dirty and covered with dirt, roof coating, paint, wood dust, dirt, etc. -- you name it, it had been on the watch. And, like the famous OLD TIME advertising used to proclaim; "TIMEX: IT TAKES A LICKING AND KEEPS ON TICKING." How true. I've cleaned this watch with paint thinner, turpentine, soap, etc. to clean it -- and all of that never interfered with its operation. I would even hack it to the Atomic Clock out at Fort Carson, Colorado (www.time.gov) which had shown me its time keeping ability.
My friend TONY died suddenly some time in the late 80's while my wife and I were away, and I never knew of his passing until I walked into his store to purchase a few things and was met by his daughter (and my friend) Jeannette, who was now in charge. When I asked where her father was, she softly replied that he had died a few weeks ago. I was stunned to my core and actually shed a few tears because my now late friend was ALWAYS helpful, funny as hell, and a good friend. I explained to Jeannette why my wife and I weren't there for his wake and funeral; thankfully, she understood & talked a long time about him. (NOTE: chatting with customers was THE NORM at Tony's place, so it always felt like home. As the pictures will attest, the TIMEX he gave me took a licking "...and kept on ticking.' The paint on the bracelet had worn away & looked terrible, but it was a reflection of all the work-years I wore it and was testimony to the friendship I had enjoyed with TONY. JEANNETTE cleaned it for me, remarking out its condition, which was very good, and just oiled it. She asked me if I wanted a new bracelet for it but declined. This old watch was more than an old TIMEX; it was a TIME CAPSULE filled with memories of the good times I had enjoyed with a dear friend who ALWAYS gave me a helping hand when I need it. I now wear it once-in-a-while for a few hours, then return it to its watch box. When I wear it, I'm transported back to my friend's side, where we chatted & laughed & played tricks on both his daughter and my wife. Here it is. dave;
