Editors note: Many of you of “a certain age” will recall Timex watch commercials narrated by John Cameron Swayze back when television was often only seen in black and white. Here is a reminiscence.
So, eight year old me had a bad habit of missing dinner. My family lived in rural Michigan. I had two square miles of farm pasture to explore. I (almost) always arrived late for dinner.
My neighborhood friends and I would be blissfully playing outside, and I would notice that it was dusk. Realizing that it was well after dinner time (5pm) I would immediately beat feet homeward (it gets dark at 10 pm in the summer.)
My father grew weary of scolding me for my tardiness. One evening he presented me with an inexpensive watch. Further providing me with detailed instructions on the use of the watch.
Two weeks later – at dusk – I arrived home to an exasperated Parents familiar “Why are you late?” My explanation was not entirely forthright.
My reluctance to explain stemmed from a mishap 3 days earlier. I reluctantly showed him a broken watch. Tree climbing was the culprit in the demise of my new watch. After some carefully worded and drawn-out explanations, I managed to avoid punishment.
Two days later my very generous Dad surprised me with another watch.
As visions of tree climbing, wilderness adventures, jumping off roof tops and a multitude of other boyish roughness flashed through my mind. He took off the watch band and told me to carry it in my pants pocket. PROBLEM SOLVED!
So, nearly every night, mostly on time, I arrived for dinner.
Two weeks later… I am running homeward (at dusk.) Only to arrive home to find my consternated father awaiting my arrival.
The ensuing (one way) conversation finely wound down to … “Why are you late? Why can’t you remember to check your watch? Your mother cooked a nice dinner. We want you to enjoy it with us.”
With a little consternation of my own, along with some fidgeting and dancing about, I produced a broken watch. “How did you do that?” he asked. I had no explanation. As, I truly didn’t know. I must admit I did not expect his calm response. “They have commercials of them testing that watch on boat propellers, snow skies, and arrow heads. But it won’t survive you.” Remembering those commercials I responded “They didn’t survive the elephant!”
A mostly true story, take the last paragraph with a grain of salt.
YouTube link to the commercial in question. https://bit.ly/3kwlA21
