Ode to a watch #61

How strange--eerie! This is you--exactly, my darling watch!--my one and only. Now "everybody knows--everybody knows"--like Leonard says. Even the scratches are the same on your  glass.  No you`re nothing fancy, but a most special little thing you are, ever.

Yeah--crazy-"ode to a watch"--but then nothing has ever touched you?  Has it?  It could be a watch, a dog or a person--whatever , whomever it is a special moment. Keep it safe, protect it -for such moments do not occur very often. Make it sacred and  make it holy and filled with God. Be that a simple little watch, for it what it holds that is of importance not what it is. It is not what we are,   whom we are-- but what we hold that is of importance.  It is what it brings out of us, from within our soul.  Blessed be~!

I saw an advert today--"Oliver`s jewellers" wanting to buy of anything of value- Gold, silver and all kinds of well known watches--and he mentioned Baum & Mercier.

I have one--or rather he has me. I wear him on my right hand--generally watches are worn on the left hand, not mine--for I think one should wear the watch that keeps one life in step should be worn on the dominant hand. Thus--right it is for my little watch.

Strange idea came to me when I heard Oliver the jeweller--Keates` -"Ode to an Urn". As a student in school when I had to read it, learn it I "thought how utterly stupid".  Now--these days and as I get older it seems to make more and more sense--and the thoughts behind it. But now, I am  not here to discuss Keats and his philosophy be that urns or life--but my own little watch.

Yes--your heard right-w-a-t-c-h as in a time piece--thus this is "ode to a watch". For this one truly deserves an ode, even more--perhaps a medal of sorts. So let me elaborate further on this subject of "my watch". He is the most remarkable watch in the world--I would wager on it. For something to be so determined, to be so strong one has to have a special heart and a special soul. He has that--especially a very big heart,  as he ticks, ticks and ticks...on and on and on tirelessly.

However I don`t want to discuss anything serious, nothing heavy only light--the story and adventures of my wondrous  little watch--which day and night, night and day sits on my right hand, actually wrist...and keeps going, going and going.

Now this extraordinary time piece says--1.15 am this moment, which is exactly to the second. --Now you may well ask why is this timepiece so special? Well for one--it is a Baume & Mercier, which is one of the most expensive watches in the world, but that is not his importance. Money is not everything at all--at all. Quality is--as well as its importance is the time when I got him. My sister Dolores wasn`t even born yet, man was not on the moon either  and I was only in grade 5. All true--and the more miraculous thing is, that he has never ever stopped for a moment since that time, neither is he losing or gaining a moment.  Now--if this ain`t the Rolls -Royce of watches I have no idea what could be. Also it is rather miraculous if you ask me.

What can I tell you about him?--His body is gold--true, but that is not his value. His history is. His longevity is. His very heart is. He actual travel through life with me is from age 11--and that is some trip I have to say that we have covered.  A few lifetimes for many-only one for me. A happy one at times sad--gaining losing, being present, being absent--living, loving, losing. All in conglomeration, all in a mix and all in life. And he will probably keep going once I have left this earthly realm--I can tell.

This little watch has seen it all--more than even my mother regarding me--for it has seen me in all my glory, all my failures and in all my pain--seen me all true, honest, bleeding and naked. No one has except--this little "ticking  watch" has ever seen me truly, clearly and honestly. He is truly my friend confidant and lover-one that has seen everything with me, been through with me and knows all about me.

So how did this little wonder come into my life?...this is his story.

My father had a friend--he was into all kinds of schemes and things. One day he came and said he has some things to sell--jewellery mostly, and it had amongst it this little watch. He wanted nothing extra  for the watch it came with the rest of the deal. He had won it all in a a game of "beans" from a Greek a few night before. He wanted very little, just a few Rand--and my father bought the  whole "kit & kaboodle"--I have no idea how much, but we never really had any money, so it must have been very few Rand indeed.

I was in Std.3--grade 5--Mrs Ross`s class when --I can`t remember why, but I got him. It was for no specific reason, he wasn`t a good looking watch--just a time piece.  To this day--I am sure my father would not have know what a famous make he is. He was just a watch for a kid--a man`s watch. He was automatic--there was no need to ever wind him up, no batteries--all one needed was to wear him. At that time I used to wear him on my left hand , as watches go--then I changed when I was in grade 12 or so.  No--come to think of it-- it was long before that because I played the piano accordion and he was in the way--and my teacher Marie--wore her watch on her right hand--so that was the reason really why he got transferred.

Since I got him he  has not left my hand for even one  night--we have never ever been separate., or spent a night away from each other.  Believe it or not I don`t ever take him of even at night--I swear! The only time he comes off is when I take a bath, then he rest in the bathroom next to the sink or on the night table. yes--he has seen me in  my birthday suit--and he couldn`t care less what I look like. His love is absolutely un-conditional. :-)He simply couldn`t care less whether my legs are shaven my hair is messed up or I have nada make up on--he loves me anyway. Now who on earth would do that? Isn`t that pure, utter love?

And he has never not stopped ticking, and ticking since whenever--not losing even a moment. Maybe he is so faithful because I am so faithful--who knows. We just love each other as real true lovers do. Perhaps that is the secret. Maybe it is this love what is fuelling this desire of his of "ticking". Whatever it is--it is certainly magick.

He`s travelled through many countries with me--all over Europe has seen many up-close-and-personal--Budapest, Vienna,  Paris, Zurich, Madrid, Rome and London. Hung out in Mexico amongst the ruins of Chitzen  Itza. In Buenos Aires Argentina--we shopped till we dropped. In Brazil we cooled ourselves on Ipanema Beach , --seen the center of the world  and a few lamas in Quito. We have seen Carnival, danced and drunk rum like there was no tomorrow in the  in Port of Spain till dawn. Swam and combed the beaches of the Island of Tobago with Melba.  Oliver as he glimpsed "Pigeon Point"  at age 14 exclaimed, "this must be paradise". Now what a wonderful memory is that?

We--even visited and had drinks with the president of Trinidad in his palace. In Bangkok we saw where Anna taught the king, we bought a tiger--and we prayed where the Emerald Buddha keeps court. We swam on Pattaya Beach and fished out on the islands--. In Hong Kong, we got deported for not having the right papers.

Spent weeks in NY City many summers --walked in  Central Park, on Lexington, 5th Avenue. Ah--seen "Oh, Calcutta" on Broadway even and a few more--checked out the desperation of the Bowery as well as Harlem. Played Atlantic City--and picked up shells on the Atlantic Beach.

 Lived in South Africa--seen Natal, Orange Free State and the Cape, Swaziland, Basutoland--in all its glory--the Indian meeting the Atlantic Ocean Witnessed "the most beautiful cape in the whole circumference of the earth" as Sir Francis Drake put it.  And saw the beauty of Namaqualand, and the glory of Howick Falls--we never made it to the Zambezi though and Victoria Falls. next time. :-)Watched many a dawn sitting on the sands of Durban  by "the Marine Parade" while dreaming of the future--Watched Harry at the Lido--he was gay. Who knew what that meant--only just being happy, we thought.. We were. Saw boyfriends come and go--loves lost, hearts broken.

Went on safaris in the Kruger Park many times--slept with the hyenas in Shingwedzi and Skukuza. Lost all our money in Sun City on the roulette wheel--but had great fun. Sunbathed on Durban Beach--won a final place in the beauty contest under "the little top"--later I came in 3rd-well nothing to sneeze at. We did look cute--well were cute!  We played awesome games of tennis--:-)

Won numerous medals for fencing, gold, silver and bronze--have a box filled in the cupboard here. Still have a huge silver trophy on the wall as well--a floating one that I failed to return when we left--bad girl! Though I did win it 3 years running, maybe I did deserve to keep it finally after winning it so many times. It has 3 plaques on it with my name--so there! --We had a good chance at the Olympics didn`t we?-- but we were boycotted. Ah yes--we played piano, the accordion had a shot at the guitar--all those drama, elocution, dancing and singing  lessons. What the hell for?

And Canada--experienced Montreal with its magnificence of St Joseph`s Oratory and the cross--where Leslie, my father and grandfather are buried on Mount Royal.  Love Toronto in its contemporary mode--and our most beautiful north--Algonquin Park and Georgian Bay with its spectacular wilderness.  Have see Niagara Falls and visited the wineries of Ontario wine country--and even Buffalo, which was not that great.
 
We have lived in many cities--Johannesburg, Montreal, Toronto for many years. You have had all kinds of straps --from leather--to plastic--to cotton-- and now metal finally. You loved every moment of your  life--so you have said --and you are extremely happy to be with me, as I am to be with you.

You`re loving, sweet, gentle and understanding--you are never angry argumentative or  jealous. You never fight, hold grudges , never complain or nag, Nor are you ever upset at me. You`re always on time, you`re never late, nor are you early--you love and adore me as I adore you. You`ve been to births, weddings, anniversaries, christenings, graduations as well as --sadly, funerals with me. You have seen all that there is to see in life--the good, the bad as well as the ugly.

Ah--we have seen great movies and extremely bad ones--Heard most  all of Shakespeare as well as seen most operas, plays as well as well as all of  Andrew Lloyd Webber  et al  of the modern stuff. So--we can say you are  a rather sophisticated watch when it comes to culture. Been to church regularly in Johannesburg at  Christ the King--heard the "hallelujah chorus" every Christmas and Easter at the Blessed Trinity  here in Toronto with Fr.Ambrose presiding. Have seen a few priests come and go, to heaven as well as to other parishes--even seen Pope John Paul ll up close and personal. As well as Sr.St Anne, Sr.Annunciation, Sr.Paschal  as well as Mother Columba at the convent--wow. Order of the "Holy Family"--Irish nuns they were.  Fr.Peron, Fr.Barry at St Francis of Assisi. We are here--where are they now?

All those people, dogs, birds coming in and out of our lives--only us two are left. All have "gone home". People  we loved and cherished, all that we held dear--all gone. Only you and me babe--only you and me. All else is gone with the wind. Strange--one can simply put all of one`s life into one entry on one page --in an hour or so. Yet--it has been a lifetime for both of us--How very odd.

I have not had you cleaned or anything done to you in fear that it may damage you--I hope I maybe able to leave you to Adriyanna--for I know she is the only one that will hold you dear. I hope you shall have a longer life that I, and a happy one--in fact I know you will. You are  looking a little older than you did many years ago--a little more tarnished--but you do keep time better than the young ones do. I am so happy, proud and blessed to have you. You has seen everything and then some. You has had an interesting , wonderful life--so you tells me. I know we did! Ah--we remember it all well.

Funny you my sweet thing  seem so alive because you are ticking and ticking--Now, ticking is the secret I suppose to life. May you tick for long! You remind me of so many sweet memories--.

Imagine --have you ever seen or heard anyone living this long as you ever -my little watch? How long is this in watch time, in watch years? :-) Sounds like eternity to me. Well longer than 1964--longer then you darling  O have been living. You weren`t even been born yet when we met--imagine. Where were you then?

You`re still --Going, going, going, going.......out of love for me. You are  one of the only constants in my life--and I can probably count all the constants on one hand.  I thank the Lord for little watches like you!--and Greeks who play "beans"...and meeting you my darling O.