Watch

I thought I lost my watch yesterday.

Twenty years ago Tom gave me a wristwatch for my birthday. It was a beautiful gold Hamilton watch with a classic face. In those days I was in the habit of losing wristwatches; I must’ve misplaced three watches since I’d been living with Tom. The Timex I had been wearing that winter disappeared- I know not where. So when Tom gave me my new Hamilton, he said, “Watch where you put it. This is no Timex”. I’ll be careful, I promised.

I remember that winter distinctly, we moved to San Diego and the three of us, Tom, Skip (our dog) and I moved into a one-bedroom apartment. It was an exciting time full of new possibilities. Both Tom and I were starting new jobs and exploring our new city. Since our furniture was stored in a Mayflower warehouse somewhere, we slept on the floor in a sleeping bag while we scoured the new city for our house to be. On the first night in our sleeping bag, Tom gave me my birthday present. The new watch.

After my grandmother died I ended up with one of my grandfather’s old pocket watches, it was a classic old Elgin that didn’t run any more. I took it to several jewelers who agreed they couldn’t make it run again. I don’t know if that was literally true, or if jewelers today don’t know what to do with 75-year-old pocket watches. My new Hamilton has a face nearly as attractive as that old Elgin.

I’ve kept my lovely Hamilton lo these many years, changing the bands from time to time and the battery annually. In the last couple of years I’ve worn it on my wrist with a flexible band that stretches over my hand, since I no longer have the dexterity in my fingers to buckle a more traditional leather band.

Yesterday as I prepared for bed I noticed my watch wasn’t on my wrist. I checked the bathroom counter near the sink and I checked my nightstand. I checked the dining table-no watch. My heart began racing. I must have panicked for about 30 minutes. Finally I found it. It was just below my elbow all the time, hidden by the sleeve of my sweater. Since it was one of those unusually cold evenings in Southern California, I was wearing a sweater, an unusual garment for me. I was flooded with relief.

I don’t have many appointments any more; I don’t need to get any place at any particular time. But the thought of losing my watch left me shaken. After all- I had promised to be careful.