My time with a watch clock
This afternoon found me thinking about watching clocks. Let me rephrase that. Thinking about watch clocks. There, that is better. These were fine pieces of workmanship that allowed companies to satisfy the requirements of the insurance underwriters.
More specifically, to prove that someone visited the back corners of a property, to assure that fire was not destroying the site. Insurance companies are particular about such things.
I had first noticed watch locks when I worked at the boat works, coming out of high school, The site had constructed vessels during wartime, and I guess that the government was watching as well. A watchman would walk around and punch the paper take. Mark the paper tape inside the watch clock. Tricky, but effective.
I also noted the key stations at the university, and then the following summer when I worked in a large factory. More military stuff, and there were these really spooky areas in the upper floors where all of the old blueprints and films from manufacture were in storage. I sort of realized that if I did find a fire, I would be later found in the ashes. Kept me moving, with precision. Like the clock.
You can still buy a watch clock, on internet. Not sure who puts their money down for one but they were fine precision timepieces, with enough mass to serve as a weapon for a watchman. I never had such an occasion, at any point.
My small collection of watch keys is now gone.
I don’t wear a watch. I don’t watch the clock. That was from another time in my life.
