The slow death of a watch

This is a story about my watch.

I've had this watch since about 1996. It was Mom's before it was mine. I was too poor to buy my own watch (seriously) and she got tired of me always asking her what time it was. So, she bought herself a new one and gave me this one. What I love about the watch is that the face is clean looking - the numbers are easy to read and the hands are easy to see, they even glow at night! And the band is stretchy - I don't have to worry about working a clasp, I just slip it over my hand and I'm good to go. This watch cost her less than $10. That's how poor I was at the time. I was young, recently divorced, working a full time job and my paycheck was absolutely stretched to the limit between rent, car, fuel, insurance, etc. I look back at that time in my life and wonder how I did it.

I have probably put 5 new batteries in this watch over the course of it's life - I just put one in it a couple of months ago, as a matter of fact. But, this watch is on it's last leg. The links of the band are starting to give out and now it is so loose on my wrist that it just hangs and twists. You can see several broken links in this pic. Ignore the blue veins. I'm pale, they show. Sorry.

Here's why I don't want to go buy a new watch:  because I'm a tightwad! I want my free watch to last my lifetime! I like this watch! I don't want it to die! I don't want to have to stand in front of the watch display, trying to pick out a new one and get frustrated because they don't have another one like it! I want it to last forever and ever, Amen! I guess, much like our mortal bodies, the mechanical, man-made possessions have a shelf life, too. However, I'm going to hold on to this watch until it falls off my arm - and then I'm going to save it and be buried with it! As long as it still works and will hold a new battery, I'm going to keep loving this cheap, old, worn out watch! Yes, I realize that I've already invested more in batteries than what the watch is worth. Don't make fun, some of you are so cheap that you're wearing underwear and socks with holes in them! :)