Goodbye.

If inanimate objects could speak, I would love to know what this clock would say. This clock is older than most of the students in my college classes. I remember where this clock sat in the house that I lived in in 1987. I don't how I got this clock, I don't remember if it was a gift or if it was simply put in my room one day. All I know is this clock is at least 25 years old. I really can't say that I know of any other object that has been with me for 25 years. I was eight when I remember this clock appearing in my room. It moved with me to so many different places. It has a seconds counter on it when a button is pushed. For some strange reason I remember going through a phase in my teens where I slept on the floor and put this clock right next to me. I remember pushing that seconds button over and over again as I lie there trying to fall asleep. I would try to guess what "second" it was on. Then it went to Penn State with me. One morning I was supposed to be at work very early during the hectic holiday season. I was considered one of the most reliable employees, that was until I set this alarm to "PM" instead of "AM". Every time the lights flicker during a storm, the notorious flashing 12 would appear. I would have to reset it.




The AM/FM buttons stopped sliding, the alarm button fell off (I would have to slide it with a pen) and if the button was down too far, I would wake up to a loud, static filled FM station. Wow, was that annoying! However, this trusty old clock still stuck with me. I hated the alarm sound. It was so brash. I even dropped it a few times trying to find my way through a dark bedroom. During some tough times, I remember lying in bed just staring at the bright red time slowly tick by. A few weeks ago, the lights flickered. When I went to bed, the flashing 12 was annoying, so I unplugged the clock. It was never plugged in again. I decided that a 25 year old electric cord was just too risky to plug back in. The clock has been replaced with my cell phone alarm that is equally annoying. So, it is going out in the trash tomorrow. I feel a very strange feeling of loss knowing I will never see this clock again. I know that is weird but it's true.




Way to go, Inspector B25. You did your job well!