Strange ............... but true

I have an old Seiko Bell-Matic watch that is rather old. It belonged to my brother-in-law, who has passed away. Not sure where he got it. It quit running about ten years ago. I took it to a jeweler, he said it was too complicated for him, so I put it away in a jewelry box, and it has been nestled there for many years.

Some of you remember my encounter with Sarah Rooselvelt, the mother of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, at Hyde Park, in New York, on a recent visit there.

Two nights ago, I had a dream, very vivid, I think it was a dream, Sarah, for some reason, told me to wear that watch yesterday. She said it would run, but only for sixteen hours. It was a very vivid dream and it was fresh on my mind, so when I woke up, I pulled out that jewelry box, got out the old Seiko Bell-Matic and put it on. I looked at the face of it, and the second hand, was working. I set it, for eight o'clock.

It ran all day. I set the alarm for noon, and it went off, right at twelve. I always liked that watch, and was really pleased that it was working again. It had reminded me of many appointments and meetings in the past, and I had worn it for many years.

I watched Monday Night Football, saw the Patriots go down, big time, and watched the exuberant Saints celebrate at the end of the game.

I went to bed at eleven fifty, I checked the time on the watch, and it was still accurate, according to our other clocks in the room. I was glad to have the old friend back, and took one last glance, at the old Seiko Bell-matic.

I woke up this morning, went to the kitchen to make coffee, put in the coffee, then the water, and I glanced down at my watch, to check the time.

For some reason, it stopped at exactly midnight, and as hard as I tried, it would not run. It is sitting beside me now, both hands on twelve, the second hand no longer moves. It had worked perfectly, for sixteen hours.

Comes the dawn ......................

I am 76, I think, born September, 1932, and I was watching something on TV last night, not sure what it was, Michael Jackson was on most of the channels, but it made me realize, in 76 (if that is correct) years, I have never been GOAL ORIENTED.

That's been my problem, I have never set goals. I just went with the flow, so to speak. I'm sure there is a technical term for it that the shrinks use. Looking back, I think I was even diagnosed with something similar many years ago. I think some shrink I was talking with used the term "pleasure principle" or something like that.

I never planned, just did what happened along.

I decided I wanted to go to college, so I did. Not too long after that, I decided I didn't like college, and, due to the draft at the time, joined the Navy.

Now that, I did for four years, no choice. But my goal was to GET OUT, which I did in four years.

I ended up in Reno, Nevada, another story, and decided I wanted to be a "crap dealer."

OK, I did set some goals, wanted to be a boxman, floor boss, casino manager, work at Lake Tahoe, work in Elko, Nevada at the old Stockmans, which I did, and then got on an Eastbound train, and headed back to Ohio, which is where it all started.

From that point, until today, I just did what came around, or made itself available at the time to me. Worked in a men's store, sold newspaper advertising, worked in an employment agency, owned a bar, worked in a factory for a year, ran a press, worked for a printer for 20 years, had a restaurant during that time also, managed a quick print, did political writing and managed a few campaigns, had my own print shop, had another restaurant, decided to retire, and that's where I am today. This latter took almost 50 years.

The few goals I ever set, I did, but then my ADD kicked in, and I did something else. I have waisted at least six, "golden opportunities," but who knows how those would have effected my life.

But, I am, I think, 76, in reasonably good health, still able to work occasionally, family is doing well, no serious problems, so I am better off than some goal oriented people, I guess. Oh, I have had four wives, I think that fits my pattern. Well, actually married 5 times, married one twice. That's another story.

I don't even have a goal to live so long, just go when its time.

I wonder where I would be now, if I had set goals?

That picture up there might say something ... "You can't have an expensive Cris-Craft on a little farm pond, that's crazy!"