I bought this clock as a present for my mother. It chimed every quarter, half and full hour for a while. For the past twenty years, however, it only chimes two or three times a year - always at 1:00, 1:15 and 1:30 - sometimes a.m., sometimes p.m. It startles us. We've long since become accustomed to its silence.
Once when it was new we had a mishap. My ex-husband was remodeling the kitchen in my mother's condo. He did a beautiful job. He always said the free jobs he did for people caused him the most problems. He was hammering away to remove an old cabinet when the clock on the other side of the wall fell down and sliced the back of the picture tube off of my mother's beautiful console television. I found out then that a beautiful and HEAVY piece of furniture with a broken television is essentially worthless. There was nothing we could do but buy her a new television from our own tight budget. The clock was fine. Maybe that was when it stopped chiming. I can't remember. It hangs on my wall now secured by a very large and sturdy hook. Someday, I guess this inexpensive, quirky clock will belong to Jaime or Cory.
Could be eerie if there were a pattern to when it chimes.
ReplyDeleteThis makes me think there could be a really interesting book about clocks and their stories. Maybe there already is one.
Ruth, I bet there is such a book. At least, there should be one. I saw your post before I posted this one, but I had been thinking about doing the story of the clock for some reason lately.
ReplyDeleteI grandma had one those cat clocks that eyes went back forth with it's pendulum tail.
ReplyDeleteI guess it does startle you when it only chimes so rarely. What an interesting story.