I was standing at the check out line at a large chain store; my arms were laden with all kinds of merchandise. The store was officially closed for the day and all the weary shoppers were waiting to complete their purchases. A boy of about 8 years old was standing next to his mother looking at his new gift. His mother smiled happily, glad that her son was so pleased. The gift was a digital watch with a plastic black band. I must have been around the same age when I got my first watch just like the boy. Those happy memories of childhood brought a slight smile to my face.
“What does this do?” The boy in line was showing his mother the watch and pressing the small silver buttons.
“What does this do?” repeated his mother a bit puzzled.
The boy turned the watch over, squinted at the round case back.
His mother watched him for a second a slight frown between her eyes, “Why, it tells the time.” She said
“Tells the time!” the boy said, “But what does it do?”
I, too, was a bit puzzled over the boy’s childish bewilderment, but then I realized that kids growing up today are bombarded with fancy gadgets that whirl and pulsate with sounds and images, and according to the boy this watch was a bit simple. However simple as it may seem; the mere art of capturing something so intangible as time, is a wonderment in itself.