A Grandfather Clock

From a very early age, I’ve been fascinated by clocks.

My late Uncle Oscar liked clocks too, and over 40 years ago, he gave my dad an old mantle clock that needed work. I spent hours playing with that clock. It was black, and had columns. It was very stately.

I was especially fascinated by its inner workings. Even though it wasn’t in good repair, the loud ticking and it’s “striking” on the hour gave me hours of pleasure.

About 15 or 20 years ago, Dad had a neighbor who refurbished old clocks to restore that clock to its former glory. He even repainted it and added a marble top. Ever since, it has either sat in the center of my parent’s marble mantle or other places throughout the house marking the time with loud ticks and chimes. Of course, if my dad hasn’t bothered to wind it, it just sits silently as a sentinel wherever.

It’s a neat time piece.

Clocks make great presents. Throughout my married life we’ve been given clocks. But they have all been battery operated and didn’t chime.

Lovey and I received a wonderful kitchen clock as a wedding present 25 years ago. One day after about 10 years, it fell off the wall and broke into a million pieces. Prophetic don’t you think?

She performed a wedding ceremony once and the happy couple gave her a beautiful battery operated wall clock. But after about 5 years, something happened to the hands and they stopped operating. It went with Lovey to worlds unknown. So, I’ll probably never see that one again.

Then, last year, I received a very elegant, battery operated mantle clock for 25 years of service to my employer. It sits in my bedroom on my chest of drawers. It doesn’t chime. It doesn’t tick. BUT, it has given me quite a bit of pleasure.

Well, I have held the same fascination for grandfather clocks. I haven’t known much about them….but I love them. There’s something comforting about the chiming and the ticking. Something I’ve always wanted for my house.

Lovey never allowed me to purchase one.

She had a thing about money. Honestly I think in a previous life she took a vow of poverty or something. She always wanted to spend money on things like buying cows for farmers in India for Christmas.

Or…when she wanted to buy shoes or clothes, she’d go to the Salvation Army. This is a bit odd because I’ve always earned a good salary. She did too. She always wanted to "save" money. She was driven to do this. The only problem was, there was never any evidence of her savings...other than what junk she could find at the thrift shop.

If I, on the other hand purchased an electronic gadget or a CD or a DVD, I was accused of buying “every” CD or “every” DVD. Or, if I bought a new pair of slacks or a shirt or underwear....I'd hear about it.

Ah….precious memories….marital bliss. And everyone speaks of the sanctity of marriage....or is that the sanity of marriage?

So, last evening I had heard about a fancy furniture store here in the DC area going into bankruptcy. Since Lovey removed the majority of the furniture from my house, I obviously need new furniture. So I decided to look.

I wasn’t prepared to see some of these liquidation prices however. Can’t say that I have ever seen a $50,000 (after a substantial discount I might add.) dining room suite…that’s for a table, six chairs, and a china cabinet. At that price it must speak six foreign language, sing and dance and surely the table must gallop across the floor!

As I was leaving the store though, a relatively small, grandfather clock caught my eye. I could almost hear it say, “I’m homeless. You need me. Please take me home!”

I reached for the price tag, it was marked at $1300. Originally it had been at $2200.

I thought. Gee…it’s the right wood(cherry). It’s not got a lot of bells and whistles. It’s a simple clock. It has Westminster chimes. It’s something I’ve always wanted.

So, I purchased it! I didn't have to feel guilty. It didn't take an act of God or Congress or Jesus and the 12 disciples for that matter. It’s going to sit in my living room. My empty living room. That place without any other piece of furniture.

When the transaction was finalized, they took an additional $100 off the price. So in the end it cost me only $1200.

For a grandfather clock!

My grandfather clock!

Not bad!

I think I’ll have the plate that goes on the front of it, engraved to read: “Free at last! Frank’s new life has started. July 2006.”