Austin, TEXAS, December 23, 2005 — I am famous for wasting time and losing track of time. Alhtough I have a good grasp of what time it is, generally, and can wake myself up in the morning, when necessary. Since I retired, I find I don't wear a watch all the time. I depend on my car clock, clocks all over the house, in the gym.

But today I was suddenly totally watchless. Well, pretty much. I had decided to skip the gym and go walking in the neighborhood for 'exercise.' First I decided to take a short walk and take Chalow along. FFP was tending to his 11th Nutcracker of the season. We had talked about a movie after he got

home. I decided wearing a watch would be a good thing. Now my Timex one with the velcro band disappeared last night at Alamo South. No problem. I have a Swiss Army watch with a stainless band that is a bit much with jeans but will have to do. Only I couldn't find it. It is supposed to be in the closet in one of those little dishes that contains change, mints, collar stays and other pocket fluff. But it wasn't. I looked on the ledge above the kitchen sink, in my drawer where I keep wallet and keys and in other, less likely, places. I looked through some pockets. I had the vague sense that I had 'put it someplace unusual.'

I took the dog for her short walk. (She did fine for those following the health of the immortal dog.) While I was going around a large block with her I thought that maybe the watch was in my workout bag. See, I remembered Monday having on that watch at the pool and taking it off and putting it in my bag with my glasses. I think anyway. It was weird I was wearing that watch. I can't imagine why I was. Did it really happen? Well I went through all the pockets of my workout bag. No watch. Well, if I'm going to have a longer dog-less walk, I better just go. There are a half dozen or more cheap watches lying around all with dead batteries. I actually have an old wind-up watch I could set. But it's gold and a bit much with jeans I'd say. So, no. I walk to the CVS. I think I can replace my lost Timex. They have a locked case of very cheap watches. One would be OK but it has a band made of rubber. I had a watch with a rubber band once. I had a skin rash on my wrist when I wore it. I end up with a huge clunky one with a velcro strap. It was only twenty bucks, though, and it lights up in the dark. It is already running (no pull tab to start battery) so the battery will probably last only a day or two. And while it seems to be EST, it could probably be right. You know, subtracting the hour.

I continue walking, actually browsing a couple of stores (a thrift store and an antique store) and end up at Billy's Burgers eating a turkey Reuben and drinking a coke and using the watch to make sure I get home in time. Of course, I can't wear it because extricating it from its packaging will require a very sharp instrument. Still, I just pull it out of the bag now and then. Subtract an hour, go back to reading The Chronicle. When I'm leaving, I notice a clock on the wall. It's about twenty minutes faster than the time with the watch. Ouch. But bars keep clocks fast, don't they? But maybe not that much. So I think maybe the watch is slow. Or just real fast making me think it was EST.

Still, I walk around the long way back to the foot bridge and stop and look in another thrift store. When I get home, I set the watch (which is only a little slow) to the accurate time on the cable box. After cutting stiff plastic bands that held it in a plastic cage. The mail has come and it includes the January issue of Austin Monthly which touts on the cover: "50 Ways to Save Time in Austin." A glance at these reveals that a lot of the ideas help with commuting (although anyone can use the 'Lamar gambit' for getting downtown as I call it) and taking care of your dog. I wonder if you can hire a dog nurse? I'm just saying, because I'm not looking forward to trying to drain the dog's surgery wound myself over this holiday weekend.

The watch is very clunky and the instructions confusing. Still, when we go to the movie, I wear it. And I check the time at least once during Munich although it's gripping because it is long. Not as long as King Kong and much the better movie.

Someone once said, "Time doesn't pass. We do." I don't have time to look up who! But time was a strange concept to me today. And not just because I couldn't find a working watch. Time goes on without you. Tick, tick.