Do you have “Time-A-Phobia”? or its other name commonly used is “Second Hand Syndrome”  Its not easy to explain so I’ll start at the beginning.  As every child grows up many things stick in your mind good or bad.  A famous quote attributed to “St, Francis Xavier” is “Give me a child until he is seven and I’ll give you the Man” 

Digital L.E.D. Watches

I was around six when I noticed my mother clutching her handbag and rocking gently back and forth in her chair, every few seconds my mother would stare at the clock and rock slightly harder in the chair.  This was one Saturday afternoon in 1970, my father came into the room and put his hands on his hips and said  “Look they said they will pick us up at 3.30 and its only 3.40 so their a bit late”  My mother replied  “Well this is my cousins wedding they should be here on time!”

My father turned to me and said  “Ignore your mother she is obsessed with time and punctuality”  My mother began shouting at my father and even at the age of six I decided I didn’t want to be suckered in to an argument, all I wanted to do was watch “Lost in Space” on the T.V.!

The next day after the wedding my mother took me to one side and told me that in life I should never be late for anything not ever.  She continued to explain that if I was late for someone I would be saying that my time is far more important than their time.  This message has stuck with me ever since and has morphed itself into “Time-A-Phobia” or “Second Hand Syndrome” the latter name refers to watching the second hand unwind on a time piece.

Every birthday or Christmas I always requested a watch, on the run-up to my Birthday I would pour over a mail order catalogue looking for the most accurate watch available on our working class budget.  I was the first kid down our street to have a black-faced L.E.D. watch (Light Emitting Diode) it ate batteries like sweats but it was damn accurate.  I would check it against the “Speaking Clock” on the telephone.