A Certain Offness

September, 1984

I Have a New Watch that's black, flat, square, watertight to 25 fathoms, and it beeps and flashes and has about 12 functions, including a stop watch, which is what I brought it for. It's Japanese, of course; it cost me about $40; and though I've worn it every day since I bought it, I don't like it much. For one thing, it's digital, which means it's never half past or quarter to in my life anymore. Instead, it's 11:32...16-17-18-19, as if I needed the information the way the lead oarsman in a rac...