An old style alarm clock. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I’ve been looking for a small appliance that has apparently gone the way of the dodo bird: the windup alarm clock.
Seven stores and no luck so far. I’ve found alarm clocks that plug in, that have battery backups, that run on water. There are alarm clocks that are apps, those that sync to iPads and iPods, and can even recharge your cellphone. And those are all very cool. But I want a small, simple windup model that I can take with me on trips and not have to worry about plugging into anything. A battery-only model would be a good alternate pick, but so far, I’ve failed to find either one.
As strange as it sounds, I have plans when I travel, even on vacation. I actually work out, for one thing. And I have yet to take what you could call a “restful” vacation, meaning the idea of a chaise lounge at the pool, girlie drink in hand, does not figure into the itinerary.
I cannot always figure out the workings of the hotel’s bedside alarm clock, and I never trust the front desk wake-up call. I like the dependability of the windup clock, and the constant ticking is actually soothing; a form of white noise before all those trendy white-noise machines were invented.
My grandmother had the perfect travel alarm clock, a flat gold model with a cover that opened like a book and slipped into her carry on bag like that friend who fits into any social situation. She never traveled without it, and used it even when she was at home. I have no idea what happened to it after she passed away.
I’ll keep looking, but I’m afraid I may be forced to visit the local antique shops to find what I need. Who knows? Maybe I’ll find that perfect travel companion with the classic lines and gentle ring, just like grandma had.
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Notes for My Next Life 