Sep 6, 2016 3 min read

Don’t look now, but the clock is ticking. From the time that dreaded alarm clock rings in the morning until I set the alarm again each night, I feel like time is working against me.

Maybe I am overscheduled or make too many “to do” lists and try to check off each task quickly to get it off my mind, but my real goal is to get everything done so I have a free day each week with virtually no obligations. I do make a lot of lists from groceries to errands and what I need to pack in my suitcase for an upcoming vacation. Once I cross a task or item off the list, I breathe easier and my mind is at ease. However, when I can’t seem to get something done or an errand lingers for more than a week, it starts to annoy me.

Such was the case with getting a new battery for my watch. I love that watch, and it looks fancy and expensive enough that people compliment me on it. I find this funny because I bought it about a year ago for $25. When the battery died, I thought about pitching it and just buying a new watch, since this one is starting to tarnish in spots. Instead, I decided to take out the battery and find a replacement.

If you have ever pried open a watch, you know it’s not always easy. Try as I might, I couldn’t crack this one. I threw it in my purse and headed to a local superstore where I assumed they would be able to help me. Apparently, this was my first mistake. The woman at the jewelry counter told me she couldn’t pop open the watch since I didn’t buy it there. I asked if she had a tool that I could use to try it, but she said no.

Undeterred, I looked around the housewares section in search of a paring knife to pry it open (I am not making this up, trust me.) Did you know they keep all of the knives in stores covered and zip-tied for safety? Probably a good idea. I did manage to find a table knife but still couldn’t pry open that watch, and the folks in the hardware section had no better luck.

Finally, I admitted defeat and did what I should have done in the first place: get in the car and drive to a real jewelry store. I even struck out on my first attempt there and was just about to throw the watch in the trash when I tried a second jewelry store. Finally, they flipped it open, popped in a new battery and sent me on my way. I don’t know if my $25 watch was worth wasting all of that time and effort, but it made me happy to keep it ticking for another year.

Kristin Emery can be reached at kristinemery1@yahoo.com.