...time piece...'

'...and how would you best describe him?'
one asked.

'Like a watch' he replied.

' A watch?' queries another, leaning forward, her head nodding encouragement for him to continue.

' Or perhaps a clock '

' A clock, mmm, interesting... go on? '

' ...I would say he was like a great grandfather clock, he was ninety-five years old you know...but at the beginning of his time, a watch, just a simple timepiece with... '

' Please continue'

'...I was told that he received one for his tenth birthday, luminous with a stop start feature, he would stand in the garden at night for hours on end timing all the shooting stars that fizzed over the roof...
I'm going to catch them all one day!' he would call out '

' Go on, please'

' ...I still have that watch...it has a crack on the face, a strap missing, the hands are stuck on midnight...they said it was on the night a flaming comet flew by, pulling a net full of silver stars and a red moon...wow...that must have been some sight, don't you think, all those flames and... '

'Yes some sight as you say, and you still have it...the watch...that's amazing after all this time?'

'Sure, I have all of them in fact, every year he would buy a new one, or had one gifted, each one unusual, one offs, they're in a display cabinet at my place , I'm keeping them safe for him, you know, clean them up, set the time and...'

'And?'

' I wear a different one each day, this one for example is from way, way back , very rare and expensive... for sailing the oceans, or when he was flying jet planes, look, it does all kind of things, this dial tells you altitude, and this little one here does...'

'Mmm, yes, very rare, it does look expensive as you say'

'Yeah, yeah, rare, I mean, look at the strap, black leather with red blue sailcloth stitch weave, isn't that just something, eh'

' Yes indeed, just something , but can you please take us back to the day when you last visited his flat...remember what you told us?'

'Yeah, sure...it was Saturday afternoon, he was still in bed...I was standing over him when the alarm clock went off...I tried to shut the thing up and knocked over the cups and medicine bottles on the side table, all that clatter woke him up...
...sorry, just going to fetch you a fresh tea...' I said.

He said nothing, not even a hello or a smile, just lay there glaring at me, I could have been anybody, I don't think he even knew who I was, anyway, that's when he started...'

' That's when he started ?' Carry on, what happened next?'

'Hey, is that my dammed watch you got on there? he shouts.
'Did you steal it from the dresser? I didn't give you permission to wear that?' Give it back to me...'
'Give it back right now, do you hear...'

'On and on he went, cursing and spitting, rant after rant...that's when I...'

'Go on, that's when I ?'

'I put the pillows over his head and...'

'And?'

'Well...I guess after ten, fifteen minutes or so he stopped moving , mouth wide open, staring at the ceiling, he never said another word to me, didn't even ask me what the time was '