29th September 2017 9:45 AM: It was just like any ordinary morning. Nothing unusual, nothing out of the ordinary, I thought. But when I glance up the rambutan tree, as I would do from time to time out of habit while having breakfast, I noticed something odd, something peculiar: a long big tail sticking out from the tree tops. Sitting up and taking a closer look, to my amazement I noticed an eagle-like bird - a Crested Goshawk. Only one thing to do: grab my camera - and fast.
Good thing my father wrote down the date of purchase behind this transistor clock. Otherwise, I wouldn't know how old this clock was. I still vividly remember the day when my father purchased it some 40 years ago from a shop selling clocks and watches at Ipoh old-town.
This clock has been working fine all this while. But last month it stopped suddenly. Replacing the battery in the clock with a new one didn't work. The balance wheel in the clock (which is visible from behind) did move for awhile but then it just stopped a few seconds later. The first thing that came to my mind was that the clock has come to its end-of-life-cycle, destined for the bin. My initial guess was that its electronic components have gone bad after 40 years.
I put it aside for a few days feeling lost. My missus did take it to a local clock shop for repairs but was told to purchase a new one instead since a new (massed produced?) clock costs about RM5 (about US$ 1.50) each in a local DIY store. I suppose the costs of labour exceeds the price of of a new clock and it is just not worth the repair man's time.
