[2498] in Humor
HUMOR: The fancy watch
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Sharalee M. Field)
Wed Oct 14 18:21:23 1998
Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1998 18:18:03 -0400
To: humor@MIT.EDU, mowu@MIT.EDU, "MEGallagh@aol.com" <MEGallagh@aol.com>,
wheger@wbc-architects.com,
"kris.m.kelly@us.pwcglobal.com" <kris.m.kelly@us.pwcglobal.com>,
jbran18610@aol.com, dunbar@MIT.EDU, dahv@MIT.EDU, mtsai@bqa.com,
immer@MIT.EDU, jack.gingras@ae.ge.com, tlawlor@palmerdodge.com,
nkahn@gph.com, GDeVoe@rimco.com,
"Jean, Marc (GEAE)" <marc.jean@ae.ge.com>, celia_kent@harvard.edu,
Maryellen Fitzgibbon <mfitzgib@fas.harvard.edu>,
cjwells@fas.harvard.edu,
Cheryl Guarino Buccelli <c_buccelli@harvard.edu>,
leite@fas.harvard.edu
From: "Sharalee M. Field" <sharalee_field@harvard.edu>
>From: "Joke of the Day" <<Joker@joker.org>
>Subject: The fancy watch
>Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1998 02:01:03 -0500
>
> ___________________________________________________________
>
> Jake is struggling through an airport terminal with two
> huge and obviously heavy suitcases when a stranger walks up
> to him and asks: "Have you got the time?"
>
> Jake sighs, puts down the suitcases and glances at his
> wrist. "It's a quarter to six", he says.
>
> "Hey, that's a pretty fancy watch!" exclaims the stranger.
>
> Jake brightens a little. "Yeah, it's not bad. Check this
> out..." - and he shows him a time zone display not just for
> every time zone in the world, but for the 86 largest
> metropoli. He hits a few buttons and from somewhere on the
> watch a voice says "The time is eleven till six" in a very
> West Texas accent. A few more buttons and the same voice
> says something in Japanese. Jake continues "I've put in
> regional accents for each city. The display is unbelievably
> high quality and the voice is simply astounding." The
> stranger is struck dumb with admiration.
>
> "That's not all...", says Jake. He pushes a few more
> buttons and a tiny but very hi-resolution map of New York
> City appears on the display. "The flashing dot shows our
> location by satellite positioning", explains Jake. "View
> recede ten", Jake says, and the display changes to show
> eastern New York state.
>
> "I want to buy this watch!" says the stranger.
>
> "Oh, no, it's not ready for sale yet; I'm still working out
> the bugs", says the inventor. "But look at this", and he
> proceeds to demonstrate that "the watch is also a very
> creditable little FM radio receiver with a digital tuner, a
> sonar device that can measure distances up to 125 meters, a
> pager with thermal paper printout and, most impressive of
> all, the capacity for voice recordings of up to 300
> standard-size books, though I only have 32 of my favorites
> in there so far" says Jake.
>
> "I've got to have this watch!" says the stranger.
>
> "No, you don't understand; it's not ready."
>
> "I'll give you $1000 for it!"
>
> "Oh, no, I've already spent more than ..."
>
> "I'll give you $5000 for it!"
>
> "But it's just not ..."
>
> "I'll give you $15,000 for it!" And the stranger pulls out
> a checkbook.
>
> Jake stops to think. He's only put about $8,500 into
> materials and development, and with $15,000 he can make
> another one and have it ready for merchandising in only six
> months. The stranger frantically finishes writing the
> check and waves it in front of him.
>
> "Here it is, ready to hand to you right here and now.
> $15,000. Take it or leave it."
>
> Jake abruptly makes his decision. "OK", he says, and peels
> off the watch and hands it to the stranger.
>
> They make the exchange and the stranger starts happily
> away.
>
> "Hey, wait a minute", calls Jake after the stranger, who
> turns around warily. Jake points to the two suitcases he
> had been trying to wrestle through the terminal. "Don't
> forget your batteries."
> --------------------------------------------
> Thanks to Salih Zeki OZDEMIR for that one :)
> ___________________________________________________________
>
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Sharalee M. Field University Hall 11
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