Swatch magic and youthful joy
When I was in sixth grade, I wanted nothing more than a red and gray swatch with a paisley face and to kiss Simon LeBon. Kissing Simon LeBon wasn’t likely to ever happen, but surely I could own a paisley Swatch. I would daydream about wearing my awesome Swatch with multi-colored Swatch guards while my friends oohed and aahed until the bell rang and we would walk back to class in our stirrup pants and over-sized t-shirts. My dream was crushed when my parents bought me a Coca-Cola watch. I gratefully accepted the subpar watch, but it never held my affections the way the Swatch would have. I’m not sure why they went with Coca-Cola instead, but it was most likely $4 cheaper and therefore worth teaching me to settle.
When I started using e-bay twelve years later, I purchased the paisley-faced Swatch. The battery died after a few months and I never replaced it. Since I wasn’t eleven anymore, the Swatch didn’t bring the magic I had hoped for. I’m pretty sure kissing Simon LeBon would still be magical, but that remains unlikely to happen. I still have the paisley Swatch and look at it lovingly from time to time. My kids like to try it on and I don’t complain when it ends up in the toy box.
We recently went to visit my husband’s family in Manchester, and our trip fell during UK Mother’s Day. In the Manchester airport, you have to walk through duty free to get to the gates. As we lugged our bags and children through the cologne-clouded shiny room, something special caught my eye- a Swatch display. I stopped at the display and my husband encouraged me to pick out a watch for UK Mother’s Day. I found a simple black Swatch, and he pointed to a red one that was much more suited to me. I went with the red, and I’ve worn it every day since. Thanks to a perfectly placed display and a generous husband, I have finally captured my Swatch magic.
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Penni, this is an awesome story. Now I’m all happy.
I’m happy that you’re happy.
Love this story!
Swatch Magic, BELIEVE IT!
And I bet Simon is still waiting to deliver his magical smooch.
The Paisley Swatch was the first purchase I made with my first paycheck from my first job (part-time fast food) when I was 16. I cherished it for years and recently ran across it in an old jewelry box. I know how you felt!