The gift arrived in the regular mail: a nondescript square box wrapped in thick brown paper with a striking, quite beautiful royal blue and white mailing label on top saying it came from the Lichtenberg Watch Company.
Tony Areal’s eyes widened on seeing that name because for the last few years one of his dreams was to own a Lichtenberg watch; in particular, the Lichtenberg ‘Figure’ wristwatch that cost over nine thousand dollars. He loved watches but most especially this one. However he had nowhere near the kind of money to spend on something as wonderfully frivolous and unnecessary as an almost ten grand wristwatch. It was a nice unrealistic dream, but one he returned to often. Whatever was in this package was probably some sort of nasty joke from a smartass friend who knew how much Areal coveted the beautiful timepiece. Whoever it was had somehow gotten hold of one of the Lichtenberg Company’s mailing labels and stuck it on this box, hoping to trick Tony into believing his dream had magically come true and for once in his not interesting life the gods really had favored him for some mysterious reason. However on opening this surprising arrival of course he’d only find something dumb and disappointing inside, like a rubber duck or package of cheap condoms. Certainly not the glorious ‘Figure’ watch he had desired for so long.
He picked up his pocket knife and after opening it, carefully cut along one of the box’s seams. He thought, “I know it isn’t in here, but what the hell—until I see what is , I’m going to pretend it’s a ‘Figure.’ For the next thirty seconds of my life I’m going to pretend some amazingly generous friend sent me a Lichtenberg watch out of the blue because they love me. Ha!”
He’d seen so many photos and video clips of the watch and the meticulous painstaking way it was made. He’d even watched with unwavering attention a YouTube clip of the “unboxing” of a ‘Figure’ (112 views) wherein some lucky guy who’d bought the watch filmed himself opening the simple but lovely cherrywood case with the signature two lightning bolts on the lid that was a ‘Figure’s’ safe home when not being used.
After opening all four flaps of the cardboard package and bending them backward, Areal pulled off a fat layer of protective plastic bubble wrap—and froze. Because there beneath it, he saw those instantly recognizable black lightning bolts…
“ What the hell …” Mouth open in both awe and consternation, he awkwardly slid his hands down inside the cardboard and pulled out a square wooden box emblazoned with that oh-so familiar black logo on the lid. “ No way!”
But it was real. He undid the small brass hook and eye holding the top closed (even that was beautifully made) and lifted it. Staring him right in the eye was a Lichtenberg ‘Figure’ watch addressed to the one and only Anthony Areal.
For a few moments he was almost, no he was afraid to take the watch out of the box. Maybe this was all a minutely detailed dream and the moment he actually touched the thing he’d either wake up in his real world where this treasure wasn’t there inches in front of him, or it would turn into a pumpkin (or something else weird), like Cinderella’s coach at midnight.
“Screw it!” Reaching down, he carefully tugged the heavy object out of the royal blue velvet that held it firmly in place. Even if this was a dream, once in his life Tony was going to actually hold a damned Lichtenberg ‘Figure’ watch in his hand. And if it were real by some miracle, then the sooner that happened the better.
The watchband was a deep red oxblood color. He knew from reading on the Lichtenberg website that the leather was made by Horween, the best of the best. The watch’s brushed aluminum case, black face with luminous white hands and numerals…. This had to be the real thing, although for a few mini seconds the paranoid thought flashed across his mind that it might only be a good copy
Tony Areal’s eyes widened on seeing that name because for the last few years one of his dreams was to own a Lichtenberg watch; in particular, the Lichtenberg ‘Figure’ wristwatch that cost over nine thousand dollars. He loved watches but most especially this one. However he had nowhere near the kind of money to spend on something as wonderfully frivolous and unnecessary as an almost ten grand wristwatch. It was a nice unrealistic dream, but one he returned to often. Whatever was in this package was probably some sort of nasty joke from a smartass friend who knew how much Areal coveted the beautiful timepiece. Whoever it was had somehow gotten hold of one of the Lichtenberg Company’s mailing labels and stuck it on this box, hoping to trick Tony into believing his dream had magically come true and for once in his not interesting life the gods really had favored him for some mysterious reason. However on opening this surprising arrival of course he’d only find something dumb and disappointing inside, like a rubber duck or package of cheap condoms. Certainly not the glorious ‘Figure’ watch he had desired for so long.
He picked up his pocket knife and after opening it, carefully cut along one of the box’s seams. He thought, “I know it isn’t in here, but what the hell—until I see what is , I’m going to pretend it’s a ‘Figure.’ For the next thirty seconds of my life I’m going to pretend some amazingly generous friend sent me a Lichtenberg watch out of the blue because they love me. Ha!”
He’d seen so many photos and video clips of the watch and the meticulous painstaking way it was made. He’d even watched with unwavering attention a YouTube clip of the “unboxing” of a ‘Figure’ (112 views) wherein some lucky guy who’d bought the watch filmed himself opening the simple but lovely cherrywood case with the signature two lightning bolts on the lid that was a ‘Figure’s’ safe home when not being used.
After opening all four flaps of the cardboard package and bending them backward, Areal pulled off a fat layer of protective plastic bubble wrap—and froze. Because there beneath it, he saw those instantly recognizable black lightning bolts…
“ What the hell …” Mouth open in both awe and consternation, he awkwardly slid his hands down inside the cardboard and pulled out a square wooden box emblazoned with that oh-so familiar black logo on the lid. “ No way!”
But it was real. He undid the small brass hook and eye holding the top closed (even that was beautifully made) and lifted it. Staring him right in the eye was a Lichtenberg ‘Figure’ watch addressed to the one and only Anthony Areal.
For a few moments he was almost, no he was afraid to take the watch out of the box. Maybe this was all a minutely detailed dream and the moment he actually touched the thing he’d either wake up in his real world where this treasure wasn’t there inches in front of him, or it would turn into a pumpkin (or something else weird), like Cinderella’s coach at midnight.
“Screw it!” Reaching down, he carefully tugged the heavy object out of the royal blue velvet that held it firmly in place. Even if this was a dream, once in his life Tony was going to actually hold a damned Lichtenberg ‘Figure’ watch in his hand. And if it were real by some miracle, then the sooner that happened the better.
The watchband was a deep red oxblood color. He knew from reading on the Lichtenberg website that the leather was made by Horween, the best of the best. The watch’s brushed aluminum case, black face with luminous white hands and numerals…. This had to be the real thing, although for a few mini seconds the paranoid thought flashed across his mind that it might only be a good copy
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