Use the force...
All the superlatives the 6 year old me knew tumbled wurzel-like from my over-excited mouth as I drew back the wrapping paper and uncovered the watch face to see Luke, C3PO and R2D2 standing almost heroically in the corner: "mega, ace, lush, nice, um, ace, smart, super dooper..." I ran out of words and instead shakily applied watch to wrist before telling everyone the time, all the time, every second like an unwanted, squeaky speaking clock.

I loved that watch like nothing I'd ever loved before. I'd wear it all day and all night, taking it off only to shower, bathe or swim and returning it to my arm within seconds of drying myself (wrist first) sufficiently not to let the damp seep into its magical innards. It was as though I wore the force on my very arm and I had powers I'd never felt before; time-related powers. OK, I had the power to provide an accurate telling of the time if ever it was needed, which it was... sometimes. It was sure to be the best Christmas present I would ever get and I swore never to lose it, lest I be rendered powerless like a freshly shorn Sampson.

Then it vanished. My first thought was a brutal act of sour jealousy on behalf of one sibling or other. I knew they'd viewed that marvellous time piece with immense envy and I wouldn't put it past either to steal or even destroy it in a fit of green-eyed rage. But no: my older brother would have boasted such an act only to increase my torment; while the younger failed to crack under even the most extreme torture, leaving me facing increased anguish in the face of both my lost watch and swift reprisal from my highly unimpressed mum.

Months later I was to discover the true fate that beloved watch eventually fell foul of... I was playing in my favourite corner of the garden - doubtless adding further camouflage to my den in the vain hope that I could protect it from being discovered by girls, or something - when my eye was drawn to a faintly shiny object, my favourite of all types of objects. I dug it out from the soil and noticed some familiar, tiny, golden feet just beneath the initial shiny distraction. Further excavation unveiled the legs, then body and head, along with some familiar comrades in a familiar stance: the paper face of my watch lay in tatters around me and, before long, with tears tumbling over my chubby cheeks, I found each lawnmower-chewed part of my once favourite ever Christmas present.
( Moey, Mon 30 Nov 2009, 18:19, 2 replies)

Stories like this
Make me irrationally sad. I'm going to be such as pushover for a sob story when I have kids. Bugger.
(Captain Kenneth 's Greatest Hits on sale now, Mon 30 Nov 2009, 19:13, closed)

must....not....weep....
this brings back memories of similar things. Nicely written also.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 30 Nov 2009, 19:41, closed)