>Jake is struggling through a bus station 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 'til 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 high-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 $1,000 for it!" > >"Oh, no, I've already spent more than..." > >"I'll give you $5,000 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 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. >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'd been trying to wrestle >through the bus station. "Don't forget your batteries." -- Ronn! :)
