{"id":11746,"date":"2026-10-05T13:41:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T13:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsamazingday.store\/?p=11746"},"modified":"2026-10-05T13:41:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T13:41:13","slug":"the-exact-time-11736-9-nqvmq","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsamazingday.store\/?p=11746","title":{"rendered":"The exact time."},"content":{"rendered":"
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Every Monday morning for years, at about 11:30 am, the telephone operator in a small Sierra-Nevada town received a call from a man asking the exact time. One day the operator summed-up the nerve to ask him why the regularity. \u201cI\u2019m foreman of the local sawmill,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery day, I have to blow the whistle at noon, so I call you to get the exact time.\u201dThe operator giggled, \u201cThat\u2019s really funny,\u201d she said. \u201cAll this time, we\u2019ve been setting our clock by your whistle.\u201dA man has to drive for a few days to get to his new house. After a long and tiring drive throughout the night, the driver decides to pull over on the side of the road to take a nap.<\/p>\n

A man knocks on the car\u2019s window and this wakes the driver from his sleep. The man asks the driver what time it is. The driver looks at his watch and replies, \u201cIt\u2019s 8 AM\u201d and goes back to sleep.After a while, another man knocks on the car\u2019s window and wakes the driver from his sleep. This man also asks the driver what time it is. The driver replies \u201cIt\u2019s 8:05 AM\u201d and goes back to sleep.<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

A man sitting on a bench | Source: Pexels<\/span><\/p>\n

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Sure enough, after a while, again, another man knocks on the car\u2019s window and asks the same question. The driver, now annoyed, replies, \u201cIt\u2019s 8:07 AM\u201d. He picks up a piece of paper and writes in bold letters \u201cI don\u2019t know what time it is!\u201d, sticks it on the car\u2019s window and goes back to sleep.<\/p>\n

The driver is again woken from his sleep by a knock on his window. The man knocking on the window says, \u201cIt\u2019s 8:10 AM, you\u2019re welcome!\u201d
\nJake is struggling through a bus station
\nwith two huge and heavy suitcases when a stranger walks up to him and asks, \u201cHave you got the time?\u201d<\/p>\n

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Jake sighs, puts down the suitcases and glances at his wrist. \u201cIt\u2019s quarter to six,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHey, that\u2019s a pretty fancy watch!\u201d exclaims the stranger. Jake brightens a little. \u201cYeah, it\u2019s not bad.<\/p>\n

Check this out!\u201d<\/p>\n

He shows him a time-zone display for every time zone in the world. He hits a few buttons and from somewhere on the watch a voice says, \u201cThe time is eleven past six.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jake continues, \u201cI\u2019ve put in regional accents for each city. The display is of unbelievably high quality and the voice is simply astounding.\u201d<\/p>\n

The stranger is struck dumb with admiration.<\/p>\n

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A sleeping baby | Source: Pexels<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cThat\u2019s not all,\u201d says Jake. He pushes a few more buttons and a tiny but very hi-resolution map of New York City appears on the display. \u201cThe flashing dot shows our location by satellite positioning,\u201d explains Jake.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to buy this watch,\u201d says the stranger. \u201cOh, no, it\u2019s not ready for sale yet; I\u2019m still working out the bugs,\u201d says the inventor. \u201cBut look at this,\u201d 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 metres, a pager with thermal paper printout and, most impressive of all, the capacity for voice recordings of up to 300 standard-size books,\u201d says Jake.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got to have this watch,\u201d says the stranger. \u201cNo, you don\u2019t understand; it\u2019s not ready.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll give you $1000 for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, no, I\u2019ve already spent more than that!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll give you $5000 for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s just not\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll give you $15,000 for it.\u201d And the stranger pulls out a checkbook. Jake stops to think.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s only put about $8500 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. \u201cHere it is, ready to hand to you right here and now.<\/p>\n

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A mother with her baby in her arms | Source: Unsplash<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

$15,000. Take it or leave it!\u201d<\/p>\n

Jake abruptly makes his decision. \u201cOkay,\u201d he says, and peels off the watch.<\/p>\n

They make the exchange and the stranger starts happily away. \u201cHey, wait a minute!\u201d calls Jake after the stranger turns around warily. He points to the two suitcases he\u2019d been trying to wrestle through the bus station.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t forget your batteries!\u201d<\/p>\n

A police car pulled up in front of Grandma Bessie\u2019s house
\nA police car pulled up in front of Grandma Bessie\u2019s house, and out stepped Grandpa Morris. The officer politely explained, \u201cMa\u2019am, your husband said he got lost in the park and couldn\u2019t find his way home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Grandma Bessie stared at Morris and said, \u201cLost? You\u2019ve been going to that park for 30 years!<\/p>\n

How\u2019d you get lost today?\u201d<\/p>\n

Leaning in close so the officer couldn\u2019t hear, Grandpa whispered, \u201cI wasn\u2019t lost. I was just too tired to walk home.\u201d<\/p>\n

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An elderly couple arguing | Source: Freepik<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

A policeman pulls over an old man driving a pickup truck
\nA policeman pulls over an old man driving a pickup truck with the bed overflowing with ducks. The officer says sternly, \u201cSir, you can\u2019t have a flock of ducks wandering around downtown.<\/p>\n

Take them to the zoo immediately!\u201d<\/p>\n

The old man nods, agrees, and drives off. The next day, the officer spots the same pickup truck, still full of ducks\u2014but this time, all the ducks are wearing sunglasses. Frustrated, the officer pulls the man over again and exclaims, \u201cI thought I told you to take these ducks to the zoo!\u201d<\/p>\n

The old man grins and replies, \u201cI did!<\/p>\n

But now the little rascals want to go to the beach!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n