Re: [Leica] religious jerks won't let me wear a mechanical watch in their cathedral

["Dan Post" <dpost@triad.rr.com>]

Whew!
Kyle- Going where angels fear to tread!
Dan

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "kyle cassidy" <cassidy@hector.asc.upenn.edu>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Saturday, September 16, 2000 7:55 PM
Subject: [Leica] religious jerks won't let me wear a mechanical watch in
their cathedral


> nothing better to do this lazy afternoon but go out and photograph some of
> our local philadelphia cathedrals. i started with saint francis' down on
> 18th street. they'd previously told me no photography, so i wrapped my m6
> in a bag of pennies and shot with a 15mm heliar during the services. i was
> doing pretty good, every time i'd trip the shutter i'd make a very loud
> "A-HEM" and then a hocking sound like i had a big phlegm buildup. about
> half an hour into it, the sextant came over to me and grabbed me by the
> shoulder, kind of forcefully. with his right hand he pulled up my sleeve,
> then signaled to some bruisers (probalby mob guys, they were toughs) and
> they dragged me out of the church -- one put a hand over my mouth, another
> grabbed each of my feet and although i tried to make a big disturbance,
> they did a pretty good job of keeping it discrete. there was no way i
> was going to give up my photographs so i was ready to fight, but when
> we got outside they informed me that it was my mechanical wristwatch they
> were upset about. they pointed to a sign i hadn't seen before that said:
> "no mechanical wristwatches!" they took my oyster perpetual, which,
> apparantly, rings like a gong due to the design of the cathedral ceiling
> and drives everybody batty. they put it in a drawer and said i could
> consider it a donation. they didn't notice the camera, which gave me
> some secret joy. i went back in to photograph the rest of the service.
> here's where i'm always glad i carry a backup, i had an omega seamaster
> hidden in my sock, and i put this on and, sure enough, now that i was
> paying attention, i could hear that damn thing like a death watch beetle
> banging banging banging like a steel rat in a trash can ... TICK TICK TICK
> TICK TICK! and the sextant and the goons looking all around the church,
> trying to find the culperet -- they didn't suspect me, as they'd already
> swiped my watch, but i got the best of them.
>
> what pisses me off most is when people think they have a right to tell
> me that i can't wear a mechanical watch. i have no sympathy for a religion
> that has rules as stupid as telling me what i can and can't do in their
> "house of worship".
>
> next week i'm going to wear TWO seamasters and an old Timex Acutime with
> a brass case and leather wrist strap from the 1960's. on top of that,
> i'll be carrying a 1952 Doxxa stop watch in my vest pocket.
>
> keep winding that watch, it'll tell time,
>
> kc
>