A beautiful tribute to the number 12

I need a watch. I don't like wearing them, really, but even in Laos they have departure times for buses and boats. They may not keep to them, but it makes sense to be there within a half hour of when it's supposed to leave.

So, I went to find a digital watch (with alarm, for early morning buses) in the local street market. There were not many to choose from, and the ones that were there had been made when I was playing Pac-Man. It was more of a technology museum than a display. Even so, I picked one up that was in a plastic display case. It was so encrusted with dirt that it was hard to see the watch inside.

The man who ran this particular booth in the market came up to me, all teeth and dollar sign eyes. He opened up the display case.

The display said 12. Not :00, just 12. There were places where buttons should be, but there were none there. Basically, this thing was a piece of plastic in tribute to the number 12. Lacking any English, the man's eyes implored me. The unspoken:

"Please, do not let the dust and dirt blind you to superior craftmanship! This piece does not merely keep time, it caresses it, wraps it in the finest silks and rocks it to sleep. Surely you can not walk away from such exqusite functional art. I would ask a mere..... 2 dollars? Yes?? Yes?? You like??"

As much as I respect the number twelve, I decided to keep looking, and keep asking strangers what time it is.