THE FANCY WATCH

Jake is struggling through an airport terminal 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 till 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 hi-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 $1000 for it!"
"Oh, no, I've already spent more than ..."
"I'll give you $5000 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 only 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 and hands it to the stranger.
 
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 
had been trying to wrestle through the terminal. "Don't 
forget your batteries."