大象传媒

Whilst serving with the Green Howards as part of the British 8th Army, my Grandfather, Ernest,spent some time on guard duty at a prison. There was an inmate there at the time, a local Arab, who had been caught stealing in the army camp. The Arab was very hot inside his cell and did not have much to eat. Ernie was just about to tuck into a can of peaches he had been saving when the Arab started calling to him. "Here, Here!", he cried, and would not be quiet, so eventually Ernie went over to see what he wanted. "You like watch? You like watch?", the Arab repeated, pointing to the watch on his wrist. Ernie looked at the watch and thought it was nice so said he liked it. The Arab pointed at Ernie's tin of peaches and then at the watch, indicating that they should trade their items. Ernie thought it was a good deal so gave the peaches to the Arab and took his new watch. The Arab munched down the peaches and looked happier about things in his cell.

Ernie took the watch and wore it from that day forward. He had the watch right up to the day he died in 1997 and it never let him down. It kept good time and is still ticking away in a box at my parents house. The story is a family talking point as Ernie was a wheeler-dealer and it always makes me smile every time I open a can of peaches.

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