Small alarm clock
○ Zhang Huanjun
There was a small alarm clock on the desk, and it stayed quietly in the corner of the table, ticking, ticking, tirelessly turning and walking in circles. On weekdays, most of the time it is in a state of silence. But if necessary, set the alarm time for it, and when it arrives, it will be a blockbuster and give people a reminder.
The alarm clock was bought many years ago, and it was old-fashioned. Two small short legs are spread apart to support the large round dial, on which are two small round ears lying on the left and one on the right, with a small hammer in the middle of the ears. Whenever the alarm alarm time came, the small hammer would be smashed rapidly to both sides, almost crazy. The round ears were tapped to make a rapid sound, and the cold was frightening.
I remember that since I started studying, I have had such an alarm clock at home. At that time, the alarm clock was mechanical, and the clockwork of the alarm clock should be tightened before going to bed every day, otherwise, the clockwork would be loosened and the alarm clock would lose its power, the pointer would go slower and slower, the time would not be accurate, and it would stop unconsciously. The alarm clock does not ring, and I will wake up late in the morning and delay school. Adults also often use this function of the alarm clock to scare children, "If you do this again, you will tighten your skin." Upon hearing this, most children will be quiet.
By the time my child was in elementary school, the alarm clock was still in use, and the function was the same, but the alarm clock had changed a lot, and it was almost impossible to see the mechanical kind. This little alarm clock on the desk is the heart of the electron, the shell of the old-fashioned machinery. Alarm clocks are no longer cookie-cutter horseshoe shapes in shape, but square, round and cartoon-shaped, and varied. There is also a lot of rich and soft sound, a variety of beautiful songs, unlike when we were young, when the alarm rang, it scared people.
The function of the alarm clock is "noisy", or a reminder, without this function can not be called an alarm clock, can only be called "table". In life, if there is anything important to remind, the first thing people think of is to put the alarm on, if it is a mechanical kind, it will be tightly wound, and the electronic kind will see how long the battery has been used, whether to change it. Of course, after meeting the needs of "noisy", the alarm clock can also be used as a watch, and can also be developed into various forms and play a certain decorative role.
A few years ago, there was a book called "You Can Never Wake Up a Sleeping Man", which was a very popular book, not to mention the content, in terms of title alone, it was already very eye-catching. Our society is in an era of rapid development, and the huge growth of material wealth coexists with the relative lag of spiritual life. Some upstarts flaunt their material lives, which we call giants of wealth, dwarfs of the spiritual world.
Some people understand what social morality is all about, for example, they know that spitting is not good, they know that littering is not good, including loud noises in public, smoking in places where smoking is not allowed, etc., but they just don't learn and don't obey, in other words, these people are the masters of society, spiritual slaves.
There are also some people who like to engage in group sports, like to be windy and sloppy, and are good at criticizing and fighting, such as Sun Yuting in the novel "Ordinary World", so that they are irrational behaviors. The key to waking up a person is to awaken the humanity and goodness in the depths of his soul and return him to a rational life. Unfortunately, there are always some people who can't wake up because they are pretending to be asleep. For such a person, what is the use of a small alarm clock?
People often use the "alarm bell to sound" to remind themselves not to do things that should not be done. When going to school, teachers often say: "I will ring a warning bell for everyone, this exam is not allowed to cheat, otherwise..." As a result, students are desperate to take risks. In life, those laws, regulations, and disciplines are all alarm bells, and they are also hanging there, but there will still be people who turn a blind eye, it is estimated that the temptation of interests is too great, or the lack of awareness of alarm bells. Although the alarm clock is not an alarm bell, it is consistent in the function of the reminder. I sometimes think that I should send an alarm clock to people who are not aware of the alarm bell, and let it ring for a while when they get up every day, killing two birds with one stone, isn't it also good? Of course, this is a joke, and it is better to be vigilant and introspective.
I spent New Year's Eve this year on TV. As the footsteps of the New Year drew nearer, I turned my head and glanced at the clock hanging on the wall, and it was this casual glance that made me instantly feel a shock that I had never felt before. If we compare a person's life to a dial, and each small grid pointed by the minute hand to a year, then there are a few more small grids that I will live through a nail, which also means that my economic life as a human being is coming to an end.
Mr. Mu Xin said: "The years do not spare anyone, nor have I spared the years." "Time is fair for everyone. Some people regard time as friends, and everything is arranged in an orderly manner, from spring flowers to bathing in summer winds and autumn harvests and winters, spending every day with sorrow and joy; others rely on boredom to pass the time, and time slips away unconsciously from the side. I asked myself: Have I spared time?
When writing this article, I picked up the alarm clock again and admired it, and I felt that the appearance was indeed a little out of place, earthy, stunned, and lost its former role. For so many years, whenever I sat at my desk and listened to the sound of it moving, many worries and joys would calm down. Good day, Lai also a day, time will smooth everything in life.
Image source: Network
This article is from the A08 edition of Culture and Art Newspaper on February 21, 2022
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