The Old-Clock Shop Summary
It was Christmas eve and was closing time for shops. An old-clock shop owner, Ray was still working on a clock. Two men, one in his twenties and one in his fifties entered Ray’s shop. Ray gave them a notepad and a pencil telling them that he was deaf and dumb through his sign language. Ray noticed that the man had a gun in his pocket. He thought that he had come to his shop to rob him. Understanding their dire need of money, Ray told the old man that he exchanged good sum of money with people against their watches or wall clocks. He did this for goodwill and not in want of earning interest or security against the things.
That old man showed his old wrist watch to Ray and Ray in return offered him a fifty dollar note. Both of them knew in their hearts that the watch was not of that high a price.But this made the man happy as he got money without hurting Ray and Ray also escaped from being hurt. Before leaving, the old man wrote to Ray that he would be back soon to get his watch.
The story concluded peacefully, giving a sweet and simple message of “Peace on earth and goodwill towards all”.
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Question 1:
What made Ray think the visitor was not really a shopper?
Answer:
Ray saw two men, one in his twenties, the other closer to fifty, enter his shop. The younger one remained at the door. The older man approached the counter with no sign of friendliness in his eyes. On paying attention, Ray noticed the shape of a gun and a restless hand in the man’s right coat packet. This made Ray think that the visitor was not really a shopper.
Question 2:
Why do you think he had come to the shop?
Answer:
The man was down on his luck and had come to rob Ray’s shop.
Question 3:
How did Ray communicate with him?
Answer:
Ray was old and deaf. He communicated with the man with the help of a pencil and a notepad.
Question 4:
What do you think the man said to his friend who waited at the door?
Answer:
There was a look of surprise on the older man’s face when he came to know that Ray was deaf. He would have passed on this information to his younger friend standing at the door. Also, he might have discussed with him what they needed to do next.
Question 5:
Ray was not a pawnbroker. Why then did he lend money to people in exchange for their old watches and clocks?
Answer:
Ray was not a pawnbroker, but at the same time he could not say no to the needy people who placed their old watches or clocks before him for anything they could get. Therefore, he lent them money.
Question 6:
“The watch was nothing special and yet had great powers.” In what sense did it have ‘great powers’?
Answer:
The watch was nothing special, but it had great powers because it was something to exchange, a way out of a bad situation. It saved the two men from doing something they would later be sorry for.
Question 7:
Do you think the man would ever come back to pick up the watch?
Answer:
Yes, the man would come back to pick up the watch. He himself said that he would be back to pick it up as soon as he could. It was not necessary for him to say so, but he did. Therefore, we can say that he would be true to his word.
Question 8:
When did “the unfriendly face” of the visitor turn truly friendly?
Answer:
The “unfriendly face” of the visitor turned truly friendly when Ray offered him a way out by accepting the old watch for fifty dollars. Both knew that the watch was not worth that much.
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