Page 118 of My Boss

“I understand.” The woman jots that down and takes the menus.

She didn’t even ask Jan if he wanted something to drink. Probably for fear that he would ask her again,Is the juice pressed or from concentrate?and,Is the mineral water from Krynica or Muszyna?

“Aren’t you going to drink anything?” I add, before the waitress manages to leave.

“Right. Do you have Earl Grey?” he addresses the girl.

“Yes.”

“I’ll have a cup, please.”

“We serve tea in pots.”

Jan hesitates. Oh no. I have to react because we will be here until the night.

“Please bring a pot and two cups to go with it,” I interject. “We’ll drink together, okay?” I smile at him, and he doesn’t object.

While waiting for the food to be served, Jan tells me all about the watch which I refused to accept. I’m sticking to my decision. It’s much too an expensive gift for such a short acquaintance. Jan, however, claims that we have known each other for a year. Nevertheless, I insist. It is difficult to acknowledge a business relationship, in which a subordinate hates her boss, as a relationship predisposing being bestowed with valuables.

“In that case, I’ll save it for you until you think you’re ready for it,” he finally relents and starts telling me stories and interesting facts about watches.

I must admit that he impresses me greatly. His knowledge is extensive and detailed. Jan is a walking encyclopedia of watchmaking. There is so much passion in him that I wonder if this is less a hobby and more a fucking obsession.

“It is believed that men are the bigger proponents of wearing wristwatches, although the first timepiece of this type was made in the 16th century for Queen Elizabeth I. It was a combination of jewelry and a watch, which until then had only been worn by men in a pocket version,” he says. “Do you know whathappy timeis?”

“The same as ahappy hour,when beer at the bar is half price?”

“No.Happy timeis setting the hands of the clock at ten past ten or one fifty. See for yourself.” He extends his hand in my direction and, using the crown (I already know that’s what the dial on the case is called), adjusts the hands. “What does the dial look like now?” he asks, and I don’t quite know what he means.

“Like it is ten past ten?”

“Look closely.”

I squint, trying to look at the watch from a different perspective. I feel that it somehow appears more friendly than if it were pointing at, say, the twelve o’clock or three o’clock mark. And suddenly, I have an epiphany.

“A happy smiley face! The dial resembles a smiling face.”

“Perfect.” Jan takes his hand and rearranges the hands on the watch. “In jewelry and watch stores, the dial is set in just such a way as to arouse positive emotions among buyers. Also, such an arrangement of the hands highlights the brand’s logo, which is placed exactly in the middle.”

“Smart. I had no idea about that.”

“And did you know that the thinnest watch is only two millimeters thick?”

“You don’t say?!” I’m in shock.

Jan frowns.

“That the thinnest watch is two millimeters thick,” he repeats.

“Yes, I get it.” I laugh. “I answered with a question to express surprise.”

“Ah.” Jan looks confused, so I return quickly to the subject of the world’s thinnest watch:

“Two millimeters thick… It’s like putting two credit cards together. Amazing.”

“Indeed.” He pulls out his phone, and with a gleam in his eye he types something, then shows me a picture of a black and silver modern watch. The design is really amazing. There is a tiny dial with hands at the top; the rest is a visible mechanism with gears. “The manufacturer is Piaget. The concept’s walk reserve is forty-four hours,” he explains. “As you can see, the crown fits flat into the case, so it is protected against damage. The glass is two-tenths of a millimeter thick and has been integrated into the case, which, in turn, is made of a cobalt-based material, which ensures the rigidity of the structure. Thewatch has manual winding, the bezel was used as the main plate, the regulator was rebuilt, missing the balance bridge and the anti-shock system. The balance wheel is bearing-mounted. The spring is located in the main plate, under the balance wheel, and normally it is the other way around.” He points out to me, all animated, the various components in the photo. “The energy accumulation drum has also been redesigned. Well, and you probably noticed that the extra housing was also omitted…”

I don’t understand three-fourths of what he says, but I’m still impressed by his passion. I’d much rather have my guy go crazy over ticking watches than video games.”

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