My Edwin Moses Swatch

That’s his signature on the inside of the watch strap. Moses has won eight gold medals internationally in the 400 meter hurdles and currently has the fifth best time in that event.

Swatch issued the Edwin Moses watch in 1996 in connection with the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta – they’d bought the right to be the official timekeeper. That’s likely when I bought it. Just why I bought the Edwin Moses watch as opposed to whatever else, I don’t recall. Perhaps it was because I was attracted to his overall excellence.

But I know why I’m posting about it. Here’s what it says on the outside of the strap:

“I don’t really see the hurdles, I sense them as a memory.”

Think about that. Go on, I’m waiting. Are you wondering, as I am, “If he closed his eyes could he still make the hurdles on memory alone?” Probably not, though I don’t really know. It would be interesting, if a bit dangerous, to see how far he could go while blindfolded. When would his time get just far enough off that he’d hit a hurdle? Now, of course, if you were to misplace a hurdle by, say, six inches...