The Clock

It was 2AM...I was still awake. Screwdriver in hand and a little old alarm clock in my lap as I sat cross-legged on the floor. This sucker would work if it was the last thing I did. After applying a bit of pressure (very gingerly, mind you) at the edges of the small plastic skeleton, it came apart. The tender, intricate insides bare for me to examine. The wiring was simple enough. Typical 80's LED display with the little boards connected to eachother for the mechanism. And...ah...there was the problem. Four of the little wires connecting the mechanism board to the display board had broken. I split little bits of electrical tape, then gently rapped each wire to its respective half. Carefully folding the boards back together, I put the skeleton back over my work. Praying silently that the wires had stayed together when folded with the tape, I plugged the cord into a socket in my room. It lit up and the buzzer came to life. I checked the buttons: everything worked perfectly. My heart swelled with pride at my small accomplishment. Now I could think about sleeping.....but....there was that lantern in the basement that needed fixing....