Tuesday, July 19, 2005

The Clock Maker, on Punctuality


The villainous virtue of Planning has a twin: the villainous virute of Punctuality.

Bombs are always "set to go off at the stroke of midnight." Big heists are supposed to go "exactly as scheduled." Deathtraps are often "precisely timed." And when the hero shows up, what does the villain say? "Ah, right on cue, Exemplar Man!"

Villains are punctual people and they take the time to teach us to be punctual, too. Take, for example, The Clock Maker:

"Murders! Murderers of time! You kill time every day! You kill precious seconds that might be used in doing something! Seconds ... minutes ... hours hurry past you and you kill every one of them! Murderers! All these faces...these hundreds of pairs of hands accuse you of murder! If I had my way I'd see to it that time would kill you!! Time would murder you!"

Mr. Brock, "The Clock Maker!"

In case you missed it, Mr. Brock was rather down on those who wasted time. So, be prompt and don't fritter away your time.

Or an old man may blow you up with an exploding alarm clock or mow you down with a big sickle.

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