Hansel  the Watch Maker

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Ganse-Stadt is known for a peaceful, laid back lifestyle where time
seems to stand still sometimes.
Nobody really paid much attention to what time the clocks were.
Some were set according to when the train came to town,
others were set by the sun rise or sun set,
and if it was a cloudy or rainy day it was set by guess.
​Still other clocks were set by eating or sleeping time. 
Most were set by the time to meet at the Gathering Place.
People were always too early, a bit late, or missed events completely
because their clocks were not on time.
But when Hansel, the watch maker, came to Ganse-Stadt,
time started to change.   
All the clocks in his shop were set  the same,
according to the master watch around his neck.
 Hansel was always on time for events, not too early, not too late,
never missing anything. 
People began to wonder how he could do that,
not too early, not too late never missing anything. 
When questioned about his promptness, he would ask to see their watch. 
Hansel looked at it, shook it a bit, held it to his ear,
then would tell the owner it could be fixed if it were left at his shop overnight. 
Next morning the watch was picked up, ticking nicely and
set to the same time as all the clocks in the shop and
the one around around Hansel’s neck.
This happened often and each time it was the same,
leave the watch overnight pick, it up in the morning.
During the night while everyone slept,
Hansel would set the clocks or watches either ahead or back
so they were the same as the clocks in his shop.
He knew if he reset the watches during the night while the owner slept,
no one would get confused if they had to live some minutes over,
or skip some minutes in their life. 
Eventually, all the watches and clocks in Ganse-Stadt were set according to Hansel’s time, and most of the people were on time for events.
​The few who were not, would never be on time no matter what.
Ganse-Stadt was able to return to its peaceful, laid back lifestyle. 
Business slowed a bit for Hansel,
which gave him time for his favorite hobby,
playing the washboard, making it sound like the
tick, tick
​of the clocks in his shop.
                                                                                                                                  

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