Throughout the story, Jason constantly mentions his grandfather's Omega Seamaster De Ville. To me, it seems like the watch becomes a barrier between his childhood and the adult world, and I think his interactions with the watch reveal a lot about his struggle to come of age and maturity. Part of what I think is interesting is how the Omega is framed as a reward for being mature enough. Jason’s dad is "grave as grave" when he gives it to him, calling it a "sign of an excellent watch" (Mitchell 16) because of its thinness and elegance, unlike the "plastic tubs" other teenagers wear. Even though he’s proud of it, he’s terrified of it. He balances a coin on the hiding place just to make sure no one has touched it. He is mortified when he breaks it playing British Bulldogs, and spends a year keeping it secret and trying to find a replacement. Jason’s decision to return Ross Wilcox’s wallet, despite knowing the money inside could buy back his Omega, is reall...