Musings: Time's invisible in this very spot

Bob Dylan sang, “The times they are a-changin’.” In the case of the new Wegmans in Lake Grove, it’s a truth we can only hope for.

A big deal was made about the layout and design of the grocery, venturing onto Long Island for the first time. I have a medical condition that requires me to visit the Stony Brook Medicine facility at the Smith Haven Mall, and I cannot drive, so I sightsee while my wife takes me there. Every time we pass Wegmans, it gets my dander up.

Why in the world does the clock tower with four faces have only three populated? Maybe this goes to my obsessive-compulsive disorder — when I go into a medical office, I have to straighten all the diplomas and pictures on the walls, and when I food shop, I have to go up and down the aisles in a specific order and fill the shopping cart in a specific way — so, to me, the clock tower looks unfinished and ridiculous.

My wife just shakes her head in good-humored disbelief every time I mention the clock, but I’ve gotten so worked up about it that I decided the way to get this monstrosity fixed is to, well, start a petition (you can roll your eyes here). Sure, there are a lot of other weightier issues to worry about, but we all need a chuckle every now and then or we’ll scream.

To further elucidate, this “missing” clock face is visible from Moriches Road and could be a useful tool for those traveling to the store or mall. The face overlooking PetSmart and Bob’s Discount Furniture could have been left blank if one had to be empty since it isn’t visible until you’re right up on it, but ultimately leaving any of the four unpopulated makes no sense.

So, has your interest — or umbrage — been piqued? Do you wonder why Donald Duck doesn’t wear pants? If so, others should join me and my like-minded friend in petitioning Wegmans to make things right and complete the clock tower.

— John Del Grosso, Islandia