My gold watch

In March of 1980, after serving three years as production manager for Claymation producer Will Vinton, I decided to pursue my dream of being a freelance writer. I was 24 years old and ready to get on with my real career. Filmmaking was a lot of fun, and working with Will and his small crew was an experience beyond anything I had ever imagined.

When I informed Will of my plans, he wasn't happy. Among other things, he and I had made great strides to secure funding for our planned Claymation feature film Metamorphos Man, and I think he was disappointed that we wouldn't be seeing it through together.

Nevertheless, on the day of my "retirement," Will and the rest of the crew (Barry Bruce, Don Merkt, and Joan Gratz) took me out to lunch at a nearby restaurant. After we were done eating, Will presented me with a small, wrapped gift, which he insisted I open then and there.

It was a gold pocket watch.

OK, it wasn't actually gold, but it looked like gold. And I was touched. I was leaving before he was ready for me to go, and here he was taking me to lunch and giving me this nice gift. Also: How many people get a gold watch after only three years on the job?

But wait, there's more. Inscribed on the outside of the watch were the letters "WVP," for Will Vinton Productions. Nice. This gold watch was turning out to be quite the keepsake.

Then I opened it and saw another inscription, on the inside cover: "You've decided to go away; now go." It was a line from The Little Prince, a Claymation version of which we had just released a few months earlier. The heart-rending line is uttered by the Prince's rose, as he is preparing to leave their planet to explore other planets.

Now I was really touched. Despite my premature departure, Will had seen fit to give me a one-of-a-kind keepsake that I would treasure the rest of my life—just as I would treasure his friendship.

And we did remain friends, up until Will's passing on October 4, 2018 (another premature departure). If I were to write a book about him, I'd title it You Have Decided to Go Away, Now Go: Remembering Will Vinton. But I'm skeptical I could write a book that would do this remarkable man justice.

The outside of my gold watch. Inscription: "WVP" (for Will Vinton Productions)

And the inside: "You've decided to go away, now go."