I wear a smartwatch with an alarm and keep my phone on the nightstand within arm’s reach while I sleep. Many other devices in my home also have built-in alarms.

I appreciate the convenience of modern alarm-equipped devices, which help me wake up on time and avoid missing appointments. Still, I miss the popular GE clock radios of the 1970s and 1980s. Their faux-woodgrain plastic cabinets and glowing red LED displays are etched in my memory.

Pressing the large snooze bar was deeply satisfying, silencing the alarm for a blissful nine minutes.

These once-ubiquitous radios now seem to survive mainly in bargain motel rooms—one small perk of being a cheapskate.

I imagine a peaceful death in hospice with a clock radio by my side. I’ll press the snooze button one last time as the palliative care nurse gives me a final dose of morphine. The last image in my mind will be that red LED display glowing in impenetrable darkness.