It had to pay off, sometime
Ian and I were poking around in an antique store on State Street, going through the anonymous clasped cases in the upstairs portion when he dragged one into the light that I had missed.
"Oh, typewriter," he said, dismissively, putting it back. At which time, I pounced.
As some of you may or may not know, I have long been in the market for a functional manual (ie, fully mechanical, non-electric) typewriter. Most of them get sold as antiques, in my experience, making their prices range from $50.00 - $250.00, depending on how elaborate/old they are.
This one was a very simple, businesslike model, built into a cloth-covered grey-beige case. But it was in absolutely perfect condition, right down to already being loaded with black and red ink ribbons. I turned over the price tag, horrified of what I would find, and it read: $6.00.
I blinked, and looked again. Yes, my dream typewriter was really going for six dollars. I brought it down to the counter, and the white-bearded gentleman there informed me that, in fact, everything in that booth was half-off. So I took my typewriter home for $3.15, after tax.
Since then, everyone in the house has played with it, marveling at how difficult it actually is to type when the impact of your fingers has to be strong enough to make the hammers impress. Secretaries in the sixties probably could have played the hell out of the bass guitar (to say nothing of the piano) based on the finger strength and accuracy required to use this thing.
The house is now littered with schizophrenic scraps of typewritten nonsense, like,
hello my name is not cri tin. my name is bob
DDo you like my frien d?? If you like it spit on me. just kidding. I love you !!!!!!!!!
once upon a time there was a boy n amed happy
hhkfsrulgmvjjeuyttiopsjhjg
tTTTTTT TTTTTTHE END.
It has shown a slight tendency to shred the ribbon (it keeps catching, which may just be because it's old and fragile) but otherwise has given me no trouble whatsoever. I wonder how one goes about getting a refill for such a beyond-obsolete machine? I tried Nu-Kote, but, although they had my make and model listed (Remington Monarch), they regretted to inform me that they did not stock accessories for it. I'm sure there must be other typewriter cultists in the world, though. Maybe I can join an underground network of non-word-processing subversives.
ALSO: the anonymous grey, trapezoidal suitcase the typewriter is built into is alarmingly bomb-like in its overall appearance. This has tempted me to paint a radiation or biohazard symbol on it. My other thought was just to paint, in large block letters,
"FUCK YOUR LAPTOP."
"Oh, typewriter," he said, dismissively, putting it back. At which time, I pounced.
As some of you may or may not know, I have long been in the market for a functional manual (ie, fully mechanical, non-electric) typewriter. Most of them get sold as antiques, in my experience, making their prices range from $50.00 - $250.00, depending on how elaborate/old they are.
This one was a very simple, businesslike model, built into a cloth-covered grey-beige case. But it was in absolutely perfect condition, right down to already being loaded with black and red ink ribbons. I turned over the price tag, horrified of what I would find, and it read: $6.00.
I blinked, and looked again. Yes, my dream typewriter was really going for six dollars. I brought it down to the counter, and the white-bearded gentleman there informed me that, in fact, everything in that booth was half-off. So I took my typewriter home for $3.15, after tax.
Since then, everyone in the house has played with it, marveling at how difficult it actually is to type when the impact of your fingers has to be strong enough to make the hammers impress. Secretaries in the sixties probably could have played the hell out of the bass guitar (to say nothing of the piano) based on the finger strength and accuracy required to use this thing.
The house is now littered with schizophrenic scraps of typewritten nonsense, like,
hello my name is not cri tin. my name is bob
DDo you like my frien d?? If you like it spit on me. just kidding. I love you !!!!!!!!!
once upon a time there was a boy n amed happy
hhkfsrulgmvjjeuyttiopsjhjg
tTTTTTT TTTTTTHE END.
It has shown a slight tendency to shred the ribbon (it keeps catching, which may just be because it's old and fragile) but otherwise has given me no trouble whatsoever. I wonder how one goes about getting a refill for such a beyond-obsolete machine? I tried Nu-Kote, but, although they had my make and model listed (Remington Monarch), they regretted to inform me that they did not stock accessories for it. I'm sure there must be other typewriter cultists in the world, though. Maybe I can join an underground network of non-word-processing subversives.
ALSO: the anonymous grey, trapezoidal suitcase the typewriter is built into is alarmingly bomb-like in its overall appearance. This has tempted me to paint a radiation or biohazard symbol on it. My other thought was just to paint, in large block letters,
"FUCK YOUR LAPTOP."