“Tic-tic-tic-tic.”
“Ssslide.”
“Tic-tic-tic-tic-tic-oops-the-keys-are-stuck-ping-tic-tic-tic-tic.”
“This is so cool.”
“Katya you are so lucky you have a type-writer!”
“Tic-tic-tic-tic.”
For the very wise blogger (Chatter Master, RoSy? Notsofancynancy?) who advised me to use the type-writer as a conversation piece, I say to you… “Thanks!”.
How very weird is it that the same instrument I used to write my high school biology reports is now this object of wonder.
“It’s weird because you have to press the keys down so far.”, said Ben (my oldest son)
“Does it ding?”, asked my daughter, Katya.
“What is it?”, asked my youngest son, David.
How very weird is it that the same instrument I used to write my English essays is now a finger magnet?
“Can we get new tape for it?”
“Does it work?”
What is it about this type-writer that attracts so many young people? Funny how seeing the direct results of your digital motions striking a key can produce some kind of mark that seems to be so much more concrete than a computer screen can delight. Maybe it is the tactile nature of the keyboard? Maybe seeing how the tiny letter blocks that strike the ribbon and leave an imprint on the page is something that actually makes sense!
Whatever the reason, Mom’s computer – that she got from her father – is a hit.
So, it will stay in the living-room for a while longer. The paper will remain as an invitation to, “go ahead – hit me!” with a key strike.
And I will look for new ribbon.