Benzadmiral
Call Me a Cab
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I wrote probably millions of words, most of them less than deathless, on my first typewriter: a pre-1957 Underwood. I assume it's that date, because when I'd buy new ribbons at Woolworths, that was the model I had to use. My father brought it home one day in the summer of 1967. While I never learned to touch-type on it, I pounded out short stories, a couple of novel-length manuscripts, papers for school, you name it.
I still have it, shamefully gathering dust in a closet. The carriage no longer moves by means of the space bar, and I have no idea how or where to get it fixed.
And yes, Martin, they were unique, like fingerprints. In at least one early Ellery Queen mystery novel, a typewriter's peculiarity (a special key) provides an important clue for Ellery to solve a tricky murder case. You can't do that with laser printers!
I still have it, shamefully gathering dust in a closet. The carriage no longer moves by means of the space bar, and I have no idea how or where to get it fixed.
And yes, Martin, they were unique, like fingerprints. In at least one early Ellery Queen mystery novel, a typewriter's peculiarity (a special key) provides an important clue for Ellery to solve a tricky murder case. You can't do that with laser printers!