I am used to seeing PCs and monitors left on the nature strip in my street, but for some reason I found the sight of this discarded old typewriter, a little sad. It took me back to a time long ago when dad bought home a wonder of wonders - a portable typewriter!Of course, the people in my neighbourhood being what they were, thought we were being, "above ourselves." The fact that unlike them, mum and dad didn't go down the pub every night, (dad was too busy working or going to night-school), play bingo, do the football pools or go to Jack Brown's betting shop every Saturday, seemed to escape the residents of 1964 Cardiff . Mind you, a lot of things escaped the residents of 1964 Cardiff. When God gave out brains and vision, they stood around saying, "What do we want something like that for." Forty years on they are still wondering.
I know people go on about childhood smells - but it's true. When I think about that old typewriter I can somehow smell it. I can also see the keys smudged with ink stains left by 8 year old fingers.
I wrote my first story on that typewriter - a science fiction story about people travelling through time to stop World War Two . It even won a prize in a local schools writing competition. It would have been hard not to have won, mine was the only entry in the Science Fiction category.
Seeing this typewriter abandoned on the nature strip I started wondering about it's life story. Who did it belong to? Why was it purchased? Did letters hammered out with a clickety-clack, change the owners life in some way?
Maybe it started a small business, ended a romance, sent letters of complaint to the local newspaper or council?
Like so many things in life that have been replaced by something newer - whatever it has done - it will do no more.
The blog will not be published tomorrow, so till Monday (Sydney time)...
Wherever you may be - be safe!
PS: Oh yes - on Monday, I will be making the 2,000th post since i On Global Trends, started in May!
Nations featured since Jan 24 - 56
