His first love.
I had a delightful morning yesterday when BRIAN KORBEL, a friend of Vin’s whom I’d met at a party we gave a few months ago, came over with his wife and granddaughter GEORGIE.
They showed up with not one but THREE typewriters Brian had saved — including the very first he owned, that he was giving to Georgie.
He offered me my choice of the other two, and I picked a Smith-Corona that is automatic/electric and fits in a case for travel & transport.
I breathlessly showed Georgie all the typewriter memorabilia I’ve collected: stationery, post-it notes, thank you cards with typewriters on them. I had her sit down and type at my Olympia Compact II, and we played with her “new” machine. She noticed where Brian had carefully inscribed his name into the brown leather lid — before he went to college.
Brian — now a hugely successful businessman — recalled how typing had elevated his career immediately when he was a young man — because when all the other boys were turning their noses up at secretarial skills, he would leave football practice early on Friday afternoons to go take speed-writing. His ability to ‘work an office’ got him noticed over & over again in the business realm, and he attributes his typing & shorthand skills to setting him above the crowd.
He brought this print-out of what he learned to type on in in school — the hulking “UNDERWOOD 3”. It was a beast, we all laughed. But a worthy beast.
Vin had some ‘alligator coffee cake’ ready that I’d heated up, but we never took a minute away from our time in my “Thank You room”. After a few hours of playing with machines, we trooped off to STAR OFFICE MACHINES where we left the three beloved typewriters to be cleaned & fixed. Pedro promised to get new ribbons for them, and we snuck a peek at some famous peoples’ typewriters on the shelves. I promised GEORGIE (who’s 12) I’d be her pen-pal, if she promises to type her notes. I felt good after our morning — we’d initiated another young afficianado.
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Dear Erica,
I got your letter and was very excited to hear about our typewritters!! I am sorry that this is how I am contacting you, but a written letter should be coming your way!! I loved your blog and thought all your other posts were amazing too! I hope to see you again!
Love,
Georgina
Your type writter friend.