By Alan Kravitz
I'll admit to being a bit misty-eyed today, with news that the very last typewriter manufacturer on the planet is closing its doors.
Granted, I can't even remember the last time I used a typewriter. But I remember the thrill I had when I first learned to use one in junior high. At first, I couldn't understand why the letters weren't layed out in alphabetic order. But once the very patient Mrs. Gefsky explained that the keys were layed out with the most used letters in mind, it all made sense to me - and my fingers flew. I loved the sound of the keys when I pressed them. I even loved how hard I had to press them.
Eventually, I of course became a slave to technology. With each new invention that made storage and corrections easier, I was right there. And I developed even more of an appreciation for all the writers who went before me - the ones who had no choice but to line up their paper just right, get that goopy Whiteout all over themselves or type major portions over again - whenever they had to make changes. I could absolutely understand why 99 percent of them were raving alcoholics.
And yet, I'm sad - in the way that I'm still sad that vinyl records disappeared. But guess what? Vinyl's making a comeback. Maybe someday, the typewriter will, too. Maybe, like the budding writer in the under-appreciated film Finding Forrester, there'll be other kids out there who will know the thrill of "punching those keys."
Alan Kravitz is a copywriter who specializes in writing customized web content, direct mail appeals and print materials for socially conscious organizations. Contact him at 617-697-7397, or alank@infiniteinkwell.com.
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