Are YOU prepared?

A couple of weekends ago, I was checking out some thrift stores around the city. I’d seen a couple of electric typewriters at a few stores but they didn’t work properly. I finally said out loud (hmm, was it a prayer?), “I’d really like to find a good, cheap electric typewriter.” The next shop we checked, there was a candidate, but on its lid it said “NO CORD.” Dang, it’s usually difficult finding the right cord—especially for older electronics. I lifted the cover to look at the typewriter’s works, and voilà, a cord! Dude! Found an outlet to test it and it worked very well; good action; corrected well; roller/platen worked fine. Wow, and only $9.99! Well, there ya go! Thank you, Jesus!

Here’s where the story starts getting weird—that is if you don’t think buying a 25+-year-old typewriter a little strange. I started pricing replacement typewriter ribbons/correcting tapes. A couple dozen years ago, my last typewriter had identical ribbon cartridges and they were sometimes hard to find back then. What am I gonna do? Searched online. I found a few ribbon sources, but the prices were pretty steep. Then, like a good obsessed shopper, I checked eBay. Remarkably enough, there were not only ribbons, but TWO of the same model typewriter on sale. One was $200 and with a full warranty. The other was only $25 and came with MANY ink ribbons and correcting tapes. Ooohhhhh. I waited for about 48 hours until the auction’s end and made the only bid for $25. And won.

Well, I received my package. Ooh, aahhh… And even though my thrift shop and eBay typewriters both have the same model number, there are some subtle differences. Interesting. Ooh, and I’ve got ALL these supplies, too!

A friend asked what I needed with ONE, not to mention TWO typewriters. That’s a reasonable (sane) question. Uh, Tom and I can have typing contests?  I can open a typing school? Bookends? Anchors? Earrings? And now that I think of it—how  am I going to run through ONE ribbon cartridge and correcting tape, not to mention 13 ribbons and 11 tapes?!? Uh, hmmm—didn’t think this one out all the way—but, dang it, I AM prepared!!!