Out of Storage...

Over the past few months, I've been sorting through various items that have been stored away--some for a few months, some for a few years, some for more than a decade.

Among the items that I ran across recently were one of Dad's typewriters and an old heavy-duty typing stand; both of these date back to Dad's years at the Rome News Tribune, before the newspaper moved to computers. The typewriter was dirty but functional; some cleaning and oiling got it working just fine, although the ribbon is a bit worn and I'm not really sure where to find a replacement.

Since we have more than a little empty space at Marchmont, I figured it would be nice to set these up as I remember them being used for so many years. Of course, Mom and Dad kept the typewriter in their bedroom (this dates back to a time when their bedroom furniture was much smaller than the heavy furniture suite that they purchased in the late 70s or early 80s). Even so, I remember using that typewriter many times before I got a portable of my own; during the afternoon and early evening, I'd grab sheets of the newsprint trimmed down to 8.5" x 11" size that was always stacked next to the typewriter, and I'd type away--stories, letters, copies of articles that I liked, retyped copies of books that I borrowed from friends (I typed out the entirety of a Barton Werper Tarzan manuscript that way, in fact).

My eventual plan is to finish the corner out with some photos of Dad from the same years that he used the typewriter; even better, Kimberly mentioned that she had found some of Dad's AP plaques and awards, so I'll get one of two of those to complement the photos. I will always remember Dad working away at the typewriter, whether at the house or at the Rome News office, and now I'll have a window into the past whenever I see this typewriter sitting on ready.