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Sunday 19 June 2011

Happy Father's Day, Papa Typospherians!

Enjoy the day. Be a real Papa and stand up to your typewriter
Relax and take the time out to study your favourite typewriter in great detail
By all means tune up your typewriter
But concentrate and don't just mindlessly fiddle with it
Or this might happen
And this
Remember to always handle your typewritten copy (and your children) with kid gloves
Because (hopefully) the kids will take the opportunity to show some gratitude
 And if they do, or even offer a peck on the cheek, don't just sit there blowing bubbles
Take the chance to do some deeply reflective writing
Grab a drink ...
 ... and sit outside, take in the wide open spaces
Or stay inside and listen to some music. Maybe Duke...
Or the Remington Typewriter Band ...
Or the Boston Pops (sorry, Typewriter) Orchestra.
Perhaps you could cha cha with your joyful wife, or partner, or Flamenco Rock to the sounds of Michelino
Or do the QWERTY Waltz, or join her in some mild exercise
Talking about partners, here are some great ideas
How about simply dressing up for the occasion, getting into the Sunday best?
And going for a drive
To visit a typewriter museum (though this one's in Western Australia)
Maybe you could spend the day catching up with some reading
Or visiting the farm and checking out the animals
Or you could spend it thinking up wonderful new typewriter ideas (Mr Bowker, I think, has lots of them)
Or going to watch some sport
Or simply hitting the road, Jack (on your bike Richard)
It would be great to REALLY travel, though ... somewhere exotic, somewhere far away ...a bit of camel riding and all that ... a safari maybe
Mind you, you could just put your feet up and think about it
And be given a bit of silence to do so, to concentrate
The whole idea, though, is to receive some WANTED gifts
Actually, our Father's Day Down Under is not until September 4. In the meantime, Rob might like to post me one of those marvellous Imperial brochures of his. This is what I got for the last Father's Day, and I'm still waiting for its partner. Anyone out there got a spare Underwood spool cover?
Anyway, have a good one, Dad ...
And if all else fails, you could always plan a type-in
This is especially for you, Ryan. Hope all went well in Tempe.

6 comments:

rino breebaart said...

ok, I'll take a bite, Robert: have you got EVERY typewriter ad ever made??

;-)

Richard P said...

Really well done!

I have to say that Smith-Corona ad for the "lifetime partner" makes me very sentimental.

Robert Messenger said...

Thanks Rino and Richard. Rino, I don't think I've got them all, but I do consider myself a typewriter ad "liberator". I find many companies either cut/tear them out of out publications, or scan them in, and sell them. Nothing illegal in that, of course, but I believe typewriter lovers should have free access to these images, to use them as they will.

rino breebaart said...

that reminds me, in the interest of completism, I'm guessing you've got a copy of 'The Demise of the Typewriter' book, Robert? It's basically an oral history of typewriter repairmen in Queensland. Just in case - I can send you a link.
cheers,
rino

Robert Messenger said...

Thanks, Rino. Colin and Mary have sent me some copies. I actually first came upon it in the National Library about six years ago. Richard Amery sold quite a few on eBay on the Joneses' behalf. I'm also now in touch (by real mail) with John Hay. The Joneses have a little typewriter museum up in North Queensland, if you're ever up that way.

rino breebaart said...

ok, that's great. I vaguely know one of the descendents of the Spencer clan who ran a big repair shop in Brisbane.