He came back with a matchbook in his hand and a quizzical look on his face. When he showed me what he was holding I was transported back to junior high and high school.
In case you're young, or you never had the opportunity to type on a typewriter, you're probably not familiar with correction tape. It was one way of fixing errors (the other one was liquid), and the only one allowed in typing class. The tape was coated on one side with a film that covered up the mistake. It came in several styles; this type had small sheets bound inside a matchbook-sized cardboard folder.
Fixing a mistake with correction tape was a laborious process. The first step was to backspace to the exact spot to be corrected. Next was to take a piece of correction paper, place the coated side down over the mistake, hold it there with your finger, and type the incorrect character again. That pressed the powder onto the page, covering the letter. The next step was to remove the paper and check to see if the mistake was completely erased, and if not repeat the process. Finally, the last step was to backspace again, and type the correct letter. The tape could only be used a finite amount of times before the film was all used up.In college I was able to choose my own method of typo correction, and moved on to Liquid Paper. After college was over I set the typewriter aside in favor of word processing programs.
So how did the tape get mixed in with the other matchbooks? It probably would have been when we were packing up to move to the condo six years ago, but other than that I have no idea.
Five years ago today: Candy...And Much More
Yes I remember correction tape-does anyone type on a typewriter anymore? smiles I grew up with one
ReplyDeleteI gave mine away when we moved to the condo six years ago.
DeleteI never used correction tape. When I learned to type on an old Underwood manual typewriter, we only had those pink eraser pencils with the tiny brush on the end. Liquid white-out hadn't been invented yet either. The Dark Ages.
ReplyDeleteOH! I used one of those eraser pencils once. I thought it was a total pain.
DeleteI loved IBM Selectrics with the correcting key. Of course, one did have to replace the correcting tape every so often. As Debra said, above, the dark ages.
ReplyDeleteI was thrilled to eventually type on a Selectric.
DeleteI remember correction tape and also the liquid paper correction method. Gettnig the liquid on in too thick a drop, waiting for it to dry..........all problems of long long ago. I thought in high school I would have a career as a verityper and a verityper machine repair person. That went down the tubes and next I thought I would be a key punch operator and that career choice vanished faster than the typewriter.
ReplyDeleteI was unfamiliar with veritypers, but after research they sound like a cool thing.
DeleteTyping classes back in the day really taught us to be careful, because fixing a single typo was practically a five-minute construction project. Finding that little packet mixed in with actual matchbooks is such a charming surprise from your packing days.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't the world's greatest typist, so had to do a lot of corrections!
DeleteThis makes complete sense to me although I only remember liquid paper. Yet, I'm just contemplating how differently Donald would hear this story than I did. He likely has no reference for the way typing sounds, but your anecdote took me there immediately. And now I wish I still had a typewriter, ha.
ReplyDeleteI figured that since the people who comment here skew older I would have a captive audience for the memory.
DeleteI remember the correction tape in typewriter class.
ReplyDeleteWhat memories you've just awakened!
ReplyDelete:-)
DeleteI remember correction tape and liquid paper, and how thrilled I was to finally be able to use the latter. Primitive by today’s standards. As far as match books, when I cleared out my parents’ home after my dad had passed away I found a large container full of match books. I brought them home and have had them on display in various parts of the house. People always wax nostalgic when they see some of these because they go back to the 60s.
ReplyDeleteI've seen people keep their collections in large brandy snifters.
DeleteFunny that you mention match books, I was just at my son's house and he had a match book out from a restaurant we used to go to on Marco Island. The condo there is now sold, but what a great memory that brought back.
ReplyDeleteVintage match books are great for awakening memories.
Delete