Tuesday, 3 December 2024

TIPPA’s Thank-You by Elizabeth Obadina

Thank you, Adam, my hero, but for you

I’d still lie forgotten, aloft, feeling blue

Passed over for technologies digital and new

Put away, a sixties relic she moved on from, outgrew,

Abandoned, yet still yearning to type her essays, her letters and her news.

 

Thank-you Adam. Now because of you

I’ve been dusted and polished until my silver shone through

Put through my paces, tried out with a view

Perhaps, of being useful once more, but a servicing’s due

As my keys strike all wonky and my typing’s askew.

 

Thank you, Adam, for this second chance for her to renew

Ideas and inspirations her eighteen-year-old self knew

People and places – a half-century to review!

Plus, there’s more still to write, dreams yet to pursue,

And perhaps once again, we’ll tip-tap together, ‘til the sun sets. Adieu. 


I don’t remember many special occasion presents which is probably just as well as they are often remembered for all the wrong reasons, however my eighteenth birthday present from my parents was both highly desired and intensively used. What was it? An Adler TIPPA typewriter which has seen me through the last fifty-five years, always with me, although not always by my side. Adam’s November 'The Typewriter' writing task prompted a loft hunt for typewriter treasure!

3 comments:

Jennie said...

I do like this Liz, such a poetic way of writing your 'story'. I have never ever typed, even though we have an old tiny typewriter - maybe I should learn, get rid of 'Word'!

Irena Szirtes said...

A clever way to write can't be easy using an acrostic form, I have never tried! Lovely to think of you dusting off your typewriter and rekindling its history 💓

Liz said...

Poor TIPPA - I took her to be serviced yesterday. Alas the business has 'retired' although they're still listed on line. The chap admired TIPPA and gave me some advice involving WD40 and unscrewing her rusted (tropical damp did her no good :( ) base plate. So watch this space, a new career as typewriter mechanic beckons!