The Typewriter Train

How my writing journey began

When choosing a laptop, most people look at things like memory size, speed, display, and all the important things that go into making a device that will last you for the longest time possible, even though we are all aware that even high-priced electronics seem to be considered disposable these days.

All of the above makes sense, but I have a different criteria sitting on top of all the other stuff. That would be the sound that the keys make when I type, which I’m sure seems like a bonkers way to buy a laptop over the price of $500. Allow me to explain.

When I was a kid, I remember my sister telling me a story about my dad. She was afraid to ride on the train, which was a common mode of transport in my native Scotland. To allay her fears, my dad would tell her to listen to the rhythmic sound the train made while speeding across the rails. She would listen intently, and he would whisper, “I’ll get you there, I’ll get you there,” to the beat of the sound. My sister said her fear was almost instantly gone once she understood that the train was a friend taking her somewhere cool.

That, though, is just the first part of my obsessions with the sound of tapping keys. The second came when my other sister found all my little notes and scribbled stories. I was about 13 at the time, and I was certain that she would make fun of me for my silly tales. All she did was ask me how long I had been doing it and whether or not I enjoyed. I sheepishly confessed that I did and she let me be.

A couple of weeks later, right after she received her paycheck from work, my sister arrived home with a rather mysterious looking plastic briefcase. Inside was a used typewriter that she had purchased for me at a jumble sale (garage sale). It was, to that point, the greatest gift I had ever received, and is still very high on the list of my best presents.

I hammered away at those keys, falling into a rhythm when the words were flowing, the sound reminding me of what my dad told my sister. It felt the same to me. There was always a little bit of fear for me when staring at a blank piece of paper and thinking of filling it with words. Once I got rolling, though, it felt as though the keys were saying “I’ll get you there, I’ll get you there,” on my way to the end of the story as opposed to the end of the line.

Now, I hope you can all understand why the sound that the keyboard makes is so important to me. I always want to find my way to the end, and if the keys can reassure me along the way, I’m sure I’ll reach my destination.