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The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.
PHOTO PROMPT @ Jan Wayne Fields
Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
HEY! HEY! MERCY, WOMAN!
“I got a boy to raise. I can’t afford to lose this job.” Bette ripped the document from the IBM electric. The bank called it progress, she called it futile. “Doggone unerasable ink. Someone should invent…hmm.”
_____
“Is that paint in the blender?” asked 12-year-old Michael.
Bette took a bottle of the white stuff to work with a small paintbrush. Before she knew it, her coworkers clamored for a bottle. She called her lucrative invention “Mistake-Out.”
______
“My mom was a dynamo. She built the Liquid Paper Corporation from nothing.” Monkee Michael Nesmith drawled. “All I did was sing and write songs.”
and just for fun…one of the songs Mike Nesmith wrote
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
And nobody even knows any more what Liquid Paper was needed for. Nor, of course, how to fashion a good edge on a flint axe
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I’ll work on my flint axe skills.
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Over here we have Tipp-Ex, which interestingly seems to have been invented in Germany about the same time as Mistake-Out. You see where your writing has sent me this morning when I’m supposed to be working! Happy New Year Rochelle, hope you are safe and well! 🙂
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Dear Iain,
It’s interesting that people on opposite sides of the ocean had the same idea. Too see the need is to hear the call. 😉 Your research…my compliment. Thank you So far so good on the new year.
Shalom and Happy New Year to you,
Rochelle
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I used to work in formulating specialist paints. We would often find that several companies would solve the same problems the same way, even when that approach had seemed quite innovative.
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As they say, Penny. Great minds think alike. 😉
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I honestly didn’t know that. We used to call it Tipp-ex over here, and what a godsend it was. Provided you waited long enough for it to dry… if you didn’t … well… I always leave your site a little more knowledgeable than when I joined it, Rochelle.
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Dear Sandra,
Apparently, Tipp-ex was invented in Germany about the same time Mr. Nesmith’s mother invented it over here. I was never much of a typist so I’m grateful for Word and such programs where I can copy, paste or backspace. I have used Liquid Paper to “erase” mistakes in pen and ink drawings. Not very good on the nib though. 😉 Thank you for your kind words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’d learned about this already. Pretty amazing, the simplicity behind some of the best inventions!
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Dear Trish,
A simple invention that made some lives easier. If word processors hadn’t come along I’d have to own stock in Liquid Paper. 😉 Backspace is my friend. Thank you for coming by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I like how the white out comes in a pen now. Extra clever 🙂
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I haven’t used that. It does come in handy for pen and ink drawings. 😉
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I guess as the “intellectual Monkee” he had to get that intellect from someplace! I had no idea that it was Mike Nesmith’s mom who created Liquid Paper. Good for her – I’m sure the deck was stacked against her back in those days. Also good for Mike for recognizing it!
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Dear Trent,
Hmmm…hadn’t thought of him being the intellectual Monkee. She did have the deck stacked against her, but in the end left her son with a fortune. And it sounds like he was a deserving son who made her proud. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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That’s funny, because that is how we always talked about him – and yes, it was a slight oxymoron, the intellectual Monkee… But he was the serious one from the start. And, of course, the second pop/rock musician to release a recording of a Moog synthesizer (The Doors beat The Monkees by a week, but many more people saw/heard Mike playing than the Doors)
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Ooops, just looked it up, Mike wrote the song, but Mikey played the Moog…
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I’m feeling a bit of a Monkee’s trend this year. What a fun story! I had no idea where “Mistake-Out” came from but I have sure used it a few times. 😉
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Dear Anne,
Monkees trend? Ya think? 😉 Glad you enjoyed the story. (2 down. 2 to go. :D) Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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We called it white out when I was growing up. Magic in a bottle or pen, saved my butt many times over. Such a simple invention. Sucked when someone kept the cap off and it dried out.
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Dear Tanille,
There are actually two. One is White Out and the other is Liquid Paper. They both serve the same purpose. 😉 I’m just grateful for the invention.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I like how Mike ‘drawled’.
Le mot juste, m’lady.
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Dear CE,
Mike is a Texan after all. 😉 Merci!
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I remember tipp-ex very well. Now it’s all correction tapes or delete buttons!
Here’s mine Rochelle. Happoy New Year
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Dear Di,
I personally prefer the delete key. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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ha! cheers. 🙂
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Dear Rochelle,
Isn’t it grand when we do a little digging? (Except when it ruins the surprise of a show, of course 😉 ).
Whether it’s called White Out, Liquid Paper or Tipp-Ex, it’s been a life-saver for more than secretaries – hell, I still use the stuff!
Thank you for always adding something for me to use in my next game of Trivial Pursuit!
Shalom and lotsa unmistakable hugs,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
Whatever do you mean? 😉 Who ruins a show by digging?
I’ve been known to use the correction fluids for pen and ink sketches. It does wreck havoc with my pen nibs though. Happy to add to your Trivial Pursuit. 😀
Shalom and lotsa correct love,
Rochelle
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I could not imagine…
Yeah, not all pens like the white stuff.
I forgot to mention, that watching the video, I suddenly have an urge to watch the show!!
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I did that recently. I got about ten minutes into the show and couldn’t take much more of it. The music bits are fun but the rest of the “plot” is annoying. 😉 The guys were so cute, though.
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I was thinking, I bet it’s that stupid comedy that was fun then, but now? Not so much. Like Three’s Company. Good gawd… However did I used to watch that dreck?
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I had no idea! I remember using Liquid Paper, and then White-Out. Guess that gives away my age. And I have to say, typing on the computer is sheer joy compared to the “good old days”. when one mistake meant typing the whole page over again!
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Dear Linda,
I’m with you. Computers are a joy. I was never much of a typist. I refused to take secretarial courses in school like my mother wanted me to. So she took it upon herself to teach me to type. For that I’m grateful, but I’d have to own a white out concern if it weren’t for computers. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Soo, that’s where the miracle of Liquid Paper came from! Wow!Can’t say how many gallons it took to get me through typing class in high school (durn crooked fingers!). Great historical piece. Loved it!
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Dear Bear,
That’s one of the places. 😉 Apparently great minds thought alike. I’ve used plenty of the stuff for typing and pen and ink sketches.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Fascinating and sad comes to mind, developed from humble beginning. White out or Tipp-Ex as I knew it, cured many errors.
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Dear Michael,
Apparently Liquid Paper and Tipp-ex, while the same type of product had different inventors. Great minds think alike. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I remember how handy that stuff was. So strange to think it was Mike Nesmith’s mom. Very cool story in the Monkees series.
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Dear Lisa,
Ah those little nuggets of trivia we find on Google. 😉 Thank you. 2 Monkees down and 2 to go. 😉 When you’re on a roll…:D
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, looking forward to hearing about Mickey and Peter. Each one of these Monkees was cuter than a bug’s ear. I love that photo montage they played at the end of each episode.
Shalom,
Lisa
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I was wondering if anyone remembered the typewriters with a second “white out” tape — just backspace and type over the letters. I loved that it wasn’t as messy as the liquid, but sometimes the tape wasn’t the best quality and you’d get a line of Dalmation spots. The first time I used the “delete” in a word processor program, I shouted Halleluia!
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Dear Genia,
I think many of us were shouting Hallelujah with the invention of the word processor. Most of the time backspace is my friend…except those times when I don’t backspace far enough and end up with some rather bizarre typos. 😉 Thank you for coming by. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I knew what it would be about right from the first line. Good story
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Dear Larry,
I knew you would. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Happy New Year, Rochelle! I will admit to needing to read this to the end in order to properly understand the beginning. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. How many pages would have been wasted without that precious stuff? It was useful in school too!
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Dear Jenn,
Happy new year to you! I’ve found the white stuff useful over the years, too. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
To think “paint in the blender” saved my arse (pardon the pun) more than once!
Shalom,
Dora
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Dear Dora,
Liquid Paper, White Out, or Tipp-Ex. We are all grateful. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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More Monkee business, great! When I was tidying my desk I found a Tipp-Ex correction tape Pocket Mouse circa 1975! Things have really moved on since liquid paper!
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Dear Keith,
And more Monkee business to come. 😉 You must not tidy your desk very often. No matter, mine could qualify for federal disaster aid.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Neatly told piece of history, Rochelle. Fun recording of the Monkees too.
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Dear Penny,
Thank you on both counts. I really enjoy the Monkees’ music, too.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Querida Rochelle,
Aahhh … memories – lots of memories.
First of all, I used white-out like mad. I had a summer typing job in which I had no skills and messed up a LOT!!!
Second, The Monkey’s were my middle daughter’s favorite. She ran home from school to watch them. They were hilarious. Fun info, as always. Great reading on the audio …
Abrazos y Carino,
Isadora
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Querida Isadora,
I’m afraid I’d have starved with any kind of typing job. There wasn’t enough white out. 😉 Thank heaven for computers and word processors. 😉
Funny how the Monkees show has remained popular through the years.
And thank you so much re my audio. I have a particular reason for doing it these days and it makes me happy to know it comes across well.
Gracias mi amiga.
Paz y abrazos,
Rochelle
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Querida Rochelle,
I didn’t have the typing job for long. I was switched to another job. LOLOL
Whether I watched Thw Monkeys with my girls or not, the laughter I heard always put a smile on my face.
I read your stories along with your audio and it is enjoyable to hear. At least, for me. You have a soft, clear diction and perfect expressions.
Que pases el fin de semana bien …
Abrazos y Carino,
Be Safe … 😷 🙏🏻 😊
Isadora 😎
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Certainly an invention of its time, and still used today I believe. Thank you for an interesting piece of history.
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Dear James,
The invention is still in use. I’ve found it handy for covering goofs in pen and ink sketches…although it’s hard on nibs. Always happy to share history. 😉 Thank you for coming along for the read.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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We called it Tippex this side. And I personally hated the liquid version as it never dried fast enough. Loved it when the tape version came out. Sounds like quite the inventive family – music and office products.
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Dear Fatima,
I’ve never used the tape version. Yes, there was inventiveness in that family. In fact, I think I read that she was Mike’s business manager. Although I might be confusing him with another Monkee. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks for posting that story, Rochelle. Liquid Paper’s great stuff. When my husband was 10, he had a nasty accident on his bike and flew into the back of a truck I think it was. He had a bottle of liquid paper in his pocket. Needless to say, it was history and made quite a mess.
Getting the stuff on our expensive school uniforms wasn’t great either.
Wishing you a Happy New Year btw. Hope you’re okay.
Best wishes,
Rowena
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Dear Rowena,
Thank you for sharing yet another use for liquid paper. Very resourceful for a 10-year-old.
Happy New Year to you, too. We’re staying well and healthy,
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Another cool bit of history! Yay, Rochelle!
Nothing needing whiting-out in this one …
And … I left my implemented bit on the froggy. Later better than never.
Na’ama
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Na’ama Y’karah,
Nice to know you found no typos to white out. 😉 History can be fun. Two Monkees down and two to go. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yeah, history is cool and you make it cooler! 🙂
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😘
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Nice one, Rochelle. As usual, I learned something new. I had no idea that it was Monkee Michael Nesmith’s mother who created Liquid Paper.
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Dear Adele,
It’s always fun to learn new bits of history, isn’t it? Great conversation pieces for parties. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Good for Bette Graham. I used so much of that stuff in my early days as a secretary. Thank you for the trip down memory lane, especially the Monkees clip. It took me back and made me smile. And, I, like so many, need more smiles nowadays!! Lovely story, Rochelle.
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Dear Brenda,
Yes, we can all use something to smile about these days. Glad my story was one of those for you. 😀 Thank you for your affirming words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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We call it white ink (or the saviour for many a neat project) here.
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Dear Bernadtte,
White ink. That’s appropriate. Whatever it’s called it’s been a boon to many a secretary and student. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yup 😀
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Ha, who knew! That was useful stuff back in the day (we actually had a different brand, Tipp-Ex, over here).
Maybe she also invented the modern equivalents, the “delete” key and CTRL-Z 🙂
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Dear Ali
Someone said earlier that Tipp-Ex was actually a German invention. Just shows that great minds think alike. A rose by any other name…
I’m grateful to the inventor of backspace, delete and CTRL Z.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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We call it Tippex over here – saved my life on many an occasion when I worked in an office. Now I use it to paint a label on dark surfaces!
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Dear Liz,
And yet another use for the white stuff. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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oh, i didn’t realize. interesting bit of history. 🙂
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Dear Plaridel,
Nothing like a little Google search to learn new things. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What an excellent story Rochelle. I learned something new here, and I love the connection between reality and fiction. I have to wonder though, if Mike needed his mother’s Liquid Paper when writing his songs?
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Dear Shelley,
Now there’s a thought. That in itself would’ve made a great story. 😀 Thank you
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a great example of the power of one person’s idea. Hope all is well with you Rochelle:)
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Dear Roy,
It’s nice to see you back in these parts. Others had the same idea but, according to Wikipedia, she was the first. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Very kind of you thank you Rochelle, always such a welcoming group..
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I do love this story! And yes, she was a genius!
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Thank you for the encouraging comment, Laurie.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Wow, Rochelle.
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