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Genre: Historical Friction
Word Count: 100
TRASH 80
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Jan showed off his latest acquisition from Radio Shack.
I fumed. “Our electric typewriter works just fine. A computer will end up being another dust collector like your precious Polaroid SX-70.”
“How was I supposed to know the film would cost a fortune?”
***
Several years have passed since that day. I’ve acquired my own desktop, scanner-printer combo, a laptop for travel and Jan takes sharp pictures with his iPad.
He reads the screen over my shoulder and says with a sly smile, “Lemme get you a rag.”
“Why?”
“You’ve been at it for hours. You’re collecting dust.”
*Note: Radio Shack’s computer was actually named TRS 80 but became widely known as Trash 80. From there we went to the Commodore 64 and Jan had a Kaypro, a portable computer that I refer to as the Commodore in a Can. All cutting edge technology in the latter part of the 20th Century.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
I still have my old Toshiba laptop with no hard drive. I don’t remember, but I think it was powered by steam.
By the way, the link is set to open in twelve hours time
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Dear Neil,
We’ve certainly come a long way, haven’t we? Sorry about the link snafu. It’s open now. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Our first computer was also a TRS-80, and we’ve never looked back. 😀
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Dear Archon,
I can’t begin to tell you how many computers we’ve had since then. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I miss my old typewriter and brownie camera, yet they are still with me in the form of a iPad. You see as usual you have made me think with your writing. Which I do like
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Dear Michael,
I can’t say I miss the old typewriter. At least with the computer/word processor I have backspace and copy and paste. 😉 Thank you for your kind words re my writing.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Polaroids are awesome! But sooo expensive, even now. Fun take, R. Does this mean J will be doing the housework from now on? 😀
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Dear Tanille,
I remember my brother’s first Polaroid. Black and white and rather messy. But what a wonder to develop a photo right there on the spot! Who knew we’d have cell phones that would take care of that and in color as well.
Jan? Housework? Actually we collectively avoid it until absolutely necessary. .;) Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I didn’t realise the first ones were in black and white. Still amazing watching the picture develop. Phones are a life changer.
Don’t blame you for the housework avoidance. 😀
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Nice last sentence about collecting dust.
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Dear Frank,
I’m glad you caught that. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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We all went down the rabbit hole when we bought our first computers. What a long, strange trip it’s been… Oh well, I am gathering dust right now 😉
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Dear Trent,
Crazy isn’t it? In a little over 40 years we’ve gone from those first PCU’s to computers being our lifeline…our social network. Now go dust yourself off. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
I cannot remember what my first computer was (I was with a computer geek at the time so it was all his baby, anyway). I was rather late to the game in getting my own, now that I think about it. Amazing when you think how they have evolved!
Now sitting there until you collect dust is a tad overdoing it 😉
Shalom and lotsa communicative love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
I had a Leading Ege computer for a while with a dot matrix printer. I did a lot of writing on that and have quite a few floppy disks with poems on them. Now how to read those files is another story.
We are definitely living the science fiction of my childhood. 😀
And about that collecting dust thing…
Shalom and lotsa random access hugs,
Rochelle
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You’ve just reminded me of one of our family visits to the CN tower where we had our picture taken with a computer that printed it on dot matrix. I so wish I still had that picture because it was great!
I can’t tell you how many floppy disks of all sizes I’ve gone through! And thrown out…
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Good one Rochelle
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Thank you, Sadje. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You’re welcome Rochelle
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Oh yeah! I remember our first computer & dot matrix printer. Our setup was very pricey at the time and you were, indeed, not happy. I actually still have my Kaypro, Commodore and Commodore SX. The first with a built in monitor. Lol. It will be worth a fortune one day. Now you are the computer guru and live on it. Go figure. Great story.=
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Dear Jan,
Back in the 80’s when you bought the Trash 80 we were struggling. The last thing (I thought) we needed was to spend money we didn’t have on something so useless. Cutting edge for the day, I still think of the Kaypro as Commodore in a Can. And that Koala pad? Fuhget about it. I’ve had more control with an Etch-A-Sketch.
Without computers there’d be no Friday Fictioneers, eh? Thanks m’luv for having the foresight to buy that computer. ❤
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We’ve come a long way, for sure. My DH remembers the 60s computer for which he had to write a program in college. It worked, and he was shocked :). Took up a whole room!
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Dear Linda,
In HS my graphic arts class was next-door to the data processing class. That computer did take up the entire room. Now our cell phones do everything that one did and more. Beam me up, Scotty. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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🙂
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Where would we be without them now? Nice memory and another lovely window into the great relationship you and Jan have. Thanks for sharing.
Jen
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Dear Jen,
Jan and I do share some very fond memories. 😀 As for computers, without them I wouldn’t be replying to your sweet comment. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Great story, oh the memories! It’s the SciFi of my youth come true, as well. I thought I was too stupid for computers when I was young. But being messy, I hated drawing diagrams on paper. Then I got acquainted with a plotter attached to a (tiny, primitive) computer. I’ve never looked back and now I’m working in IT support, LOL.
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Dear Gabi,
I’m glad you’ve gotten past the lie that you were “too stupid”. Although at one time I was an inker detailer for a drafting firm. Now a computer does what I used to with rapidograph pen and Leroy lettering device.
Thank you re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Computer Guru W(T)F,
I saw a Facebook post the other day with a photo of an old DOS prompt screen. It brought back nightmares of having to type in long lines of characters and symbols which never seemed to get me to the proper screen. I’m sure it was they same software they used at Walla Walla Bing Bang. No wonder so many mimes turned criminal.
Clueless in Goshen
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Dear Clueless in Goshen,
We’ve certainly come far since those days of DOS and dot matrix printers. Although I used to make some great paper chains with the edges of the paper. Filled a friend’s office with them. (true story)
Walla Walla Bing Bang’s floppy disks really were floppy and didn’t stay in the slot very well. And we had to wash tempera paint off the screens every night.
It’s nice of you to drop by. Or did you just take a wrong turn at Nasal Falls?
Shalom,
Computer Guru W(T)F
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If years ago someone had said I’d be spending most of my days staring at a screen, I’d have said they were bonkers! Guess I’ll be swapping my abacus for a calculator next!
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Dear Keith,
When my husband brought home that first computer I really thought he’d lost his mind as well as spending money we didn’t have. Now look at me replying to you on my very own desktop computer. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I can’t imagine life without my laptop. I know there was a time I didn’t have one, but that doesn’t seem real. It seems like a different life.
Collecting dust is a good sign for a writer. May we all be so enthralled with our stories.
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Dear Nobbin,
It seems I’m collecting more dust at my easel than with my writing these days. As for computers, I’ve gone through at least three laptops over the past 20 years as well as desktops and printers. Crazy how far we’ve come without looking back.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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An equally worth endeavor.
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Ohmigosh, I remember the Trash 80. I remember thinking computers would never really take off. Now, I do a lot of work as computer support. Whoopsie! Great one, Rochelle!
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Dear Eric,
Life does take us on some spins and dives, doesn’t it? Thank you for coming along for the read. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I do remember those days of the dinosaur computers. Your story made me laugh.
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Dear Lisa,
Glad my story made you laugh. Mission accomplished. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, you are welcome.
Shalom,
Lisa
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Querida Rochelle,
We’ve come a long way, baby. And, who knows where else it’s going to go.
My grandson (10) talks about computers like its a 2nd language. YIKES!!!
We’ve gotta keep up with the times. Fun post, mi amiga.
Abrazos y Carino,
Isadora 😎
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Querida Isadora,
Sí. ¿Quién sabe? Today’s kids have always had computers and cell phones. Some probably don’t know what a landline is and certainly not a rotary phone. Know what? I wouldn’t exchange my antiquated childhood for all the technology in the world. 😉 Gracias mi amiga.
Shalom y abrazos,
Rochelle
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Amen, mi amiga, Amen
Bring on the vintage … ha ha
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Wonderfully appropriate take on the prompt! And I love the last line. You highlight our uncertainty about personal computers in their early days – how strange that I should almost have forgotten that…
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Dear Penny,
It’s fun to look back on how far we’ve come. What will the next 30 years bring? Thank you for your validating comments. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Nice collection! We had an Atari 65. How we loved the games that took half an hour to load from a tape! Fond memories 🙂
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Do you remember the sounds for ‘Centipede’?!
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Oh yes, a favourite! 🙂
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Dear Iain,
And then there was dial-up internet that squawked and squealed while you waited for it to load up. Fond memories indeed. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I still remember the Commodore 64. 🙂 And yes, Polaroid seemed like such a good idea at the time. You can see how they fulfilled people’s needs in their earlier incarnations to an extent that warranted the millions of miles they’ve travelled since then. Your story brought that back. Thank you.
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Dear Sandra,
The Commodore 64 was good for games and that’s really about it. I had a Koala pad which had less control for me than an Etch-A-Sketch. How far we’ve come. Thank you for coming down memory lane with me. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This story is so relatable. I am sure dust collecting would be going well. Good one
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Thank you, Vartika. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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i could only imagine what emily bronte would think about having a laptop or ipad. being reclusive, it should have a lot of fun with it. too bad, she was born too early. 😦
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Dear Plaridel,
I wonder what kind of reactions there were to the first typewriters? Hm…a story to explore perhaps? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Lovely nostalgic trip dowm ram lane!
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Dear Neel,
Clever. Random Access Memory Lane. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Wonderful memories, Rochelle.
Some funny now, but not then. I recall work battles buying computers. One friend was accused of owning stock in one company (Apple) or another (and he may have).
I recall the human ‘word processors’ (typists) and dot matrix drafts, the printers with sound proof covers, oh the stories I could tell. Very well done and relatable.
Peace,
Bill
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Dear Bill,
Those of a certain age do have memories, don’t we? I think of The Forbin Project or the Twilight Zone with Wally Cox where the computer fell in love with him. She took up the entire room. Whoda thunk we’d be carrying around handheld computers known as cell phones? Beam me up Scotty. Or iPads as introduced on Star Trek TNG. (Of course they didn’t call them that.) Face to face telecommunication was the future. And so the future is upon us.
Ah well, Happy to share the memories. Glad you came along for a stroll.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yes, Rochelle,
All of that. I’m always available. 🙂
Peace,
Bill
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Ah, nostalgia. One idiot in a computer shop once tried to persuade me that a 3 1/2″ floppy was a “hard disk” because it didn’t bend like the 5 1/4″ did…
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Dear Ali,
And now what do I so with my floppy disks? I did find it interesting that the smaller harder disks were still referred to as floppy. Thanks for coming along my stroll down Memory Lane.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Don’t remember the model name but the first computer I remember we had was the big white box type. The 2nd was by Zenith before moving to laptops.
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Dear Bernadette,
Those first computer monitors were monsters, weren’t they? Thank you for reading and commenting. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Not monstrous (unless you needed to carry them) but definitely BIG in comparison to my laptop.
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A lovely nostalgic piece. Technological changes really do provide markers for looking back. It’s so easy to track the years through the relevant updates and new additions to our IT arsenal. And isn’t it great that so far we’ve been able to maintain some ‘hands-on’ aspects of life. You still have your pens and brushes on paper for your beautiful artwork, for example, and I’m sure many like me would be lost without a bedside stack of paperbacks. I hope we can keep the balance.
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Dear Margaret,
Kindle really can’t replace the texture of a hands-on book, can it? And I do feel that way about my brushes and pens.
I know there are artists who’ve gone digital and do some nice things. I’d rather use the archaic method of creating art. 😉
Thank you for your kind comments re my story. Those of us of a certain age have been fortunate in watching progress happen.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I am sure you are correct, that dust collects on all those people glued to their computer screen.
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Thank you, James. I guess I’ll go dust myself off now. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Hahaha
Gosh technology moves so fast. I can’t imagine what might come next!
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Dear Laurie,
I wonder if we’ll be able to beam up to the Mother Ship. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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sorry, this is late 🙂
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