He Fixed 300,000+ Machines - America's Oldest Typewriter Repairman Dies At 96 201
An anonymous reader writes "The New York Times reports, 'For eight decades, Manson Whitlock kept the 20th century's ambient music going: the ffft of the roller, the ding of the bell, the decisive zhoop ... bang of the carriage return, the companionable clack of the keys. From the early 1930s until shortly before his death last month at 96, Mr. Whitlock, at his shop in New Haven, cared for the instruments, acoustic and electric, on which that music was played. Mr. Whitlock was often described as America's oldest typewriter repairman. He was inarguably one of the country's longest-serving. Over time he fixed more than 300,000 machines, tending manuals lovingly, electrics grudgingly and computers never. "I don't even know what a computer is," Mr. Whitlock told The Yale Daily News, the student paper, in 2010. "I've heard about them a lot, but I don't own one, and I don't want one to own me."'"
Re:Technophobia (Score:5, Funny)
With apologies to Monty Python (Score:4, Funny)
Voiceover: This man is no ordinary man. This is Mr. M W Superman. To all appearances, he looks like any other law-abiding citizen. But Mr M W Superman has a secret identity. When trouble strikes at any time, at any place, he is ready to become... TYPEWRITER REPAIR MAN!
Boy: Hey, there's a typewriter broken, up the office.
Typewriter Repair Man: Hmmmmm. This sounds like a job for... Typewriter Repair Man. But how to change without revealig my secret identity?
Superman 1: If only Typewriter Repair Man were here!
Typewriter Repair Man: Yes, wait, I think I know where I can find him. Look over there!
Caption: FLASH!
Supermen 1-3: Typewriter Repair Man, but how?
Superman 1: Oh look... is it a stockbroker?
Superman 2: Is it a quantity Surveyor?
Superman 3: Is it a church warden?
Supermen 1-3: NO! It's Typewriter Repair Man!
Superman In Need: MY! Typewriter Repair Man! Thank goodness you've come! Look!
Caption:
Clink!
Screw!
Bend!
Inflate!
Alter roller!
Superman 2: Why, he's mending it with his own hands!
Superman 1: Se how he uses a spanner to tighten that nut!
Superman In Need: Oh, Oh Typewriter Repair Man, how can I ever repay you?
Typewriter Repair Man: Oh, you don't need to guv. It's all in a days work for... Typewriter Repair Man!
Supermen 1-3: Our Hero!
Voiceover: Yes! whenever typewriters are broken, or menaced by Al Qaida Typewriter Repair Man is ready!
Re: At last (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Technophobia (Score:4, Funny)
Are you implying people can't enjoy doing their job? (most don't, but doesn't mean it can't happen...)
No, I think he's just making a typography pun.
A weakly-typed one, if you ask me though.
Very sad (Score:5, Funny)
Re:tech fright (Score:4, Funny)