Guillory the Typewriter

            Often in life you come across people who you seem familiar.  People who seem like you’ve spoken their name before.  It’s my belief that these individuals had been part of a past life.  Even if it was a passerby who smiled and said hello.  Everyone we encounter and make eye contact with, smile at and greet will always leave an impression.  Sometimes just a quick thought to yourself.  Granting them time in your life and you in theirs. 

My sister Ro and I have started a new tradition which began last year.  To take a hiking trip to different places that we’ve not seen before.  So, because of this, I decided that I wanted to take my typewriter with me so that I may write about our journey and send postcards or letters to people from our locations.  Knowing my 1934 Royal Typewriter is too heavy to haul across an airport, much less a trip that give us limited space to store our belongings; I began my search for a more travel-friendly typewrite

                I searched Facebook marketplace, craigslist & offerUp.  After weeks of searching on offerUp, I stumbled across a post that had been pushed down towards the bottom of the search results.  It had been posted for 11 months.  The post read:

“Typewriter Collection (15)

Must sell my typewriter collection.  All typewriters will be sold “as is”.  Must be able to        purchase them all at once.  I will not sell separately.  Must be able to take all typewriters at point of sale.  I will not hold on to any of them for a later pick-up.  (if you collect, you will understand.)  Please no questions.  If you are interested come, see them and look for yourselves.  Serious Inquiries only.”

The post was originally marked with an $1,100 price tag and then later after months on the site marked down to $800.  A little rich for my pocketbook I knew I would never be able to afford all of them at once.  So, with a little hesitation and nervousness I replied in a message asking if he was willing to sell just one since they all didn’t sell.  I never expected a response because of me contradicting what his post read “must be able to purchase them all at once” and “Please no questions”.  With those in mind I never expected even to be acknowledged. 

                About a day later I get a response from the man selling them and he surprised me when he said that he was willing to sell one separately, but the price depended on the one I wanted.  I immediately responded and told him exactly the one I was interested in buying.  I had my eye on that 1965 Smith Corona Corsair Deluxe!  I sat there impatiently waiting for that reply.  It felt like three days had gone by because I was so excited to see what the price would be and if it would be within my budget.  I would close the application and reset my phone.  Just in case there was an error with my phone that somehow prevented the notifications and messages to show up.  Growing up in the 80’s and 90’s I was one of those kids that would constantly pick up the phone to make sure I heard a dial-tone because I was waiting for a phone call.  Like somehow the phone stopped working because I was expecting it to ring.  That has obviously carried over into adulthood! 

                Another 24 hours later I received a response.  I must have read that message about 32 times because I wanted to make sure I read it correctly.  “If you are truly going to use it and not turn around and sell it, you can have it.  It’s not doing any good in my attic on a shelf.”  I couldn’t believe what I had read, so I read it again, this time out loud!  Could this be?  Am I really being gifted this typewriter?  I was so shocked and in awe and full of disbelief?  How could someone just give me a typewriter?  So, in that moment we had what he called a gentleman’s agreement.  I gave him a verbal promise to never resell it or to try and make a profit off it.  A good home is all he asked, and with my honor that’s what he (the typewriter) will have. 

                He asked for time to pull the typewriter out of the attic and give it a “once over”, to insure there were not present issues with it.  That expression for some reason just made me giggle.  It brought back memories of my younger days with my grandparents.  My grandfather would always say that “I’m going to give it a once over.”  After that moment I had such a good feeling about this.  So, we had finally set a day of the week to meet.  It was Friday.  Even though he had told me that he was giving it to me at no cost except for the promise of a good home, I still took money.  I felt like I was robbing him because the beauty of this machine is so priceless. 

                We agreed to meet at a predetermined place so that we could get there approximately at the same time.  I arrived first and I let him know that I had arrived.  He immediately pulled up and with a wave and a huge smile he greeted me.  He walked towards me with his hand extended to give me a handshake.  It was like he was trying to shake my shoulder out of its socket!  Immediately he opened the back door of his truck and brought out this typewriter.  I was still confused as to why he would just give this beauty away with no expectation of being compensated.  He took off the case and showed me where the important parts were and told me a brief story about the typewriter with that quick exchange of words, I learned so much about him.  About his wife and about the typewriters he collected.  I couldn’t express to him my gratitude and just stared at this beautiful machine in awe.  I asked him again if he was sure he didn’t want any money for it.  With that same smile he gave me when he arrived, he told me that he was sure, just as so long as I would care for it.  I told him if I needed to sign an agreement, I was willing to and I would do it in blood!  He giggled at that and said it wasn’t necessary, but he understood. 

                After expressing my gratitude for the 800 time I also talked about my current typewriter and my blog which he was welcome to read and that I would be posting about this interaction and kindness.  There was something about his kindness that just made me such an emotional mess.  Why did he show me, a stranger, so much trust and kindness with something he held dear?  He didn’t expect any compensation.  I tried to offer him money, but he didn’t accept it.  I always say that there is no such thing as a coincidence and that every person that we meet is brought into our life for a reason; Be it for a year, a moment or a season. 

                The moment I got home, I messaged him yet again to express how grateful I was.  I think he got the point!  For me, for someone to be so kind, means so much.  Especially in a world with so much anger and hurt.  To keep your heart soft in a cruel world speaks volumes of your character.  This kindness I will never forget, and I promise to show the same endearing qualities when it is my turn to give to someone in need.

                I’ve named my typewriter Guillory.  I thought it a fitting way to show my appreciation and to never forget a kind stranger that shown me so much kindness.