15-year-old Eileen Bunch made it to the quarterfinals of the Jeopardy Teen Tournament on July 23.
Alex Trebek: Do you know that you and I have something in common?
Eileen: What's that?
Alex: We both use old typewriters.
Eileen: That's right.
Alex: But you get into trouble because of your use.
Eileen: It's really, really loud, and my family kind of hates it because it's really loud. But they're not sitting there right up next to it, so...
Alex: Yeah. Do you have trouble finding ribbons for it?
Eileen: Actually, no. There's a store in Cincinnati, where I live, that has ribbons, and they actually fixed up a few typewriters for us. It's pretty nice.
Alex: Well, good for you. Okay. You stick with it.
Eileen: What's that?
Alex: We both use old typewriters.
Eileen: That's right.
Alex: But you get into trouble because of your use.
Eileen: It's really, really loud, and my family kind of hates it because it's really loud. But they're not sitting there right up next to it, so...
Alex: Yeah. Do you have trouble finding ribbons for it?
Eileen: Actually, no. There's a store in Cincinnati, where I live, that has ribbons, and they actually fixed up a few typewriters for us. It's pretty nice.
Alex: Well, good for you. Okay. You stick with it.
I congratulate Eileen and Alex on their good taste in writing implements -- and I thank Eileen, because in the last few days, three customers have turned to the Urban Legend Institute for typewriter ribbons and repair, all saying that they found us thanks to Eileen's comment on Jeopardy.
The first customer wanted ribbons for his mother's Royal portable. His mother is 100 years old. She has been using the same Royal for the last seven decades straight—and she bought it used.
The second customer is about Eileen's age. She got a '50s Smith-Corona from her grandparents, but the mainspring was frozen up. She is curious about all the functions of the machine, and eager to use it. She plans to show it off to her schoolmates at "bring your own device day."
The third customer was looking for a ribbon for her grandmother's Remington Personal-Riter.
It's the tool of choice for intelligent writers, young and old.
WHAT IS A TYPEWRITER?