IAIN KELLY

SCRAP METAL

The thing weighs a tonne, almost broke the table when I finally hefted it onto it.

Got some buttons on it. Give one a tap and it makes a pleasing ‘clack’.

Letters on them. Some sort of coding device?

Nowhere to plug it in, can’t see an on button.

Bit at the top slides side to side, doesn’t seem to do much else.

Scratch my head and stare at it. It stares back, useless.

The metal will probably be worth something. Could barter with it at the market.

Pick up the hammer and smile. I enjoy this part.


writers-life
Copyright Jeff Arnold

Written for Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).

To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.


FREE GIVEAWAY

I had a fantastic response to my novels being made FREE to download on Amazon last weekend, with over 250 eBooks downloaded. Hopefully they will pass a couple of days for those isolated at home. I hope everyone is safe and well.

Until MIDNIGHT tonight (Wednesday) A JUSTIFIED STATE is still FREE on AMAZON. After the Amazon promotion ends (they can only run for 5 days at a time), both novels will remain FREE as eBOOKS from SMASHWORDS and BARNES AND NOBLE until April 20th.

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Both books are still available to buy in paperback, and the eBooks are still available for only £2.99 / $2.99 when the promotions end. Book Three is progressing well, and will be released around the end of May this year.

92 responses to “SCRAP METAL”

  1. James McEwan Avatar

    Yep, remove paper from our lives and what else has to go. Cyber space is void of reality.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks James – cyber space is certainly a strange, strange place!

      Liked by 1 person

  2. neilmacdon Avatar

    A clever evocation of a modern’s incomprehension at old technology

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Neil.

      Like

  3. Tannille Avatar

    Put down the hammer… 😀

    We might be needing these beautiful machines again…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I think that would be the end of my writing career – imagine us all trying to type and not having autocorrect or the delete button! 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Tannille Avatar

        no delete… oh horror…

        Liked by 1 person

      2. pennygadd51 Avatar

        No Autocorrupt? Horror!

        Liked by 1 person

  4. Anthony North Avatar

    He couldn’t find the on button, but the story was right on.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Anthony 😉

      Like

  5. rochellewisoff Avatar

    Dear Iain,

    What did we do before word processors. Copy and paste is my friend. But oh, please don’t take a hammer to that beautiful relic. 😉

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I too am glad to write in the era of Microsoft Word! Thanks Rochelle, stay safe 🙂

      Like

  6. Anita Avatar

    No charging point!
    What does an ignorant person do with this device. There’s not even the operating manual close by 🙂
    Take care.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Ha, thanks Anita – imagine typewriters needing to come with instructions! Stay safe 🙂

      Like

  7. Susan Zutautas Avatar

    I loved typing on these but to go back to them …. no, think I’ll stick with my laptop 🙂

    Like

  8. J Hardy Carroll Avatar

    I have several of these around and use them often. It’s an amazingly durable design. At the Writer’s Museum in Chicago they have a table of different machines, and it’s endlessly entertaining to see young people try to figure them out.

    Like

  9. Michele Jones Avatar

    I still have a Smith Corona. It’s not electric and my kids do know what it is, but I doubt my grandchildren will have any idea what it is. They don’t use them in school and it’s not something you see with any regularity. I remember those typing classes so well along with the onion paper we used to use. So many changes.

    Like

  10. pensitivity101 Avatar

    great take Iain.

    Like

  11. ceayr Avatar

    You must be a bundle of fun in an antique shop, Iain!
    Entertaining take.

    Like

  12. Lynn Love Avatar

    I remember typing out my husband’s degree dissertation on an electronic typewriter – quite a move on from the one in the photograph, but still, it took hours and I had very little margin for error. Retyped several pages more than once. Oh, to have had a laptop and printer back then!
    Not sure my fingers could take going back to those days – the keys on a manual typewriter are really hard on your hands, especially when you’re used to a laptop keyboard. Great story Iain. Really nice to hear so many people are reading your books too 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Lynn, been quite an astonishing couple of days with so many books downloaded… hopefully the same readers will come back when they have to pay a couple of quid, but so nice to finally see more people finding the books! Thankfully, by the time I reached Uni, computers were commonplace – don’t think I would have started writing novels if we were still on typewriters! Hope you are staying safe 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Lynn Love Avatar

        So glad you’ve had a lot of downloads. Long may they continue

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Iain Kelly Avatar

        I suspect when they are no longer free, the downloads will dry up pretty quickly! But it’s good to know they’re being read by a few more people.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Lynn Love Avatar

        It’s what most of us do this for, isn’t it, to be read? Of course, a comfortable living out of it might be nice, but let’s not get carried away 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  13. Sadje Avatar

    Good story.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Sadje Avatar

        You’re welcome

        Liked by 1 person

  14. spicedmullings Avatar

    That’s real wicked. Nice one!👌👌👌
    Hope everything is fine in your area

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you. Hope you are well and safe too. In lockdown around here, but I still have to go to work and it is very quiet…!

      Like

      1. spicedmullings Avatar

        Go to work ☹️
        Thats awful!
        We are fine by God’s grace.
        Lock down just began.
        But we are ok

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Iain Kelly Avatar

        Take care and stay safe.

        Liked by 1 person

      1. Liz H Avatar

        😳😂

        Liked by 1 person

  15. 4963andypop Avatar

    Clueless. Its funny–but not really– how what used to be the stuff of fortunes lies on the scrapheap, today. You did a good job of conveying his eagerness to destroy it.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Whatever else changes, we all have a destructive streak just waiting to be unleashed! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  16. Susan A Eames Avatar

    Noooooo! This ex-antique dealer’s worst nightmare. 🙂

    Susan A Eames at
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      It happens to the best of things! 😉

      Like

  17. mjlstories Avatar

    Great fun! I love a story where I want to jump in and grab the main character and shout NO! My late brother was an old school two-finger typing journalist, trained in the olden days (the eighties) – god he used to bang his computer keyboard!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Haha, I know a few like that too! 🙂

      Like

  18. granonine Avatar

    Aw, poor old typewriter! I was in a town down the road this week and noticed a store, old and dark, with the sign “Typewriter Repair” hanging out front. There have to be some good stories inside those walls!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Not much call for that business anymore!

      Liked by 1 person

  19. Eugenia Parrish Author Avatar

    It is frightening to think how many “things” we know and love would disappear if there was no one to care what they were or what they once did. On the other hand, sometimes watching “Collectors” on TV gives me a headache, especially when the collector has passed away and the family is stuck with the decision — this all meant so much to him but it means nothing but used-up space to us. I love old typewriters, but my grandchildren would hardly know what to do with a carriage-return. Already.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      If you can see past the sentimental value the decision become much easier, but it’s not so easy to just throw away all those memories.

      Like

  20. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) Avatar

    If it’s not a collector’s piece it’s better of as scrap metal.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      We have to learn to let go of some things as the planet runs out of resources.

      Like

  21. msjadeli Avatar
    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Some people are just not writers! 😉

      Liked by 1 person

  22. scr4pl80 Avatar

    I had one of those! Now people are taking them apart and using the pieces for other crafts. Just downloaded State of Denial. Thanks for the reminder!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Great stuff, really hope you like it – do give it a review or let me know what you think 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  23. Nobbinmaug Avatar

    I love the way you flipped the stereotypical “uncivilized” person and the futuristic “civilized” person. Still quick to smash what we don’t understand.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      It’s the best way.

      Liked by 1 person

  24. Dale Avatar

    Noooooooo! But really… those buggers are so hard to use. Great way to force yourself to think before you type, and to become an excellent typo-free typist…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I would never have survived!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Dale Avatar

        I hear ya!!

        Liked by 1 person

  25. draliman Avatar

    Oh no! Not the most useful device these days, mind.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Can’t carry it around with you for a start.

      Liked by 1 person

  26. Sandra Avatar

    Strange how it’s easier to wonder at the marvel o the engineering of the old typewriter than at the methods at our disposal today. Good angle.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I can’t think we will ever hold our old laptops in such high regard as the antique typewriters.

      Like

      1. Eugenia Parrish Author Avatar

        How can we, when they just stop working when the technology moves on? But things like old cars and typewriters work fine as long as we have parts [or can make them].

        Liked by 1 person

  27. Keith's Ramblings Avatar

    I saw a frame with rods and beads on it the other day. Someone said it was a calculator! What?

    Liked by 1 person

  28. Clare Hempstead Avatar

    I wonder how many priceless items have been destroyed because someone didn’t know what they were! Great take.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      And of course they won’t be missed until they’re gone. Thanks Clare.

      Like

  29. pennygadd51 Avatar

    I really enjoyed the slick way you told that story. And the last line is great!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Penny 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  30. Liz Young Avatar

    Noooo!! Great story-telling but it’s a horror one.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar
  31. plaridel Avatar

    darn, i could only imagine hemingway helplessness watching from the other side. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I bet Hemingway took a hammer to a few objects in his time – maybe even a typewriter of two!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. plaridel Avatar

        i wouldn’t be surprised. i read about his being a perfectionist. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  32. Laurie Bell Avatar

    Noooooooo not the typewriter!
    Well done Iain… I think there are some kids today who would have no idea how to use one. Let alone that there is no backspace to fix errors or ctrl z

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I’ll be honest, I would struggle! Thanks Laurie

      Like

  33. Mike Avatar
    Mike

    I well remember my first typewriter, such wish that I had kept it. Put that hammer away, please.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Needs must I’m afraid, out with the old…!

      Like

  34. michaelwynnauthor Avatar

    Outrageous destruction of a bygone icon, Iain. Does his ignorance know no bounds? Certain things, however useless, can never be destroyed, they must be put in the loft and never looked at but handed down from generation to generation.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      I bet a lot of those lofts will be getting a good clear out over the next few weeks. I wonder what gems will be discovered.

      Like

  35. The Writer's Village Avatar

    No. No. Maxwell. Not the hammer on such a wonderful object of antiquity.
    Where is your sense of history? Curiosity. Appreciation of the unusual?
    Listen Thor. Put it away. Now.

    Randy

    Liked by 1 person

  36. susanmehr Avatar

    Typewriters love them or hate them, and they do weigh a tonne.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thanks Susan

      Liked by 1 person

  37. Brenda's Thoughts Avatar

    I love these old machines, but sometimes it’s about practicality and repurposing I suppose. Sounds like he needs the money from the scrap metal to live. Creative take, Iain! Take care!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Thank you Brenda, hope you’re safe and well too.

      Liked by 1 person

  38. Russell Avatar

    Oh, how easy it is to forget and sometimes lose the arts of yesterday.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      So many beautiful bits of machinery have been forgotten.

      Liked by 1 person

  39. Woman walking Max Avatar

    Your story drew me in, the man’s appraisal of the machine objectively fair, til the word ‘hammer’. Then I felt indignant, judgemental, angry — poor typewriter !

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      🙂 Thank you

      Like

  40. cathrynanne24 Avatar

    Aww poor typewriter 😂

    Liked by 1 person

  41. magarisa Avatar

    I suspect our not-so-distant ancestors would also laugh at us for having no idea how to use the commonplace items in their time. Nice take.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Iain Kelly Avatar

      Oh yes, this is not exclusive to any single generation, it happens to all over time.

      Liked by 1 person

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