Remember these?
I was charmed to find one just like the burgundy at a car boot sale this weekend, and amazed to find no-one had written in it. Wow, I thought. Imagine being part of a family for, what? at least twenty five years – pre-mobile phones, pre-online address books – and never being used. I ignored the funny looks from my in-laws and bought it, because it reminded me of one we had at home when I was a child. And retro is so in now, right?
This morning, I went down to my local newsagents / stationary store to look for a cartridge pen to replace the one I seem to have cracked (nothing fancy, just the cheap plastic ones you can find in any WHSmiths, Tesco or Woolworths in the UK). I couldn’t see any, and when I asked the lady behind the counter, she looked puzzled for a minute, then said she didn’t think they were made anymore.
Then I saw the neat stack of teledexes on the shelf behind her. They were exactly the same as the eighties-style one I’d bought at the car boot sale. No, this isn’t a dusty old supply shore, it’s a fresh, modern newsgagency / stationers. They were going for $18 – clearly, a key item in any Australian SOHO.
At least I only paid $2 for my teledex… but I’m still looking for a cartridge pen.
About the author
Sarah Dillon is a qualified, accredited and experienced professional translator originally from Co. Clare in Ireland. She specialises in producing English-language texts that don't "sound" like translations, ensuring her clients' message has the desired impact in their overseas market. She is based in Brisbane, Australia and works with corporate clients, small businesses, agencies and nonprofit organisations all over the world. In her spare time, Sarah is also Marketing Director of eCPD Webinars.
Sarah Dillon has written 252 posts for There's Something About Translation.
