LITERARY/AUTHOR SPEECH

Author’s Literacy Brunch Speech
Art Ark Gallery
Lille Mc Ghee-Queen


(Excerpt) “My First Typewriter”

Thanks for that Introduction, Virginia!

It was the summer of 1958 that I asked my parents to purchase my first typewriter. I was 13 years and about ready to enter ninth grade that coming Fall. We were North Carolina farmers with minimal income and savings. My parents, however, always had “emergency cash” tucked away under their bed. The hidden money was used to purchase books for summer reading when we were not working in the tobacco or corn fields.

The savings were also used for us five children to take a week’s vacation to Washington, D.C. Mom packed our lunch boxes with fried chicken, ham sandwiches, apples, potato chips, slices of cake and soda. Dad took us to the Trailways Bus Station in Roxboro, North Carolina. We then headed to Washington, D.C.

During that timeframe, there was segregation in seating in the public transportation system. But, that did not matter so much because we all arrived at the nation’s capitol on the same day and at the same time. It felt so good leaving home for a “mini” vacation to be with relatives and friends. Leisurely reading and looking out of the windows added to the joy!

When I returned from vacation that summer, my parents had a BIG surprise for me – an Underwood manual typewriter! There was a red typing instructional manual with the typewriter. The copyright date on the typewriter was (1895-1922). I was shocked, also elated to have my first typewriter. I quickly learned the keyboard and practiced every day after work and on weekends. When school opened in September ’58, I was ahead of my fellow classmates that were in 9th grade typing class.

Although both of my parents are now deceased, I still have this beautiful antique Underwood manual typewriter in my reading room. Each time I look at the typewriter, my mind races back to that day when my parents gifted me with my own typewriter. I am very thankful for their investing $16 in a typewriter and believing in me. It was through teaching myself how to type on that manual typewriter that I triggered my literary interests and future professional careers in writing.

Today, I am still typing but not on an Underwood manual typewriter – far from it. Writers in the 20th Century use computers. Writing has always been fun and enjoyable. It is easy for me sit down at the computer and compose short stories, poems, speeches and college papers for hours without stopping. I am as excited today, at the age of 66 years old, as I was at the age of 13 when composing on a typing keyboard.

One of my favorite poems is, I Write, Just Because. It goes like this…

“I write because writing makes me feel happy. I write because writing makes me feel so free. I write because writing is my passion and my special gift from God. I write because writing brings out the best in me. I write, Just Because...”

Maranatha Christian Center’s Scholarship committee, San Jose, California, Saturday, March 12, 2011