The Writer's Tool

I learned how to type when I was in high school, and since then I have rarely been away from a keyboard. When I was young I bought a small typewriter where I clicked away telling stories late into the night. I gradually moved up into larger typewriters. And, finally, computers. Word processing is a dream compared to the old days.

For the last several years I have always had a laptop. Always a Toshiba, actually. I found my first Toshiba by accident, many years ago, when our neighbor was selling his. It was in excellent condition, loaded with software, and it served me well for at least seven years--as I get older, time begins to blur.

When my old Toshiba began to fade I bought a new one. Faster and larger, with CD/DVD capabilities. I spent many hours with my new machine.

But this morning I came downstairs and found it gone--the space it had occupied on my desk was empty. All day I have been quietly mourning the loss. And I feel lost without my own keyboard to pound.

My laptop didn't just walk away, of course. There were signs of a break-in. My cell phone and charger are also missing, along with some money. I think that's one reason I'm still awake.

Now I must share the family desk top with my kids and their school assignments. I waited three hours to use the computer tonight. Homework always comes first. But I have two books in progress. One has come back from the editor and needs some simple changes. The other, the fourth book in my Echoes Series, was finally starting to show progress. Last night I made a major breakthrough in the story. This morning it was gone. (Alhamdulillah, I do have CD copies of my story files.)

I'm anxious to get back into writing. But I think I must wait until I am able to buy another Toshiba--although I did see a very nice Sony on sale.