As I sauntered into the musty thrift store, I didn’t expect to lay eyes on something so magnificent – a typewriter. Not just any typewriter, mind you, but a bona fide Royal De Luxe portable. The kind that’s beloved by typewriter connoisseurs worldwide. I had to have it.

The price tag was a little steep, a cool $58, but my heart was set on it. After all, when you stumble upon a gem like this, you don’t let a few dollars stand in the way of true love. So I snatched it up and held it close to my chest, feeling the weight of history in my hands.

It turns out, there’s a deadly flaw in the escapement – it skips, threatening to render this beauty useless.

My heart sank as I realized that this prized possession may only serve as mere decoration. And to add insult to injury, the shift key was proving to be a tough nut to crack. I should’ve scrutinized this more closely when I was perusing the thrift store, but alas, my excitement got the best of me.

I may have to face the hard truth that this Royal Deluxe will only ever grace my shelf, never to be used for its true purpose. But, as they say, such is life. And who knows, maybe there’s a typewriter repair wizard out there who can work their magic and bring this machine back to life.