Inga.. or "Fun with typewriter manuals."

At left, we see the front cover for the instruction book covering the FACIT T2 Standard typewriter. This was printed by Facit, in Sweden, in October 1964. The T2 had been introduced in 1960 with a number of improvements over the previous T1, and this manual lets you know that inside the front cover.

Facit mentions that while the reader has undoubtedly "done quite a bit of typing before" it was important to read the whole manual to get the full range of features and improvements.

There are a lot of illustrations inside the manual, showing naturally the layout of the machine and its controls, special features, operating tips and so forth. The interesting little Facit guy, seen at left, appears exactly once to introduce us to the manual but leaves us to go through the rest quite alone. It's a black-and-white manual, and it's pretty dingy. And lonely. Facit obviously realized this, and by 1969 they fixed it.

The next manual for the T2 we have here was printed March, 1969. Obviously, thoughts of Spring were in the air and a lighter, happier feel prevailed. Most of the happiness, though, was provided by the young and lovely girl featured on the front. We don't know her name; let's call her Inga.

We noticed right away that Inga was the focal point of the cover. Yes, there's a typewriter there; what kind is it? Oh, right -- it's Inga's typewriter. Face-it, something like that.

This is why you should either have enclosed desks or else enforce a longer skirt length. Not that Inga's too much of a distraction, mind you... just make sure you shut your office door when you have a lot of work to do.

Inga had never imagined becoming a professional typewriter model. Early on, it was just clothes and lots of flashbulbs going off and "one more pose" and so on and so forth, hours a day til she couldn't stand up. Heck, couldn't she just model some of this stuff sitting down, she thought -- does everyone stand ALL day? What if this stuff looks great while you're standing up but crappy when you sit down? Stand back up, you say? Sheez; what time is it?

One day, Inga gets a phone call from her agent that she told not to call back til he found a better gig. It's been days; this better be good. Faucets? How do you model faucets? Well, whatever; it beats flash burned retinas and leering camera jockeys. Probably lots of hand shots - better fix up the nails.

Inga gets to the location only to find it's not faucets, it's office machines. And desks.. and chairs! There are CHAIRS in here! Oh, well, let's get going. Now I don't have to look edgy or "come hither" or anything AND I get paid, she thinks. She's happy, lighthearted and ready to go. Yellow mini? No problem; at least they aren't asking me to stuff anything. LONG sleeves? Wow, you guys really ARE long-hairs. But then again, you dig typewriters.

There is a buzz, in some of the office pool when you get new machines - but when you get a new Inga... Well, let's just say that some of the old-time girls are a lot quicker to get me a cup of coffee or something before Inga shows up every day.

Not that she's a threat to their jobs, of course .... oh, no. Long as we keep making money, make the budget. You know. If we don't .. well, then, I'd say it might get ugly around here but probably it'll get LESS ugly, if you know what I mean.

She told me she used to be a model when I hired her; then I find out she's actually in those typewriter manuals. I took one home for reference. Maybe my wife won't throw it out again. I told her "I work with that girl" - dunno why she tossed it.

"Oh, Hi, Jim... yeah, the phone woke me up. You did call? When? Oh, cripes, Jim you know I don't wake up before ten and that's only to get some Scotch! Yeah, so what's new? Got anything for me? Yeah, I'm sitting dow-- heck, I'm LYING down you dolt.... yeah ... they... they what? They got a new girl? Oh, that's great news; when do they want me to start breakin her in....

What? They don't? Whaddaya mean 'that's it?' I mean, you're kidding, right? Just like that? Well, what the... God, I wish I was sober... well you just tell those morons they don't know who they're .. I mean, after all the work I did for 'em, those lousy... Well, yeah, Jim, I know it's a younger world and it ain't the 50's any more but geezus what the heck am I supposed to do?

Yeah, I can hold on til you call back -- why? Oh, you have another call. Who... Inga? Who's that? Oh, you son of a ....

I'll see you both in Hell."

Maybe she wasn't a model; maybe she was a secretary! Hmm...

Inga doesn't look like the "old guard" who used to appear in the ads....

How did Inga get here? Let's find out.