January 15, 2018 at 5:21 p.m.
The simplest gifts can be the most fun
As I See It
By Diana Dolecki-
“Whoa! That’s eerie! How’d it do that?” my astonished granddaughter, Emma, exclaimed. She had just experienced carbon paper for the first time. The look on her face was priceless.
I explained that the flimsy black paper had a substance on it that transferred the pigment from one piece of paper to another when she wrote on the top sheet.
“Jacob! Come here, I want to show you a magic trick,” she yelled to her brother. She showed Jacob that when she wrote on one paper it appeared on another. Jacob was not impressed. He insisted that she had already written on the bottom paper.
Emma pulled out two fresh sheets of paper. With a flourish, she said, “Look, nothing on this side, nothing on the other. Take both sheets and examine them carefully.” She handed the paper to him and he confirmed that they were blank.
“Now, watch.” She wrote his name. He had the same look of surprise and astonishment as she had when he saw the result.
Jacob hollered, “Nicholas! Come in here. I want to show you something.” The scene repeated itself including disbelief, astonishment, and explanation of how it worked.
They spent the next hour or so scribbling and experimenting. They found out that if the papers were not in alignment, then the scales added to the dinosaur they had drawn previously wouldn’t line up. They discovered that an eraser only erased the top piece of paper. It was the most popular present I had brought for them. They called it magic paper.
Several years ago my mom decided she needed carbon paper for a project. No problem, Everybody carries carbon paper. I’ll just go to the five and dime and pick up a tablet or box of it. I searched high and low but the five and dimes went out of business years ago, seemingly taking carbon paper with them.
I finally had the bright idea to check the local office supply store. They had plenty of the elusive product. I was surprised that it was now sold by the sheet. Mom had used up most of what I bought for her before she died but at least I now knew who carried it.
I bought the paper on a whim this year, guessing that the kids had never seen it before. I was correct. I wouldn’t trade the looks on their faces for anything in the world.
The filmy black paper, around since the 1800’s, was used to make copies when typing on a manual typewriter, another object that has blessedly been replaced. Mom and I use it to trace patterns of projects we intend to make. Technically, she used to as I doubt she copies much in the afterlife.
Computers and copy machines have made the use of carbon paper all but obsolete. Yet, this common object from my youth provided an afternoon’s worth of entertainment for three children on a chilly winter afternoon. Emma said that it was the best present she had received, Jacob and Nicholas delightedly showed their parents and friends their “magic” paper.
Sometimes the simplest things give the most joy. I highly recommend it.
I explained that the flimsy black paper had a substance on it that transferred the pigment from one piece of paper to another when she wrote on the top sheet.
“Jacob! Come here, I want to show you a magic trick,” she yelled to her brother. She showed Jacob that when she wrote on one paper it appeared on another. Jacob was not impressed. He insisted that she had already written on the bottom paper.
Emma pulled out two fresh sheets of paper. With a flourish, she said, “Look, nothing on this side, nothing on the other. Take both sheets and examine them carefully.” She handed the paper to him and he confirmed that they were blank.
“Now, watch.” She wrote his name. He had the same look of surprise and astonishment as she had when he saw the result.
Jacob hollered, “Nicholas! Come in here. I want to show you something.” The scene repeated itself including disbelief, astonishment, and explanation of how it worked.
They spent the next hour or so scribbling and experimenting. They found out that if the papers were not in alignment, then the scales added to the dinosaur they had drawn previously wouldn’t line up. They discovered that an eraser only erased the top piece of paper. It was the most popular present I had brought for them. They called it magic paper.
Several years ago my mom decided she needed carbon paper for a project. No problem, Everybody carries carbon paper. I’ll just go to the five and dime and pick up a tablet or box of it. I searched high and low but the five and dimes went out of business years ago, seemingly taking carbon paper with them.
I finally had the bright idea to check the local office supply store. They had plenty of the elusive product. I was surprised that it was now sold by the sheet. Mom had used up most of what I bought for her before she died but at least I now knew who carried it.
I bought the paper on a whim this year, guessing that the kids had never seen it before. I was correct. I wouldn’t trade the looks on their faces for anything in the world.
The filmy black paper, around since the 1800’s, was used to make copies when typing on a manual typewriter, another object that has blessedly been replaced. Mom and I use it to trace patterns of projects we intend to make. Technically, she used to as I doubt she copies much in the afterlife.
Computers and copy machines have made the use of carbon paper all but obsolete. Yet, this common object from my youth provided an afternoon’s worth of entertainment for three children on a chilly winter afternoon. Emma said that it was the best present she had received, Jacob and Nicholas delightedly showed their parents and friends their “magic” paper.
Sometimes the simplest things give the most joy. I highly recommend it.
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