My Own Typer - a Royal KMM

I've always liked typewriters since the days I had an old desktop manual from the 20's or 30's when I was a kid.  But I depended on my electric typer and then computers since then.  Now the typewriter bug has bit me again.  It started this summer when I decided to get my daughter a vintage typewriter after she completed a writing internship.  I found a Smith Corona Sterling at a local recycle store and she loved it.  Then her older sister asked for a cool typewriter like that so the long search began and after months, I saw a beautiful Remington #5 Streamline on Craigslist.  After finding these two great machines, I had serious typewriter lust. I began to call local shops with some frustration - "We sold one yesterday for $5."  "I had one the other day and threw it away" - Threw it away!  You've got to be kidding.  I tried one more shop where the man behind the counter didn't think he had any typewriters, but he was watching the shop for his mother and he was not quite sure.  This shop was pretty cool, and was overflowing with vintage stuff, and there it was, a Royal KMM sitting on the floor.  It was in great shape.  The only problem I saw was a missing screw from the paper lock which was held together with wire.  As I continued to check it out, the missing screw fell to the floor- score.  I had been interested in Royals from the 40's once I saw that author David McCullough used one - the horizontal chrome strip really looked cool so I was stoked to find my own.  Everything they say about the reliability of these legendary machines is true.  My KMM only needed some dusting and a new ribbon and it types great!