Senioren un Computer   

vun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal 
(Lentmoond 1998)   

Een aktuellet Thema! Worüm Bammel för de neemoodsche Technik? Kiekt doch Kinner un Grootkinner an, de waßt dormit op! Jüm kiddelt dat in de Finger, wenn se in de Neegte vun een Computer un de Muus koomt. Jo, de Muus hüürt dorto. Is ober keen Muus ut Fleesch un Bloot, nee, dat is een technische Muus, ohn' de löppt nix an den Computer.

Bün fleten Week to'n tweeten Mool bi dat N3 Feernsehn in Lokstedt ween. Warrer güng dat üm Computer un öllere Minschen. Hebb jüm vertellt, datt ik al 74 Johr old wüür, as mien Grootsöhn ut Kanada meen: ,,Oma, ich sehe wieviel du schreibst, und das täglich. Du brauchst einen Computer, da hast Du es viel leichter mit dem Korrigieren, Worte, Sätze oder gar Absätze löschen, versetzen oder verändern ist ein Kinderspiel. Auch das äußere Schriftbild ist viel sauberer. Gib mir einmal eine von Dir beschriebene Diskette, dann wirst Du es sehen''. ,,Nee mien Jung, ik hebb al een Schrievmoschien mit'n Bildschirm, kann op Diskette spiekern, wat schall ik ole Fro mit een Computer moken, dat geiht in mien Kopp nich mihr rin'', hebb ik antert un wüür dorvun öbertüügt, nie nich vör so'n Deubelsapporoot vun Computer to sitten.

Mien Grootsöhn geev nich op. Vun mien Diskette hett he mi denn wat op sien Computer utdruckt, un ik mütt instohn, dat hett Indruck op mi mookt. De Jung pier mi wieder: ,,Oma, guck mal, immer muss Opa los, um Deine Sachen zu kopieren, das macht dann alles der Computer''. ,,Nu loot Dien Oma man in Rooh, ik mütt arbein, morgen is de Kolumne fällig'', hebb ik em afwimmelt. Bedröfft is he weggohn.

No een kotte Tiet käum he mit sien Opa, un de beiden müssen gans neudig no Stadt, üm wat Wichtiget för Opa sien Bohrmoschien bi Brinkmann to käupen.

Nu kunn ik in Rooh an mien Kolumne. No ungefihr dree Stünn wüürn se trüch ut Hamborg. Vun mien Schrievdisch ut kiek ik op de Stroot un den Steenweg. Man, dat mütt jo een grote Bohrmoschien ween, de mien Jimmy dor rinsleept, un mien Mann hett ok noch wat to dregen. Is nich mien Sook, loot jüm dat Vergneugen. De Kartoons sünd ober bi mi in mien Büro landt. ,,Ruut mit joon Handwarkstüüch, packt dat man buten ut, nich hier bi mi'', sä ik resoluut. Harr ober een gans komischet Gefeuhl as ik de beiden grienen un doch utpacken seeh. Wat käum vertüüch? Een Computer un een Drucker! Mi hett dat de Sprook versloon!

,,Packt dat Dings man warrer in. Hüüt nich! Ik mütt mien Kolumne schrieben, de mütt morgen bi dat Blatt ween'', geev ik to bedinken. ,,Die schreibst Du auf dem Computer, ich bin ja bei dir'', meen mien Jimmy mit een Seelenrooh, de ik nich verstohn kunn. Mien Schrievmoschien güng in't Asyl, un ik seet vör een Computer, den ik sünstwohin wünscht hebb, un ohn' den ik hüüttodoogs een Wrack bün.

Is allns so lopen, as mien Grootsöhn mi dat in'n Vörrut seggt hett. Mien ierste Arbeit op mien ,,Mac'' wüür mien Kolumne, de den annern Dag, druckt mit mien egen Drucker, bi de ,,Norderstedter Zeitung'' aflebert worrn is. So Gott Voder dat will, schrief ik to Wiehnachten 1998 dat teihnte Wiehnachtsvertelln för mien Blatt mit mien Computer. 

Seniors and Computers   

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
(March 1998) 

A hot topic! Why be scared of newfangled technology? Just take a look at our children and grandchildren! They grow up with it! Their fingers get all restless as soon as they get anywhere near a computer and a mouse. Yes, it's got to come with a mouse. But it isn't a mouse of flesh and blood. No, it's a technological mouse. Without it things just won't work in a computer.

Last week I visited the N3 Television studios in Lokstedt [= a part of Hamburg] for the second time. Once again the topic was "Computers and the Elderly." I told them that I had been 74 years old already when my grandson from Canada said [in German], "Grandma, I can see how much writing you do, every day in fact. You need a computer. You'd have a much easier time editing. Deleting, moving or changing words, sentences or even paragraphs is as easy as pie. It gives you a much cleaner typeface too. Why don't you give me a diskette onto which you have written something? Then you'll see." No, sweetie, I already have a typewriter with a monitor. I can save things onto diskettes. What should an old woman like me use a computer for? It would be way beyond me," I had answered and had been convinced that I would never be sitting in front of one of those devilish computer machines.

My grandson did not give up. From my diskette he copied something onto his computer, and, I have to admit, I was impressed. The boy continued bugging me [in German], "Look, Grandma: Granddad has to go and have your things copied all the time. The computer would do all that." "Now, go along and leave your grandma in peace! I've got to do my work. The [newspaper] column is due tomorrow," I said to get rid of him. We walked away feeling rejected.

A little while later he reappeared with his granddad, and apparently the two of them had to go to the city to buy something important for granddad's drilling machine at Brinkmann's [a well-known hardware and gadget store in downtown Hamburg].

Now I got to writing my column in peace. After about three hours they returned from Hamburg. From my desk I have a view of the street and the paved path [up to the house]. Boy! That must have been one heck of a big drilling machine my Jimmy was lugging inside there, and my husband was carrying something too. It wasn't my business. Let them have their fun! But the boxes ended up in my study. "Get your tool things out of here! Unpack them outside, not here in my study," I said firmly. But I did get a very weird feeling when I saw the two of them grinning and proceeding to unpack it anyway. What would appear but a computer and a printer! I was speechless!

"Go on and put that thing back in the box! Not today! I've got to write my column. It's got to be at the newspaper office tomorrow," I argued. "You'll write it on the computer. After all, I'm here [to help you]," said my Jimmy [in German] with a type of coolness to which I could not relate. My typewriter went into retirement, and I was sitting in front of a computer that I wished would disappear and without which I'd be a mess these days.

It all turned out the way my grandson had predicted. My first piece of work on my Mac was my column that, printed on my own printer, was delivered at the Norderstedter Zeitung [Norderstedt News] the next day. God willing, I will be using my computer to write my tenth Christmas story for my paper on Christmas 1998. 

Senioren un kompjuter 

fun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal 
(Lentmaand 1998)  

'n Aktuellet tema! Waruem bammel foer de neimoodsche technik? Kiikt doch kinder un grootkinder an! Dei wasst daar mit op! Juem kiddelt dat in de finger wen sei in de neegde fun 'n kompjuter un de muus kaamt. Jaa, de muus hoyrt daar tou. Is aver kein muus uut fleisch un blood. Nee, dat is 'n technische muus. Aan dei loept niks an d'n kompjuter.

Buen fleiten week tou d'n tweiden maal bii dat N3 [en-er] Feirnsein in Lokstedt ween. Warrer gueng dat uem kompjuter un oeldere minschen. Hev juem ferteld dat ik al 74 [feir un seuventig] jaar old woyr as miin grootseun uut Kanada mein: ,,Oma, ich sehe wieviel du schreibst, und das täglich. Du brauchst einen Computer. Da hast Du es viel leichter mit dem Korrigieren. Worte, Sätze oder gar Absätze löschen, versetzen oder verändern ist ein Kinderspiel. Auch das äußere Schriftbild ist viel sauberer. Gib mir einmal eine von Dir beschriebene Diskette. Dann wirst Du es sehen.'' ,,Nee, miin jung, ik hev al 'n schriivmaaschiin mit 'n bildschirm. Kan op diskette spikern. Wat schal ik olde frou mit 'n kompjuter maken? Dat gait in miin kop nich meir rin,'' hev ik antert un woyr daar fun euvertuygd nii nich foer soo 'n doyvels-appaaraat fun kompjuter tou sitten.

Miin grootseun geev' nich op. Fun miin diskette het hei mii den wat op siin kompjuter uut-drukd, un, ik muet in-staan, dat het indruk op mii maakd. De jung piir mii wider: ,,Oma, guck mal: immer muss Opa los, um Deine Sachen zu kopieren. Das macht dann alles der Computer.'' ,,Nuu laat diin ouma man in rou! Ik muet arbaiden. Morgen is de kolumne fellig,'' hev ik em af-wimmeld. Bedroevt is hei weg-gaan.

Naa 'n kotte tiid koym hei mit siin oupa, un de baiden muessen ganss noydig na stad uem wat wichtiget foer oupa siin bourmaaschiin bii Brinkmann to koypen.

Nuu kun ik in rou an miin kolumne. Naa ungefeir drei stuenden woyren sei trueg uut Hamborg. Fun miin schriivdisch uut kiik ik op de straat un d'n steinweg. Man, dat muet jaa 'n grote bourmaaschiin ween dei miin Jimmy daar rin-sleept, un miin man het ouk noch wat tou dregen. Is nich miin saak. Laat juem dat fergnoygen! De kartoons suend aver bii mii in miin buyroo landt. ,,Ruut mit joun handwarks-tuyg! Pakt dat man buten uut, nich hiir bii mii,'' seed' ik resoluut. Har aver 'n ganss komischet gefoyl as ik de baiden grinen un doch uut-pakken seeg'. Wat koym fertuyg? 'n Kompjuter un 'n drukker! Mii het dat de spraak ferslaan!

,,Pakt dat dings man warrer in! Huyt nich! Ik muet miin kolumne schriven. Dei muet morgen bii dat blad ween'', geev' ik tou bedinken. ,,Die schreibst Du auf dem Computer. Ich bin ja bei dir'', mein miin Jimmy mit 'n seilenrou dei ik nich ferstaan kun. Miin schriivmaaschiin gueng in't asuyl, un ik seet foer 'n kompjuter d'n ik suenst wou hin wuenschd hev un aan d'n ik huyttoudaags 'n wrak buen.

Is allens soo loupen as miin grootseun mii dat in d'n foerruut segd het. Miin eirste arbaid op miin Mac woyr miin kolumne dei d'n annern dag, drukd mit miin eigen drukker, bii de Norderstedter Zeitung af-leverd worden is. Soo Got Fader dat wil schriiv ik tou Winachten 1998 [negen hunnerd acht un negentig] dat tainde Winachtsfertellen foer miin blad mit miin kompjuter.

Seniors and Computers   

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal   
(March 1998) 

A hot topic! Why be scared of newfangled technology? Just take a look at our children and grandchildren! They grow up with it! Their fingers get all restless as soon as they get anywhere near a computer and a mouse. Yes, it's got to come with a mouse. But it isn't a mouse of flesh and blood. No, it's a technological mouse. Without it things just won't work in a computer.

Last week I visited the N3 Television studios in Lokstedt [= a part of Hamburg] for the second time. Once again the topic was "Computers and the Elderly." I told them that I had been 74 years old already when my grandson from Canada said [in German], "Grandma, I can see how much writing you do, every day in fact. You need a computer. You'd have a much easier time editing. Deleting, moving or changing words, sentences or even paragraphs is as easy as pie. It gives you a much cleaner typeface too. Why don't you give me a diskette onto which you have written something? Then you'll see." No, sweetie, I already have a typewriter with a monitor. I can save things onto diskettes. What should an old woman like me use a computer for? It would be way beyond me," I had answered and had been convinced that I would never be sitting in front of one of those devilish computer machines.

My grandson did not give up. From my diskette he copied something onto his computer, and, I have to admit, I was impressed. The boy continued bugging me [in German], "Look, Grandma: Granddad has to go and have your things copied all the time. The computer would do all that." "Now, go along and leave your grandma in peace! I've got to do my work. The [newspaper] column is due tomorrow," I said to get rid of him. We walked away feeling rejected.

A little while later he reappeared with his granddad, and apparently the two of them had to go to the city to buy something important for granddad's drilling machine at Brinkmann's [a well-known hardware and gadget store in downtown Hamburg].

Now I got to writing my column in peace. After about three hours they returned from Hamburg. From my desk I have a view of the street and the paved path [up to the house]. Boy! That must have been one heck of a big drilling machine my Jimmy was lugging inside there, and my husband was carrying something too. It wasn't my business. Let them have their fun! But the boxes ended up in my study. "Get your tool things out of here! Unpack them outside, not here in my study," I said firmly. But I did get a very weird feeling when I saw the two of them grinning and proceeding to unpack it anyway. What would appear but a computer and a printer! I was speechless!

"Go on and put that thing back in the box! Not today! I've got to write my column. It's got to be at the newspaper office tomorrow," I argued. "You'll write it on the computer. After all, I'm here [to help you]," said my Jimmy [in German] with a type of coolness to which I could not relate. My typewriter went into retirement, and I was sitting in front of a computer that I wished would disappear and without which I'd be a mess these days.

It all turned out the way my grandson had predicted. My first piece of work on my Mac was my column that, printed on my own printer, was delivered at the Norderstedter Zeitung [Norderstedt News] the next day. God willing, I will be using my computer to write my tenth Christmas story for my paper on Christmas 1998. 

Senioren un Computer   

vun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal 
(Lentmoond 1998)   

Een aktuellet Thema! Worüm Bammel för de neemoodsche Technik? Kiekt doch Kinner un Grootkinner an, de waßt dormit op! Jüm kiddelt dat in de Finger, wenn se in de Neegte vun een Computer un de Muus koomt. Jo, de Muus hüürt dorto. Is ober keen Muus ut Fleesch un Bloot, nee, dat is een technische Muus, ohn' de löppt nix an den Computer.

Bün fleten Week to'n tweeten Mool bi dat N3 Feernsehn in Lokstedt ween. Warrer güng dat üm Computer un öllere Minschen. Hebb jüm vertellt, datt ik al 74 Johr old wüür, as mien Grootsöhn ut Kanada meen: ,,Oma, ich sehe wieviel du schreibst, und das täglich. Du brauchst einen Computer, da hast Du es viel leichter mit dem Korrigieren, Worte, Sätze oder gar Absätze löschen, versetzen oder verändern ist ein Kinderspiel. Auch das äußere Schriftbild ist viel sauberer. Gib mir einmal eine von Dir beschriebene Diskette, dann wirst Du es sehen''. ,,Nee mien Jung, ik hebb al een Schrievmoschien mit'n Bildschirm, kann op Diskette spiekern, wat schall ik ole Fro mit een Computer moken, dat geiht in mien Kopp nich mihr rin'', hebb ik antert un wüür dorvun öbertüügt, nie nich vör so'n Deubelsapporoot vun Computer to sitten.

Mien Grootsöhn geev nich op. Vun mien Diskette hett he mi denn wat op sien Computer utdruckt, un ik mütt instohn, dat hett Indruck op mi mookt. De Jung pier mi wieder: ,,Oma, guck mal, immer muss Opa los, um Deine Sachen zu kopieren, das macht dann alles der Computer''. ,,Nu loot Dien Oma man in Rooh, ik mütt arbein, morgen is de Kolumne fällig'', hebb ik em afwimmelt. Bedröfft is he weggohn.

No een kotte Tiet käum he mit sien Opa, un de beiden müssen gans neudig no Stadt, üm wat Wichtiget för Opa sien Bohrmoschien bi Brinkmann to käupen.

Nu kunn ik in Rooh an mien Kolumne. No ungefihr dree Stünn wüürn se trüch ut Hamborg. Vun mien Schrievdisch ut kiek ik op de Stroot un den Steenweg. Man, dat mütt jo een grote Bohrmoschien ween, de mien Jimmy dor rinsleept, un mien Mann hett ok noch wat to dregen. Is nich mien Sook, loot jüm dat Vergneugen. De Kartoons sünd ober bi mi in mien Büro landt. ,,Ruut mit joon Handwarkstüüch, packt dat man buten ut, nich hier bi mi'', sä ik resoluut. Harr ober een gans komischet Gefeuhl as ik de beiden grienen un doch utpacken seeh. Wat käum vertüüch? Een Computer un een Drucker! Mi hett dat de Sprook versloon!

,,Packt dat Dings man warrer in. Hüüt nich! Ik mütt mien Kolumne schrieben, de mütt morgen bi dat Blatt ween'', geev ik to bedinken. ,,Die schreibst Du auf dem Computer, ich bin ja bei dir'', meen mien Jimmy mit een Seelenrooh, de ik nich verstohn kunn. Mien Schrievmoschien güng in't Asyl, un ik seet vör een Computer, den ik sünstwohin wünscht hebb, un ohn' den ik hüüttodoogs een Wrack bün.

Is allns so lopen, as mien Grootsöhn mi dat in'n Vörrut seggt hett. Mien ierste Arbeit op mien ,,Mac'' wüür mien Kolumne, de den annern Dag, druckt mit mien egen Drucker, bi de ,,Norderstedter Zeitung'' aflebert worrn is. So Gott Voder dat will, schrief ik to Wiehnachten 1998 dat teihnte Wiehnachtsvertelln för mien Blatt mit mien Computer. 

Seniors and Computers   

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
(March 1998) 

A hot topic! Why be scared of newfangled technology? Just take a look at our children and grandchildren! They grow up with it! Their fingers get all restless as soon as they get anywhere near a computer and a mouse. Yes, it's got to come with a mouse. But it isn't a mouse of flesh and blood. No, it's a technological mouse. Without it things just won't work in a computer.

Last week I visited the N3 Television studios in Lokstedt [= a part of Hamburg] for the second time. Once again the topic was "Computers and the Elderly." I told them that I had been 74 years old already when my grandson from Canada said [in German], "Grandma, I can see how much writing you do, every day in fact. You need a computer. You'd have a much easier time editing. Deleting, moving or changing words, sentences or even paragraphs is as easy as pie. It gives you a much cleaner typeface too. Why don't you give me a diskette onto which you have written something? Then you'll see." No, sweetie, I already have a typewriter with a monitor. I can save things onto diskettes. What should an old woman like me use a computer for? It would be way beyond me," I had answered and had been convinced that I would never be sitting in front of one of those devilish computer machines.

My grandson did not give up. From my diskette he copied something onto his computer, and, I have to admit, I was impressed. The boy continued bugging me [in German], "Look, Grandma: Granddad has to go and have your things copied all the time. The computer would do all that." "Now, go along and leave your grandma in peace! I've got to do my work. The [newspaper] column is due tomorrow," I said to get rid of him. We walked away feeling rejected.

A little while later he reappeared with his granddad, and apparently the two of them had to go to the city to buy something important for granddad's drilling machine at Brinkmann's [a well-known hardware and gadget store in downtown Hamburg].

Now I got to writing my column in peace. After about three hours they returned from Hamburg. From my desk I have a view of the street and the paved path [up to the house]. Boy! That must have been one heck of a big drilling machine my Jimmy was lugging inside there, and my husband was carrying something too. It wasn't my business. Let them have their fun! But the boxes ended up in my study. "Get your tool things out of here! Unpack them outside, not here in my study," I said firmly. But I did get a very weird feeling when I saw the two of them grinning and proceeding to unpack it anyway. What would appear but a computer and a printer! I was speechless!

"Go on and put that thing back in the box! Not today! I've got to write my column. It's got to be at the newspaper office tomorrow," I argued. "You'll write it on the computer. After all, I'm here [to help you]," said my Jimmy [in German] with a type of coolness to which I could not relate. My typewriter went into retirement, and I was sitting in front of a computer that I wished would disappear and without which I'd be a mess these days.

It all turned out the way my grandson had predicted. My first piece of work on my Mac was my column that, printed on my own printer, was delivered at the Norderstedter Zeitung [Norderstedt News] the next day. God willing, I will be using my computer to write my tenth Christmas story for my paper on Christmas 1998. 

Senioren un kompjuter 

fun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal 
(Lentmaand 1998)  

'n Aktuellet tema! Waruem bammel foer de neimoodsche technik? Kiikt doch kinder un grootkinder an! Dei wasst daar mit op! Juem kiddelt dat in de finger wen sei in de neegde fun 'n kompjuter un de muus kaamt. Jaa, de muus hoyrt daar tou. Is aver kein muus uut fleisch un blood. Nee, dat is 'n technische muus. Aan dei loept niks an d'n kompjuter.

Buen fleiten week tou d'n tweiden maal bii dat N3 [en-er] Feirnsein in Lokstedt ween. Warrer gueng dat uem kompjuter un oeldere minschen. Hev juem ferteld dat ik al 74 [feir un seuventig] jaar old woyr as miin grootseun uut Kanada mein: ,,Oma, ich sehe wieviel du schreibst, und das täglich. Du brauchst einen Computer. Da hast Du es viel leichter mit dem Korrigieren. Worte, Sätze oder gar Absätze löschen, versetzen oder verändern ist ein Kinderspiel. Auch das äußere Schriftbild ist viel sauberer. Gib mir einmal eine von Dir beschriebene Diskette. Dann wirst Du es sehen.'' ,,Nee, miin jung, ik hev al 'n schriivmaaschiin mit 'n bildschirm. Kan op diskette spikern. Wat schal ik olde frou mit 'n kompjuter maken? Dat gait in miin kop nich meir rin,'' hev ik antert un woyr daar fun euvertuygd nii nich foer soo 'n doyvels-appaaraat fun kompjuter tou sitten.

Miin grootseun geev' nich op. Fun miin diskette het hei mii den wat op siin kompjuter uut-drukd, un, ik muet in-staan, dat het indruk op mii maakd. De jung piir mii wider: ,,Oma, guck mal: immer muss Opa los, um Deine Sachen zu kopieren. Das macht dann alles der Computer.'' ,,Nuu laat diin ouma man in rou! Ik muet arbaiden. Morgen is de kolumne fellig,'' hev ik em af-wimmeld. Bedroevt is hei weg-gaan.

Naa 'n kotte tiid koym hei mit siin oupa, un de baiden muessen ganss noydig na stad uem wat wichtiget foer oupa siin bourmaaschiin bii Brinkmann to koypen.

Nuu kun ik in rou an miin kolumne. Naa ungefeir drei stuenden woyren sei trueg uut Hamborg. Fun miin schriivdisch uut kiik ik op de straat un d'n steinweg. Man, dat muet jaa 'n grote bourmaaschiin ween dei miin Jimmy daar rin-sleept, un miin man het ouk noch wat tou dregen. Is nich miin saak. Laat juem dat fergnoygen! De kartoons suend aver bii mii in miin buyroo landt. ,,Ruut mit joun handwarks-tuyg! Pakt dat man buten uut, nich hiir bii mii,'' seed' ik resoluut. Har aver 'n ganss komischet gefoyl as ik de baiden grinen un doch uut-pakken seeg'. Wat koym fertuyg? 'n Kompjuter un 'n drukker! Mii het dat de spraak ferslaan!

,,Pakt dat dings man warrer in! Huyt nich! Ik muet miin kolumne schriven. Dei muet morgen bii dat blad ween'', geev' ik tou bedinken. ,,Die schreibst Du auf dem Computer. Ich bin ja bei dir'', mein miin Jimmy mit 'n seilenrou dei ik nich ferstaan kun. Miin schriivmaaschiin gueng in't asuyl, un ik seet foer 'n kompjuter d'n ik suenst wou hin wuenschd hev un aan d'n ik huyttoudaags 'n wrak buen.

Is allens soo loupen as miin grootseun mii dat in d'n foerruut segd het. Miin eirste arbaid op miin Mac woyr miin kolumne dei d'n annern dag, drukd mit miin eigen drukker, bii de Norderstedter Zeitung af-leverd worden is. Soo Got Fader dat wil schriiv ik tou Winachten 1998 [negen hunnerd acht un negentig] dat tainde Winachtsfertellen foer miin blad mit miin kompjuter.

Seniors and Computers   

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal   
(March 1998) 

A hot topic! Why be scared of newfangled technology? Just take a look at our children and grandchildren! They grow up with it! Their fingers get all restless as soon as they get anywhere near a computer and a mouse. Yes, it's got to come with a mouse. But it isn't a mouse of flesh and blood. No, it's a technological mouse. Without it things just won't work in a computer.

Last week I visited the N3 Television studios in Lokstedt [= a part of Hamburg] for the second time. Once again the topic was "Computers and the Elderly." I told them that I had been 74 years old already when my grandson from Canada said [in German], "Grandma, I can see how much writing you do, every day in fact. You need a computer. You'd have a much easier time editing. Deleting, moving or changing words, sentences or even paragraphs is as easy as pie. It gives you a much cleaner typeface too. Why don't you give me a diskette onto which you have written something? Then you'll see." No, sweetie, I already have a typewriter with a monitor. I can save things onto diskettes. What should an old woman like me use a computer for? It would be way beyond me," I had answered and had been convinced that I would never be sitting in front of one of those devilish computer machines.

My grandson did not give up. From my diskette he copied something onto his computer, and, I have to admit, I was impressed. The boy continued bugging me [in German], "Look, Grandma: Granddad has to go and have your things copied all the time. The computer would do all that." "Now, go along and leave your grandma in peace! I've got to do my work. The [newspaper] column is due tomorrow," I said to get rid of him. We walked away feeling rejected.

A little while later he reappeared with his granddad, and apparently the two of them had to go to the city to buy something important for granddad's drilling machine at Brinkmann's [a well-known hardware and gadget store in downtown Hamburg].

Now I got to writing my column in peace. After about three hours they returned from Hamburg. From my desk I have a view of the street and the paved path [up to the house]. Boy! That must have been one heck of a big drilling machine my Jimmy was lugging inside there, and my husband was carrying something too. It wasn't my business. Let them have their fun! But the boxes ended up in my study. "Get your tool things out of here! Unpack them outside, not here in my study," I said firmly. But I did get a very weird feeling when I saw the two of them grinning and proceeding to unpack it anyway. What would appear but a computer and a printer! I was speechless!

"Go on and put that thing back in the box! Not today! I've got to write my column. It's got to be at the newspaper office tomorrow," I argued. "You'll write it on the computer. After all, I'm here [to help you]," said my Jimmy [in German] with a type of coolness to which I could not relate. My typewriter went into retirement, and I was sitting in front of a computer that I wished would disappear and without which I'd be a mess these days.

It all turned out the way my grandson had predicted. My first piece of work on my Mac was my column that, printed on my own printer, was delivered at the Norderstedter Zeitung [Norderstedt News] the next day. God willing, I will be using my computer to write my tenth Christmas story for my paper on Christmas 1998.