What's In the Case?
A little levity is needed this week, so here's this week's "What's in the Case? Winner receives a letterpress poster.
The red neon OPEN in the round circular window above the green door, maybe do a U-turn on 156th Avenue in Bristol, Wisconsin. You could almost hear the tires screeching on my rental KIA Suv.
I had to make a stop at the Cool School Antique Mall in Benson Corners, Wisconsin. It’s not often I get to hunt for treasures inside an old schoolhouse, this one’s a two-story red brick affair, hidden by decades-old tall evergreen bushes that look like they might have last trimmed when the school was open to students. You can almost close your eyes, see the American flag flying from over entry door, the children playing at recess, the buses pulling up in the morning and the afternoon.
Even now you can see the farms across the street and down the road, places where the children lived.
It’s hard to believe this school was home to xx students grades xx through xx for xx years until the district shut the school down in xxx. The school remained vacant for years. Its latest incarnation? An antique mall.
Inside, a trail of old oriental carpets create a trail to what was the principal’s office, now an administrative space off limits to the public. The rugs also lead to two large classroom home to various vendors, the main entry staircase walls are decorated with free-form paintings. Vast swaths of white space cover the space where chalkboards once hug.
Still there’s plenty of mystery to be had at Cool School Antiques. Namely, cases snapped shut. They’re mostly out of eyesight beneath tables, ideal fodder for this week’s game of “What’s in the case?”
For the uninitiated, “What’s in the case?” is about all guessing what typewriter is inside a plastic, cardboard or wood carrying case. The shape of the case and the case, even a zipper can provide clues to what’s inside. Older boxy cases are more likely to be 1950s-1960s typewriters; later molded plastic cases, electric or manual typewriters from 1970s or even 80s.
Here’s my pic:
The first person to guess and comment wins a limited edition letterpress print of “What’s In the Case?” printed by yours truly. The poster is free, but you’ll need to pay for shipping.
Have fun.