[Date Prev][Date Next] [Chronological] [Thread] [Top]

(erielack) IBM cards, but pretty far off topic . . .

I was raised in an IBM family.  Grandfather (Endicott, Time division [started with the company when
it was ITR]), Father (IBM Endicott, Methods), Uncle (Owego, Federal Systems [and secret]),
Brother-in-law, IBM (various locations all over the world, internal audit) and other shirttail
relatives in various capacities I don't really know.  I actually worked for IBM for two summers, in
Vestal NY.  I worked in the Punch Card Testing Lab.  IBM was VERY particular about the quality of
the cardstock used for cards.  I know that many pallets of cards already cut, printed and boxed were
tossed because our tests did not come back passing the minimums, typically for the amount they would
bend when subjected to humidity extremes, which were tested to 80% RH, and 20% RH.

During that second summer, I had a girlfriend whose dad was Brother-in-law to my Uncle, and who also
worked at IBM Federal Systems (like I said, this went all through the family).  We were not true
cousins, because it was by marriage, but we had been attracted to each other for a very long time
when there were family gatherings at the holidays . . . but now I had wheels! and could make that
40+ mile drive to her place. (OH!  Gas was cheap then!!)  There were, of course, key punch machines
all around at work, and one afternoon, I keypunched a mushy note to "my sweetie," without making it
print along the top of the cards what it said (You could make text appear along the top edge of
these cards) but also made a card which was a key; it had the letters of the alphabet and numbers at
the top.  If she matched up the holes in the card with the key, she could figure out what sweet
nothings I'd said in this note.

Talk about mixed feelings!!  She simultaneously was pleased I'd written her a "note," and was
extremely frustrated because she couldn't read it >right then<.  She did care enough to figure it
out letter by letter later, and she, a modest girl, was all blushes when I saw her a few days later.
There was what passed for a few racy things in those days included in the note.

List content?  Oh sure, I mentioned above that I worked in Vestal, she lived along the Lackawanna
west of there, and well, geez, Owego needs no explanation, I'm sure . . .

SGL
La vita e breve, mangiate prima il dolce!



	The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List
	http://EL-List.railfan.net/
	To Unsubscribe: http://Lists.Railfan.net/erielackunsub.html

------------------------------