What's a Typewriter?

So I'm driving in the car today with my 9 year old and she brings up the subject (again!) of her getting a cell phone. I explain to her (again!) that a 9 year old doesn't need a cell phone and even if she had one who would she call anyway because all her other 9 year old friends don't have cell phones either. Then she explained to me (again!) that she needed it for emergencies like when we had an accident and I forgot my phone then she would have hers as a backup. And I explained to her (again!) what a ridiculous excuse that was and she still was no closer to getting that cell phone. (Sigh!)

And then I did what I really hate doing... I actually went there... I told my child that when I was growing up...

... there were no such things as cell phones, in fact, we didn't even have cordless phones when I was her age.

... there were no computers. We had to had write out all our school reports or if we were really lucky we got to use a typewriter. "What's a typewriter?", she asks. Am I crazy? My kid doesn't know what a typewriter is?

... no CD's, DVD's, iPods, iPhones, iTouch, i-nothing!

... cars didn't have electric windows and electric door locks. We had to hand roll down those windows and actually needed a "key" to open the door.

... yes, we did have calculators, but we'd be expelled from school if we were caught with one.

... no satellite dishes, no plasma, no flat screen, no remote controls. Oh dear... am I really old enough to remember having to get up from the couch and actually turn a TV dial to change stations?

So when my child acts like not having a cell phone is the worst thing in the world... I don't have any sympathy.