"The Melody of Red: Tale of Love"

If I had my way, I would erect a monument to that marketer who was the first to recommend his company to release a cassette recorder in bright red. And that's why.

In the Retro Audio Museum (Lelystad, the Netherlands) lay a collection of rare and captivating red cassette tape recorders that held a treasure trove of memories from a bygone era. Each cassette recorder had a story to tell, but one of them stood out one day, evoking a real tale of love, determination, and the enduring power of music.

One of our visitors, a gentleman around 50 years old, stopped before this cassette recorder, and his eyes lit up with nostalgia. With a wistful smile, he began to recount his tale to me.

- It was the late 80s, I was a teenager, and every evening my friends and I met in a corner of the park near our homes. Just talking about nothing, secretly smoking, sometimes there were even a few cans of beer. There were both boys and girls among us, and one of the girls, who always wore stylish blue jeans and red T-shirts, held a special place in my heart. Though I admired her from afar, she seemed unattainable, and I yearned to win her heart.

Once I begged my older brother for a cassette recorder, it was a pretty decent black stereo Sharp. I brought it with me to the park for our gatherings. The guys were delighted, we listened to music and even began to dance. Then slow music began to play, and, almost dying of fear, I went up to the girl in red, and asked her to dance with me.

In response, she just laughed and offered me a little grow-up. Since she was smiling, I wasn't offended and smiled back at her. She looked at me carefully and said:
- OK, listen! Then I'll dance with you if next time you bring a cassette tape recorder of red color here!

Everyone laughed, I was a little embarrassed, but I had hope now. I started to save all my pocket money that my parents gave me for breakfast at school. On Saturdays, for a small salary, I delivered the local newspaper to the mailboxes. I had already accumulated some funds, but the red cassette recorder was still not in our stores. I always carried money with me, and one day I was lucky: I saw this red Philips in the window. I immediately bought it and ran home to get ready for our evening gatherings.

This time I was especially a little bit late, and my arrival did not go unnoticed. The company was already noticeably bored and was about to go home, so on the way, I took my red Philips out of my bag, turned it on, and great music poured out.

The guys cheered up, someone started to dance, and at one moment, according to my idea, the song by Chris de Burgh, Lady in Red, turned on. The atmosphere changed, and the air became charged with excitement. The friends cheered and danced, and I mustered the courage to approach the girl in red, inviting her to dance. She agreed with a twinkle in her eye, and we swayed together, enveloped by the enchanting music.

Time seemed to stand still as we moved in harmony, and when the song ended, she gently kissed me, leaving me breathless and full of hope. She turned around and slowly went away.

My visitor fell silent, and a happy smile did not leave his face. I could not stand it, broke the silence, and asked him:
- Did you catch up with her? How did this whole story end? Where is the girl in red now?
- At home, of course! She sits with our grandchildren today.

Then, after a pause, he added:
- She still thinks that I must grow up. Sometimes we swear, but it's very easy for us to make peace. All I have to do is turn on the Lady in Red and invite her to dance! It still works flawlessly! Next time, I think, we should come together to your museum. I am curious if she recognizes this red Philips. But you gonna recognize her definitely, as she will be in red, no doubt!

 

What a cool story. That's really nice. Huh.