Nows and Forevers

Some things from the ’70s and ’80s play better in 2023 than others. Looks like the Trapper Keeper might have been better in the past.

It pains me to say that. I loved my Trapper Keeper, which I brought proudly to Griswold Junior High School in September 1980. My dad bought it for me, probably at either Bradlees or Caldor, along with extra folders for each of my 8th grade classes. It kept me relatively organized that year, as I remember. And I wasn’t the only one: You could hear a lot of Velcro open and close all around me in every class.

I moved to southern California for high school and promptly forgot about my Trapper Keeper. Maybe it wasn’t cool. Maybe I had too many classes to take, with too much paperwork. I liked them and now to change up organizing systems.

Between the early ’80s and two years ago, I had really not thought about or seen Trapper Keepers. I have bought school supplies for my kids for a long time now. But it wasn’t until two years ago, while getting stuff at Staples that I saw the OG Trapper Keeper again.

I couldn’t get my kids to bite. But I couldn’t help picking one up and opening it for old time’s sake. But it wasn’t something I was gonna buy.

Apparently a lot of people felt that way, at least on my corner of the world. They display stand remained full, and then moved to the back, then a few months ago moved to clearance. The price for the longest time was $10 for the binder and three folders. They had all the colors I remember.

Yesterday, though, as I went to pick up something at my local Staples, I walked by the clearance table. They were marked down to $3 each.

I couldn’t resist. I picked up this green one. It’s the same color I had in 1980. Funny how you remember that.

I have no idea what I will do with it. My Welsh classes are over, and I don’t have another class that I take notes for. In fact, professionally, I usually take notes on a computer because it’s faster and easier to collate. It’s rare that I use a reporter’s notebook.

I don’t think I can I treat my kids in a Trapper Keeper, not now at the end of school nor next September.

And that’s a shame. 13-year-old me had a good school year with his green Trapper Keeper.