Pens

I had to buy a new pen the other day.  I have been retired for more than thirteen years and in all that time this is the first pen I have bought.  In fact, I didn't (as far as I can remember) buy any pens for some few years before I retired.  Well, you know how it is.  When one works in an office where pens are bought by the truck load, the occasional one slips into the jacket pocket either accidentally or accidentally on purpose, and - hey presto! - there's another pen at home for writing the shopping list, completing (or attempting to complete) the crossword puzzle and all sorts of other nefarious uses.  Morally, I suppose it is incorrect, a form of theft, but my attitude (and I was the boss) was that the leakage caused this way by the staff was so slight as to be ignored.

Anyway, since I retired I have still had any need to buy a pen until this week.  I have managed to maintain sufficient stocks of advertising pens, often sent by charities in the hope that I would complete the accompanying direct debit mandate or catalogue sales companies, for the need not to arise.

I do have a very nice fountain pen - somewhere - and I would prefer to use that as it impels me to improve my handwriting considerably compared to the doctor-type scrawl which is all I can manage with a ballpoint pen.  But I do find it a drag to have to wave the paper about in the air to get the ink to dry, and I do seem to be forever needing to refill the pen so it rarely sees the light of day.

Of course, since I bought the new pen there have been several arrive in then post and I have discovered a few more in other parts of the house.  But isn't that just the way of the world?

And just in case you might be under the impression that I bought some extravagantly expensive writing implement, I should tell you that I bought a pack of ten for the princely sum of 28p!