Sunny with a Chance of Clouds

I have a particular affection for my pen. I mean, my pen.

I first realized that I had a problem – a possessiveness – at work.

I had the best job in the whole world, and worked with the most amazing people ever. But one day, I reached for my pen from the pencil cup on my desk, and it wasn’t there! Instead, there were several regular medium point pens with caps. What?!!! I eventually found it – by the copy machine.

You know how it goes – haven’t we all done it? Walked off with someone’s pen. That’s why stores tape plastic spoons or pretty fake flowers to their pens – so you can’t accidentally put it your handbag after you sign your receipt. (Not true – I opened my purse one day to find a pen wrapped in a fluorescent orange sticker with the name of a local grocery store on it!) And since my desk had the “master calendar” on it, it’s no wonder that I often went searching for my pen on someone else’s desk. And I would often find miscellaneous writing utensils on my desk that I did not recognize as my own.

I hid a pen in my desk, my favorite pen. Just the right weight and thickness to the barrel – not too heavy, not too big around. An easy sound to the click in or out. The smooth writing of a fine point blue ink retractable ballpoint pen. Fine point. Blue ink. Both critical characteristics of my perfect pen. If the ink starts globbing on the paper – quick, find a refill!

I bought several of them, and spread them around – not just at work, but at home, too. One in the kitchen drawer, one in my nightstand, two in the office desk drawer, two in my purse (in different zipper pouches, of course). One in my Bible cover, one in my big carry-all bag. Everywhere I could need it, there was one within easy reach.

And then in church on Sunday, as I writing down the pastor’s phrase that I didn’t want to forget, the pen wouldn’t write. In one particular place on the page. I was writing along just fine, and all of a sudden, the ink disappeared! I was writing quickly, so I didn’t notice immediately. When I went back to fill in the missing letter, the pen refused to release its ink. Very frustrating! I had to rewrite it in another place on the paper. (oh, such trouble, I know)

When I got home, I tested my pen on another piece of paper, and it wrote smoothly as usual. So I examined the paper carefully. Sure enough, it had a shiny surface. And the color ink from one page had laid another layer of shine onto the page where I was taking notes, rendering the paper unable to accept the ink of my  ballpoint pen.

I tried a gel pen – it worked just fine on the shiny paper. Bummer!

So I went to the store to find the perfect gel pen – fine point, blue ink, barrel weighted and sized correctly. Retractable would be a real treat! I bought two – one to put in my purse, one in the desk.

And I used it in my writing this morning. It took a bit to get used to – I have to lift it off the page a bit more than usual. But I like the way my penmanship looks. A little flourish to it.

Am I being unfaithful to my ballpoint? Perhaps. But life is about variety, even if it is always fine point blue ink retractable!

Do you have a common or household item of which you are extremely fond? Care to share about it? Use the comments below, or write a blog, but please link back to this one – I’d love to read what you write!