The Pen is Mightier than the Sword

If there’s one thing history has taught us it’s that the pen is a mighty powerful instrument. This mighty, minor, majestic little implement has signed peace declarations, treaties, laws and much, much more and has truly been responsible for so much of history, a pioneer in the history-making field.

Everyone should have a pen that they’re proud of. It doesn’t have to be an 18 carat gold diamond encrusted monstrosity that makes writing feel like a muscle ripping workout every time you even dare to pick it up, but just something that you call your own. My utensil of choice is a simple yet elegant stainless steel Parker Jotter. I pride myself on it having an “original” top bearing the Parker logo. A couple of years ago I lost my silver Parker while on the train to work. As far as I know, it casually slipped out of my pocket into the abyss, never to be seen again. When I ventured to WHSmith to buy a new one, to my dismay I discovered that the tops of the “new and improved” Parker pens, had changed to a more rounded shape and lost their flat, dipped, ridge style. Later I also found that the colour of the blue ink had changed from a lighter blue to a darker, Bic-esque blue but that’s by-the-by.

After being missing for about 2 months, I had lost all hope of ever seeing my beloved Parker again and had resigned myself to using a regular scribbly pen that I found lying around my flat. Having searched my bags about seven or eight times each, as you do, thinking I MUST have missed something, but of course I’ve checked all of the secret hiding places that don’t exist every time I’ve looked in the bags and found nothing, well I had given up. It was pointless making a big deal about a “mere” pen as I knew that no amount of “Lost” or “Missing Parker” flyers were going to bring it back. That was until I was throwing clothes in the washing machine…cue a pair of pants I hadn’t worn in a good couple of months. Yes, you’ve guessed it…in the right pocket of said pants; there it was, gleaming in all its glory, Mr Parker himself! You can imagine my delight as I withdrew it from the prison of the pants’ pocket. The mighty pen lives on to write another day!

Do you have a favourite pen you take everywhere with you? That you sign your cheques with? That has written out every birthday card you’ve ever sent? If so, let me know! I’m interested to hear whether I’m one of a minority or if I’m not alone in the pen stakes. As far as I know it’s only the British that have interest in such matters, but I might be wrong…