I love fountain pens. In fact, I have some obscene number of them as I continue my never-ending quest for the perfect one. Admittedly there are some issues related to fountain pens and I ran into every one during my second to last class of the semester this week. The last week of class is a typically manic time for both professors and students, and my classes are no exception. Even though I am in the audience this week while my students experience the angst of delivering their final presentations, I am still stressed for many reasons, not the least of which is because they are stressed. (Stress breeds stress. Right?) Anyway, as I was making notes on the presentations, I noticed that my hand was coated in purple ink, the color I especially love and often use in my pens. As I frantically looked for the source of the leak, a student asked me a question and would you believe – I stabbed myself with the nib!! Of course it would have to be an ultrafine point pen. Then I noticed red mixing with the purple ink. Not only had I stabbed myself, but I drew blood! I was determined not to be a spectacle with this kaleidoscope of colors on my hand, and I succeeded in keeping my predicament under wraps. All I can say was thank God I had put some toilet paper (as Kleenex, of course), in my purse that morning.
As a result of my trauma, I’ve decided to relegate the fountain pens to journal-writing duty here at home, keeping them safely out of the classroom henceforth.
madmuser 