Today I bought myself an Ink Pen.
‘Hero Fountain Pen’ was the pen I last used in school. I remember the slim capsule-like shape, with the body in colours like dark blue, black, maroon and green and a common golden cap for all. It made its slight weight felt when held. The joy was buying an ‘ink bottle’ as an accompaniment. Along with a sheet of a lurid pink ‘blotting paper’ to soak up the ink stains, if at all.
As I opened my newly purchased pen package I marveled at the changes I noticed. As compared to the Hero, the pen I bought today is sleek and hardly weighs anything. No more ‘ink bottle’ to go with it either. This one had a pre-filled ink cartridge that just needed to be attached.
‘Yeh pen leak toh nahin hoga na, Bhaiyaa?’ I found myself asking, a habit from all those years ago when we shopped for pens for school. The shopkeeper gave me a blank look. His newly sprouting upper lip should have been proof enough that he has never heard of, forget used, leaking pens.
The Ink Pens we used then sometimes leaked and stained the tips of our thumb and forefinger. Stains we proudly displayed to everyone ready to see. Ink stains that proclaimed that we were no longer ‘babies’, using a pencil to write with, but we had grown up and now used proper pens. Ink Pens.
The writing was certainly a pleasure with the newly acquired ink pens and we couldn’t wait for the teachers to hand us an assignment that required us to write in class. All our concentration was on filling blank pages with inky writing and we strived to write as neat as we could. After the writing was done, the next job was blowing on the paper for the ink to dry, before we turned the page. We didn’t want to smudge our pages, did we now!
School holidays meant cleaning out the school bag and pencil box (Yes, I was born with my OCD) Washing the pens and the refills, wiping them dry with tissue paper so as to not scratch the gleaming exterior (OCD, again), and filling it with fresh ink and setting the pencil box again.
Ink fights, mock and real, that we had by splashing our pure white sports uniform and shoes with ink. (yes, despite the OCD)
Today I bought myself an Ink Pen.
However what I really did was wipe the dust off cherished memories that had faded a little, like old ink, but could still bring a smile to my face.
Mayuri, may your pen never leak and stain your fingers 🙂 I used to dread writing with the fountain pen, we called them. My fingers were perpetually stained and my white school blouse had blue ink marks from the shakes and jerks I used to give my pen while writing. Cleaning the nibs was never my priority 🙂
Hahahahaha, Sulekha. Those were the ‘side effects’ of having a Fountain Pen to write with, and those side effects made memories:) Thanks for reading:)
It’s after ages someone has mentioned a blotting paper. I almost forgot about them. I looveee ink pens. I used to own a couple of Windsor pens… And yes would wait for the assignments to write with it. Those were the simple joys of like. A pen and an ink pot
Simple joys indeed, Raj! Thanks for reading!:)
I always loved the fountain pens. They wrote so easily, unlike ball point pens, which break so easily.
Thank you for reading, Alice:)
This brought back so many memories. I am not aware of ink cartridges for ink pens. It looks so tempting. I feel like buying one now.
Please buy one! The choices are mind boggling!:) Thanks for reading, Lata:)
I own an in pen as well, I use it to write on greeting cards etc. So many memories!
Yes, Damyanti and wonderful memories at that!:) Thanks for reading:)
Ink pens are part of our childhood…so many memories are related to it…They make us so nostalgic.
Thanks for reading, Balaka:)
I just loved reading it. I had forgotten all about the ink pens and especially my maroon pen with the golden cap, I was so fond of it. Your post took me back, in the alleys of nostalgia of how happy was I to get promoted to 5th Std. because I was graduating from writing with pencil to finally writing with a fountain pen. If yours was white sports uniform, mine was white uniform everyday in the summers so you can imagine how much the ink stains must have been traumatic for my mother. I feel immensely glad to not have missed reading this post 🙂
I could imagine your mother’s horror! But those memories are the one that wrap us in their warmth, don’t they. So glad you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it, Anamika:)
This was absolutely beautiful! I loved the rush of nostalgia that you wove with this piece. So much joy in that heavy ink pen that would stain our fingers. Gorgeous writing, Mayuri!
Thank you so much, Shailaja 🙂
Beautifully written Mayuri. It was nostalgic to me, except for the OCD part I am quiet the opposite in that department
Thanks for reading, Neha:))
Oh, I remember those days and pens. My elder son is fond of the ink pen. He did buy a few complete with the inkpot. 🙂 I haven’t used one for ages. Come to think of it, I hardly ever write with pen and paper now. Sometimes, I write handwritten letters or help the kids with their work. Happy to say that the handwriting still stays good.
I have used Ink pens out of my curiosity and I loved the handwriting when I used Ink pens, so crisp.
Thanks for making me relive some fond memories. Till date when I step into a stationery store, I can’t help but browse through the ink pen display, even though I have no use of them in my current life.
The pen looks nice 🙂 During my college days, I had a collection of pens. Few ink pens, lots of ballpoint ones, and also gel pens (which were relatively new in the market then). Every time I bought an ink pen, I’d ask the shopkeeper the same question you asked too. 😀 Lots of memories! Thank you for the trigger to bring them back.
Glad you enjoyed the post, Vinay. Thanks for reading:)
I can so much relate to this post. I loved ink pens. The first time we school when we were suppose to write with pens I had only ink pens. every afternoon while doing homework I had a bottle and pen with ink stained hands. Washing it once a week. Some how I had this fascination for Hero pens. I asked my friend to gift it to me on my birthday as I had none for long.
Oh my, this has reminded me of good old school days. My writing speed is very slow but I never compromised with the handwriting. I always believed that the ink pens are for people who want to improve their writing and ball pens are for those who want to win the marathon. Lazy me! 😛 Thanks for reviving some wonderful memories of school days. 🙂