We have a staff member who does not carry her own pen to write. Even when she goes to sign the muster, knowing well that a pen is required for that purpose, she goes without one, and asks for one from whoever happens to be there. If there is no one, or whoever is there does not have a pen, she waits until someone comes along with a pen. I had observed this for years, but could not see the reason for it.
"Why do you not carry your pen?" I finally asked her one day, when my curiosity got the better of me.
"Just like that" she said after a moment's pause.
"But if there is no one with a pen here, you waste time waiting for one to arrive" I said. "It is a lot easier carrying a pen. It is no great trouble carrying one, is it?"
"No, actually I have one."
"Huh? Where?" I asked.
"Here" she said calmly and proceeded to produce it by putting her hand close to her heart. As a child I had seen elderly women keep their money safely next to their hearts when they went out. Then for years I had not seen that. Now here was one keeping a pen next to the heart, but never to be produced. My face must have revealed my embarrassment. She signed with that pen that day. A few years have passed since then, with the same old routine of borrowing a pen. I have not dared ask that question again.
"Why do you not carry your pen?" I finally asked her one day, when my curiosity got the better of me.
"Just like that" she said after a moment's pause.
"But if there is no one with a pen here, you waste time waiting for one to arrive" I said. "It is a lot easier carrying a pen. It is no great trouble carrying one, is it?"
"No, actually I have one."
"Huh? Where?" I asked.
"Here" she said calmly and proceeded to produce it by putting her hand close to her heart. As a child I had seen elderly women keep their money safely next to their hearts when they went out. Then for years I had not seen that. Now here was one keeping a pen next to the heart, but never to be produced. My face must have revealed my embarrassment. She signed with that pen that day. A few years have passed since then, with the same old routine of borrowing a pen. I have not dared ask that question again.
