Fountain pens

My collection of fountain pens or ink pens,
 (The yellow band on the green pen was for identification purpose, in case of thefts  )

It has been a long time since man developed his early writing instruments, and how they were modified and changed with time.

My first writing instrument was probably a crayon or a pencil, for I don’t remember which exactly. That art of holding a pencil was taught by my father and later my kindergarten teacher. I should probably owe her so much respect since she was my first teacher who taught me the alphabet, my first steps in learning how to read and write.

My 'Hero' pens 

Pencil was my writing tool till my 4^th grade, and I can still remember my excitement in getting my first fountain pen with my promotion to the 5^th grade. I got my first fountain pen as a complementary from my school; a rather small, green pen fit for beginners, and it drew rather thick strokes. My little green pen meant the world to me; I even carried it everywhere in my skirt pocket, until one day the ink stained my skirt and forced me to leave it in my pencil box. It was the PT period and I always longed for one to come as a kid. Unmindful of what was going to happen, I was lost in my play session. And it did not take me long to discover that my precious green fountain pen was missing! Being a kid, I always dreamt of being a detective and I suspected a theft there..! I had always suspected one of my classmates for my random disappearances of pencils and erasers, but this was a major theft. Finally I confronted the girl and politely asked her to return my pen to which she denied having it with her. I threatened to report it to our class teacher if she didn't return it. And after much of coaxing I got a pen, but a new one, and I never got to see my first fountain pen after that! For all that care I took, by delicately washing it, and polishing it I hoped it would be in good hands! :D

But that fountain pen craze did last for long though, and I have made a good collection till date. Modified, good ones called ‘hero’ pens were too much in demand and the one who owned it as a kid was all on cloud nine and I was aiming for those ‘heroes’. I wanted to own those in all colors and all types. I made a deal with my mother to buy me a pen of that each year so that I would have all the colors and the types by then. And it so went like that deal and that craze slowly died down. Still I am the proud owner of 6 such fountain pens which continue to give me excellent service till today.

It is today that I realize that authentic value of those fountain pens, my handwriting became lucid and neat. It was those fountain pens that made me frame my cursive writings, and develop a good handwriting. I have noticed that the same handwriting is hard to obtain in a ball point pen or a gel pen. That fountain pen stands its way. The father of all modern pens! My love for fountain pens is also because of those beautiful cursive handwriting that the people of olden times had, which inspired me not to lose my touch with them! That joy is never the same…