Pencils & Pens

This is in response to The Daily Post prompt of the day.

“Pencils and Pens”

My crayons lay scattered among my mothers pens and other desk supplies. I often sat at her wooden desk as a child, carrying on important coloring business. Opening each drawer carefully while my feet dangled from her wicker chair. Going through each drawer hoping to discover something fun to play with. The pen drawer was the most fun. Once fancy pens stacked next to cap less pens. Stray rubber bands, dull letter openers, and stamps. Pens with multiple colors, highlighters, tape and un-sharpened pencils. The smell of the wooden desk and wicker chair mixed with the perfume of my mother still lingers in my head when I think about that desk. I sat there many hours coloring and drawing. Writing and having important meeting with my cat, Sassy. My dog didn’t really like meetings very much. Her desk was lined with pictures, a crystal flat bowl and a name plate that had gold pen holders attached, that ironically, didn’t hold pens very well.

The place to find the mecca of pens in our household was not that desk. When I wanted a fine pen, I would hop off of the creaky wicker chair and make my way under the sky light in our 2nd story townhouse, I’d walk down the carpeted stairs passing a crystal chandelier that was so close you could touch. I would hold on to the railing as I made my way to the landing, flip to the left past the entrance door, and step onto the European tile of the entry hallway. As I would make my way into the dinning room I would often play a few notes on the piano. Through the mirrored dining room and finally into the kitchen. The drawer under the phone held my moms favorite pen. The fanciest pen of the house. It was not allowed to be moved from that spot. The temptation to use it in other places was high but I knew better then to move it. My mom really loves that pen. She still has that pen and has gained more as gifts since those years. I still love to use it when I visit. It reminds me of my childhood. Curve, reverse, swoosh, flip, slash. It wrote with such ease. Curves and loops. Flips and swooshes. Un-click the pen, open the creaky drawer, and place it safely back in its spot. It waits for the next person.