Yesterday, I had to go and collect a brewing unit for an espresso machine. I arrived in a hurry, for three reasons:

1. I left the office late;
2. The coffee-servicing place was more distant than expected; and
3. Traffic lights.

Also, while I trust Google Maps to be entirely accurate for drive-times (freakishly accurate, in fact), it doesn’t take into account the time spent finding parking and dealing with guards that want to check for things in your boot.

Shame on you, Google.

That aside, the truly frustrating part of the experience was trying to sign the servicing sheet. Because in that whole office, there was only one pen. One of these annoyances:

And it was broken.

As soon as I started signing, the nib would slip back into the pen casing. So I was forced to awkwardly attempt holding my thumb over the clicker to keep the nib out while simultaneously manufacturing a two-fingered signature.

At one point, there was blasphemy. Specifically, when I was asked to “also just sign” the debit card slip, right beneath the line declaring “No Cardholder Signature Required”.

Finally, I left in a hurry. Again, for three reasons:

1. I was late for the next appointment;
2. If it’s further than expected to get there, it’s still just as far to get back; and
3. Those same traffic lights on the return journey.

But it did occur to me on the drive back that I must really start carrying a pen in order to avoid these situations. To be honest the only really surprising part is that I don’t carry one already.

Happily, I already have a pen in mind. It belongs to a friend. I plan to theft it, with the full intention of replacing it when I next visit Walton’s.

Which, in all likelihood, won’t happen before he replaces it. But, you know, it’s the thought that counts…