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Do You Carry a "Regular" Pen?

It never fails to happen when I'm in court. Some random lawyer forgets his or her pen and asks to borrow mine. I don't want them to get ink all over their hands, but I really don't want them to damage my pen! [emoji14]

It's times like those that I wish that I had a ball point or rollerball pen with me. Do you guys carry around a "regular" pen when you're out and about for when you run into those pen borrowers?
 
I only carry a pen in my briefcase and always have a ball point for nay sayers and borrowers. when I'm in a suit (3-5 times a week) I have my pens in my pocket. again, always have a ball point for a loaner. I don't generally like the scoff that comes from handing someone a fountain pen. I have discovered that very few (if any) people I run into on a regular basis share this interest of mine lol. I don't consider carrying a BP or RB sacrilegious at all, in fact I think it only to be prudent and reasonable. there are even times when I need a BP or RB.
 
If I regularly found myself in that kind of situation, I'd carry a cheap ballpoint or rollerball to use as a loaner. Even if it disappeared (which will happen eventually), it's no great loss.
 
I only carry one pen with me, but I work in an office so there is always a few ball points laying around that I hand people when they want to borrow a pen. If you have a briefcase or satchel it would be easy for you to carry a couple of throwaway pens, but if you are limited to your clothes, I would not bother. I suppose it depends on if they just wanted to jot something down or if they needed to use it long term. You can always say something like "I am sorry, but I do not have a pen you can borrow."
 
In the military I carried two packs of cigarettes. One for personal use and the other for bumming. Some of those fellas were broke before the sun set on payday.
 
I always have a FP and a ballpoint on me. Depending on what I'm wearing or carrying, I usually have a Varsity with me. If someone seems interested in FPs, I lend them the varsity. If they push too hard, my "good" pen doesn't suffer. If they like it, I give it to them in the hopes of sucking someone else into this world.

If I can tell they have no interest, they get a ballpoint.
 
I like to carry a g2 with me for a loaner if I have the pocket space. If I'm dressed up but still want a ballpoint, I'll bring my bullet space pen.
 
It never fails to happen when I'm in court. Some random lawyer forgets his or her pen and asks to borrow mine. I don't want them to get ink all over their hands, but I really don't want them to damage my pen! [emoji14]

It's times like those that I wish that I had a ball point or rollerball pen with me. Do you guys carry around a "regular" pen when you're out and about for when you run into those pen borrowers?

As a rule, I always carry a backup pen. Just a ballpoint (lately the Waterman Hemisphere Moonlight little brother to my FP). Despite this, my pen more often than not chooses to run out of ink on the rare day I forget to bring a backup. I've had to borrow the bailiff's pen on more than one occasion.

Now, there was one time, opposing counsel had borrowed my ballpoint, which I was using since my Parker IM rollerball was acting up. I didn't realise she had it until I sat down, but by then the judge was giving his instructions and I needed a pen right then. So I whipped out my rollerball and took some notes, and the damn thing burst all over my hand. I'm amazed I got none of that on my clothes.
 
I always carry a Parker Jotter and/or a Retro 51 rollerball in case someone balks at the FP or I just don't trust them using it.
 
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I always have a Fisher bullet space pen in a pants pocket, not for the primary purpose of lending to people who can't be bothered to provide their own, but because I sometimes need to write in difficult conditions where a fountain pen isn't best. I might also have a Jotter ballpoint with me. If I lend something to an unprepared person, it will be one of those.

But I don't lend them to people who plan to walk away with them and return them "later".:mad3: Jotting something down, fine. Using one during a meeting, and giving it back at the end, okay (and I will remind them). Otherwise, I direct them to our well stocked supply cabinet.

The OP is in a profession where you'd expect people to remember their pens. I work in a technical job where people frequently need them, too. But some folks just don't get the concept of "if you need a pen, bring a pen.":facep:
 

Legion

Staff member
I carry one of these Parker's at work, where I often have to loan my pen to people who would destroy a FP.

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nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
Do you guys carry around a "regular" pen when you're out and about for when you run into those pen borrowers?

No. I've loaned out and lost too many pens to people that can't seem come to a meeting prepared. Sorry, I'm not your pen pixie, carrying around a 29¢ stick pen for you any longer.
 
Good thing I don't have an occupation that requires this! Nonetheless, I do have 2 Lamy Safaris and 2 Metropolitan ones in my pencil case.
 
In the military I carried two packs of cigarettes. One for personal use and the other for bumming. Some of those fellas were broke before the sun set on payday.

Ain't that the truth. Some of the heaviest smokers I met in the Marines never had their own pack of cigarettes. A good trick was only having one in the second pack; "Sorry, I only have one left."

Back to pens. I don't loan a fountain pen and always have a ballpoint.
 
Ain't that the truth. Some of the heaviest smokers I met in the Marines never had their own pack of cigarettes. A good trick was only having one in the second pack; "Sorry, I only have one left."

Back to pens. I don't loan a fountain pen and always have a ballpoint.

There is a man who has been there.
 
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