Surprised By Two Birds In A Box

[sargetalon]

Given the time of year and all of the horrific news that seems to be going around lately, I wanted to share a story of kindness and how I acquired two new Pelikans today. I always give my patients a hand written summary of each visit with instructions and I use my fountain pens to do so (any excuse to use them, right?). Most people don't comment but many of the older patients do. It often goes something like, "Is that an ink pen?" I'm aways happy to show them and share my experiences and it usually generates an anecdote or two about how they didn't know people still used fountain pens or how badly one they used leaked while they were at school. The pen conversation usually ends there.

 

Last year, a good patient who had a particularly difficult course noticed my pen and mentioned that she thought she still had one somewhere at home. She used to appreciate fine writing and calligraphy but her ailing health now prevented her from doing anything meaningful in those areas. She suggested that if she found the pen she would pass it along to me. I politely smiled and told her that was certainly not necessary but thanked her for the thought.

 

That was over a year ago. Today at work I found that a random box with my name on it was left for me. A card penned in a shaky hand was attached. Inside the box was a fountain pen and a ballpoint. While long since out of my mind, this patient followed through on her promise and gifted both to me. I was touched and certainly delighted to receive a fountain pen (it's not often I'm not the one buying them) but imagine my elation when I found out just what I'd been given.

 

In the box, wrapped in a tissue was a Pelikan M400 green striated with a medium 14C nib. The green paint in the etching was still crisp and the cap band was stamped "W.-Germany." She stated it was bought in the early 80's, likely right around the reintroduction of this pen in 1982. The condition of the pen is emaculate. No scratches, cracks, bites, or brassing. It was like opening a time capsule. I polished it up just a touch and flushed it (appears to have been stored properly, another pleasant surprise). After a flush and a quick application of silicone, the piston is smooth as butter. I loaded up some Waterman's Harmonious Green and the nib is wonderfully wet and smooth with a great spring, writing without any issue whatsoever. This pen might as well just have come out of the showroom instead of being 30+ years old. The other pen was the matching K400 bought at the same time in equally wonderful condition. I gush here because I really love this gift and was touched by the thought. The icing for me is also that this is actually a pen not already in my collection and one that I've always been longing to find a good example of. The fact that she remembered our conversation over a year later and was generous enough to bestow such a wonderful gift just moved me today and that's not easy to do. I just finished writing her a thank you letter with that pen which I hope she will enjoy seeing. I'll attach some pics below (sorry for the bad cellphone snaps).

 

 

 

 

[risingsun]

That's awesome! Congratulations!

[slippery when wet]

Another great pen story and the people who use them.

[stacybean]

May you enjoy them in good health! It probably gave your patient pleasure to give them to you and know that they would be well used. Thanks for,posting this lovely story.

[Barnaby Bumble]

I'll get to the pens in a minute.

 

Still trying to wrap my ahead around the extra time you devote to each patient.

[Sridhar]

that's a wonderful gesture but I am sure it equals your kindness towards patients

[PAKMAN]

Wow what a wonderful gesture! Thanks so much for sharing this story, it made my day!

[mr2txaggie]

Wow,

 

That is an inspired accounting of something done out of one person's heart to another human being. As the OP mentioned, you hear of terrible items going on, then there is this. My, my this helps restore some type of faith in humankind.

Thank you so much for sharing.

 

 

mr2txaggie

[oregano]

Thank you, this made my day too! Enjoy them

[pmn]

That's the one to be really proud of

[Consulting_Detective]

Aw, people like the OP are my favorite type of person, congrats on the pen btw!

 

-C.D

[Bo Bo Olson]

Great lady.

great gift.

Now....is the '80's springy regular flex nib noticeably better than the '90's nib? A tid, a tad?

[KBeezie]

Very pretty combination.

[DrCodfish]

I'm crusty, but this sort fo thing always softens me up, ... and really irritates my inner curmudgeon. Thanks for sharing Sarge.

[setriode]

The human spirit can be a beautiful thing.

[Lamb South]

Wonderful story and inspires me to be kinder to people I encounter daily.

[Notgatherox]

Such a wonderful story, and a meaningful gift. The thought behind it makes it all the more precious.

 

 

 

~Epic

[ac12]

I'm glad to see an old pen find a new home where it will be appreciated.

 

My father had 2 fountain pens (that know of), but after we moved...I never saw them again. And of course, now I wish I kept them as soon as I had found them...since my father had moved on to the more convenient ball pens.

[Dickkooty2]

Given the state of required documentation and computer inputs from MDs printed and handed to you on your way out the door, I was greatly surprised to read you actually wrote your notes to the patient and in pen and ink.

 

After reading your background (PCOM), I am not surprised. How fortunate your patients are to have someone dedicated to the holistic approach to medicine. How reassuring the notes must be. Someone has actually heard them and is responding.

 

As a geriatric (80 years old) with some combination of osteo/neuro problems on-going, I can only imagine how comforting this must be!

[sargetalon]

Thank you all for your kind words. We do everything electronically and patients get print outs of their summary visit but I find it to be a poor substitute for something written by hand. I find that a handwritten note carrys more weight with a person and that can make all the difference.