asshole-ish thing to do, or is there something about the value of pens that I don't know about?

[Anonymous]

I'm fine with freebies or bic pens. DH on the other hand almost always has one of his nice pens with him. His cheapest pen was $900. You can bet he's not loaning them to anyone. Its not just about not getting it back, they could break the tip or drop it. Even if the pen was a bic, it's his pen to loan... or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was in line at customs in Dulles recently. Two young men in front of me asked the man in front of them if they could borrow his pen to fill out a form. The man said something like, "actually, no, i can't, sorry, i really value this pen." I am a very non-confrontational person, typically, but I was so astonished by this that I actually spoke to the man. I pulled a pen from my purse and handed it to the young men and said something like "here, you can use my pen" and to the man I said "are you serious? you can't let them use your pen for 2 seconds to fill out this form?" He said something like "it's a very expensive pen! if you knew how expensive this pen was, you would understand." I said something like "Are you serious, we're in line here at customs, they aren't going anywhere, they aren't going to steal it." The man didn't say anything.

Do you think this guy was being a complete asshole?

No, and I think you were out of line to confront him.

[Anonymous]

Agree - you were the rude one.

[Anonymous]

Wouldn't loan my pen, either. It is a fountain pen. People not used to writing with them press too hard and risk damaging the nib. (Nib is a special pen word that other pen aficionados know.) So there's the monetary value of the pen (a couple of hundred), the sentimental value (graduation gift from dad), and the risk of breakage from a stranger who is highly likely not to even know he broke it let alone offer to repair it.

Don't judge what you don't understand.

[Anonymous]

BTW, just because someone asked doesn't mean that you're under any obligation to lend. No one should make an issue out of a denied request. That's incredibly rude.

[Anonymous]

Jeff, please get the cheap pen advertising off of my web page!!!

Anyways. I suspect that OP was really asking if HER actions were assholish. She must have known (after the fact) that she was out of line. She can't be that dumb and unaware...right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't loan my pen, either. It is a fountain pen. People not used to writing with them press too hard and risk damaging the nib. (Nib is a special pen word that other pen aficionados know.) So there's the monetary value of the pen (a couple of hundred), the sentimental value (graduation gift from dad), and the risk of breakage from a stranger who is highly likely not to even know he broke it let alone offer to repair it.

Don't judge what you don't understand.

You've never, ever been laid, have you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jeff, please get the cheap pen advertising off of my web page!!!
Anyways. I suspect that OP was really asking if HER actions were assholish. She must have known (after the fact) that she was out of line. She can't be that dumb and unaware...right?

Proof that Google advertising really works!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff, please get the cheap pen advertising off of my web page!!!
Anyways. I suspect that OP was really asking if HER actions were assholish. She must have known (after the fact) that she was out of line. She can't be that dumb and unaware...right?

Proof that Google advertising really works!

Jeff, would you like me to click on one of the pen ads?

[Anonymous]

OP, I think it's cute that you let more serious transgressions (read: everything) pass without a word, but the one time to decide to say something in public that's remotely confrontational, you are universally (a DCUM rarity) proclaimed to be wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wouldn't loan my pen, either. It is a fountain pen. People not used to writing with them press too hard and risk damaging the nib. (Nib is a special pen word that other pen aficionados know.) So there's the monetary value of the pen (a couple of hundred), the sentimental value (graduation gift from dad), and the risk of breakage from a stranger who is highly likely not to even know he broke it let alone offer to repair it.

Don't judge what you don't understand.

You've never, ever been laid, have you?

Please. Pen aficionados have the hottest sex. You can't spell penis without "pen"!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm fine with freebies or bic pens. DH on the other hand almost always has one of his nice pens with him. His cheapest pen was $900. You can bet he's not loaning them to anyone. Its not just about not getting it back, they could break the tip or drop it. Even if the pen was a bic, it's his pen to loan... or not.

Multiple pens that each cost more than $1000? Your husband goes into the same category as the woman who didn't know what to do when her friend ruined her absurdly expensive hat: more money than sense.

[Anonymous]

I gotta tell ya: I don't understand the expensive thing one bit. I don't get it, I don't get it, I don't get it. If I am going to spend hundreds (or more?) of dollars on something, it's going to be on a lot of things, before I ever get around to spending that $$ on a pen!!!

HOWEVER, for those people who have made the (misguided, in my opinion ) decision to use these types of pens, and they say no politely if someone asks to borrow them, then, no, I do not believe they are being rude. Again, just weird for having such $$ pens.

I do agree with the others that your chastising someone about it was the thing which was rude.

I would have simply offered my pen to the stranger who was asking to borrow one, and then let my actions speak for my opinion of the weirdo with the $$ pen.

[Anonymous]

So OP, did you get your pen back? What kind of pen was it? Dr grip is awesome.

[Anonymous]

For those of you who are criticizing expensive pen owners (which I am not one of them), think of a pen as an expensive piece of jewelry that actually has a function. For many men, it's an accessory that peeps out of their pocket. Like expensive shoes, only those in the "know" are aware of how nice it is.

I see no problem with owning expensive pens as an accessory. For some its shoes, earrings, rings, etc. I cannot keep a bic for 1 day without losing it and I've lost 3 wedding rings so I'm not going to own anything expensive except my house and car (still lose my keys though)