Today, as I climbed the stairs up to my office, a kid about 20 or so dressed in a suit asked if he could borrow a pen. Since I was always losing pens, I had made it a point to keep one always in the laptop bag.
After some digging, I took out this particular laptop pen and gave it to him. He walked away with it calmly. I was confused - surely he was going to give me the pen back. What if it was a favorite pen? He didn't even ask if I wanted it back.
The old bird, with his enormous wordly patience, would have hesitated. Excuses and reasons would have been made in the other's defense.
This was getting to be something other than about the pen.
I followed him into a room where other formally dressed kids were writing what appeared to be an exam. I saw him go to the proctor, sign himself in and turn around when I caught his eye.
Hey, know what? Keep the pen.
He shamefacedly grinned.
I get really annoyed with people who forget to return things; especially books. It annoys me that I have to remind them to return it. I shouldn't have it!
ReplyDelete@PL : Yeah me too, to the point of fault. I lend a book once to a chap in the hospital, and I am slightly tempted to ask for it back! Some part of me is saying that's terrible, the other part is saying go ask!
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