The Blue Pen Obsession

My obsession with blue pens and embarrassing moments thanks to that obsession

No one knows about my obsession with blue pens. Not the pen itself, but the ink. I don’t really know where it comes from but I’ve always had a love of blue ink on paper.

My obsession started when I could first start writing with pens. At the time, they were erasable pens. I could write with them and fix the screw ups. The blue always seemed to clear off the paper better than the black.

As I got older, I became entrenched in the love of clear cased, blue Bic pens with caps. They were the one pen I didn’t grind between my teeth. I could see the ink in the tub and liked the way they felt against paper.

It could be a visual thing. When you look at filler paper, it’s white, red, and blue. Black ink just seems out of place to me. In fact, all colors but blue seem out of place.

I attend several event shows a year and like to gather pens. I don’t know why because most come with black ink. They sit in my pen bucket to rarely get used. My blue pens last me a couple of week at most. It makes me sad when one dies and needs to be replaced.

I recently really embarrassed myself trying to buy a box of those clear cased blue Bic pens. Not realizing my environment, I stood in the school supply aisle at Wal-mart searching for my beloved box of Bic pens. My son tries to hand me a box of black pens.

“Black annoy me.”

I set them back on the shelf, noticing the box of blue right above it and excitedly reach in front of another customer. A colored woman. I felt my cheeks grow hot. It wasn’t what I meant. I’d never say that about a human. I apologized, trying to explain about my obsession with blue pens.

“It’s okay sweetie. I saw how thrilled you were to find the box of blue ones.”

Blue pens bring me a child-like joy. To buy, own, and use them brings me the same happiness as those erasable pens did in my youth. It’s such an odd obsession to bring joy and happiness.

Yesterday, I sat making notes and watched with glee as the blue ink filled about 5 pages (front and back) with words on filler paper. When I was finished, I looked over my notes. I caught myself not seeing the words but staring at the fluid of blue ink on filler paper. Noting how nice it looked with that red, white, and blue.

In looking through my pen bucket, I noticed all the pens of various colors and the ones open on my desk. Purples, pinks, greens, reds, and even blacks sit waiting for attention. All ignored for my favorite, super cheap blue Bic pen.

I have fancy pens that were given at graduation that I’ve never touched. Why? They don’t have blue ink. I don’t own pencils either. Not a single one, in fact. I’d just bypass them anyway for this obsession with blue pens.

It’s funny how life evolves and we choose certain things to be our favorite things. To me, my blue pen is like my favorite coffee mug or my favorite sweater. It’s comforting.

That blue pen is more than just a blue pen.

That blue pen reminds me of good memories. Memories from the first pen I ever used to conversations with my Grandpa, making notes about his time in the war. The color reminds me of fishing with my dad and uncles on the waters of Lake Ontario. It’s also the color of a deep summer sky. The blue reminds me of race cars and all the people I’ve been privileged to meet. Blue is a calming color.

I sit looking at my blue pen on my desk, thinking back to the teacher that told me I would never be a writer. Maybe I’m not by her definition. That’s okay, I am by mine. Published many times over in a bunch of different publications outside of Medium. That solid, blue Bic beside me for the entire journey like a supportive old friend.

Every day, these pens are part of my journey. From writing notes on subjects I want to write about to letters to my son in the Army, these pens are the staple and stable item by my side.

Maybe my obsession isn’t normal. That’s okay. As long as these pens continue to bring me joy and remind me of the good things in life, I’ll continue to favor my blue pens.

You find these Bic pens on any list for the best writing utensils. It’s not a fancy gel pen, felt time, or even have a pretty case. They are just a cheap pen found for $0.97 for a box of ten at Wal-mart. At less than ten cents each, they aren’t expensive by any means. But they are steady and stable pens that write fluidly until the ink is gone. I’ve rarely had one skip along the paper or frustrate me by having to draw circles to get it to write.

For now, I’ll continue writing with my Bic crystal blue pens. The pen that brings me joy, happiness, and comfort in all my writing adventures.