For over two decades, fountain pens have been my constant companions. I say "predominantly" rather than "exclusively" because, during my days as a journalist, I had to occasionally surrender to the sheer convenience of a ballpoint for rapid-fire notes at press conferences and interviews. But ever since I left the newsroom behind, I have been a fountain pen purist.
The magic, however, happened just over a month ago. I was at my office desk, writing with one of my fountain pens, when a senior colleague from another department walked by. He spotted the pen, stopped in his tracks, and doubled back for a closer look. His eyes lit up seeing someone still using a fountain pen, and he was absolutely delighted to learn that I keep a curated little collection.
We got talking, and he mentioned a close childhood friend he had lost regular touch with happens to make fountain pens. As he described him, my jaw practically hit the floor. His friend does not only run a well-known Indian fountain pen brand, the very pen I was holding in my hand was from his friend's workshop!
My colleague was stunned. He picked up the pen again, running his fingers admiringly over the polished ebonite body and examining the JoWo nib. After scribbling a few test lines on my notepad, he asked if he could borrow it for the day. "Of course," I told him. He made sure to grab his friend's number before leaving.
I immediately texted the pen maker to share the incredible coincidence, and he was thrilled. By the end of the day, my colleague returned my pen with a massive smile. "Thank you so much," he said. "I just spoke with him. He mentioned there’s a pen festival coming up in Kolkata soon, and I’m going to meet him there. I can't even count the years it's been since we last saw each other."
Since I was already planning to attend the Kolkata pen festival, we decided to go together. Unfortunately, at the last minute, personal commitments forced him to travel out of town for the week.
"I can't make it," he told me over the phone, sounding genuinely disappointed. "But I have a huge favour to ask. Could you pick up one of his pens for me? I haven't used a fountain pen since I was in school." He then added one strict condition: "Don't tell him you're buying it for me, or he won't let you pay. I am sure he puts in a massive effort into crafting these."
I happily obliged and handed him the pen when he resumed office. "Compared to the fountain pens I used back in school, this is on another level - so incredibly smooth," he marvelled, pride and joy adorning his voice. "I think I'm going to write a letter to my friend with it."
Seeing his happiness absolutely made my day. It was incredibly fulfilling to realise that my simple passion for fountain pens not only reignited a childhood friendship but also brought the joy of writing back into someone's life after so many years.
About the Author: Abhishek is a fountain pen enthusiast from Kolkata who enjoys fine nibs and ink-smudged fingers. Beyond his passion for fine writing instruments, he is a fervent football fan who deeply admires Lionel Messi.