What’s that in your shirt pocket?

As I’ve mentioned here before, I review stuff on Amazon.com. Here’s what I had to say about Mont Blanc writing instruments:

Let me say at the outset, nobody really needs a $200 ballpoint pen.

But it sure is a cool thing to have peeking out of your shirt pocket. I was blissfully unaware that such absurdly expensive writing instruments existed until a bank president buddy of mine flashed his Mont Blanc and casually mentioned what he paid for it.

I was suitably impressed and decided it would be a nifty thing for a bigtime professional journalist like me to whip out at interviews and press conferences.

I shopped around and picked one up at an office supply store for about half the $200 price advertised here.

When I took it out of its case, I was impressed with the craftsmanship and heft of the pen. Clearly, this is no Bic. It's a Fine Writing Instrument, made for the writing of IMPORTANT WORDS.
I got over that feeling quickly enough and was soon using it to scribble notes on cocktail napkins and grocery lists on Post-It notes.
It wasn't long before I decided I had to have the rollerball, and then the fountain pen. (But it seems like overkill to go out with all three lined up in my pocket.)

I've come to think of the ballpoint as a classy accessory, a piece of masculine jewelry that actually comes in handy when you need to write something.

And I'm always a little disappointed when people think I'm just using an ordinary ballpoint pen.