My Genesis Pen

 

Hemswell Antique Centre

Hemswell, home to an enormous and popular antique centre, is a hop, skip, and jump from where I live. A few weeks ago, shopping list in hand - short as Hemswell is not cheap, we set out hoping to find a stunning bargain. If you ever visit  Hemswell Antique Centre, you will be tempted by all sorts of ‘bargains” that you never realised you needed. We had to staunchly walk past grandfather clocks, a rather expensive George II dresser, a vintage Ewbank carpet sweeper, and many more fabulous finds! We ambled through the many units, blinkered, and determined to find an appropriate bookcase and small table for our newly decorated study. 

Many hours and two cups of tea later, we made our purchases and I chanced upon a room lined with glass cabinets filled with bits and bobs that were both familiar and shocking. Familiar because I recognised many items from my childhood, shocking because all these items were in an antique shop!!

I was hooked and wandered from display case to display case marvelling at the memories -  a Winterling Bavaria tea set similar to one owned by my late grandma, shot glasses with tiny pictures of cars on them, a Pippa doll, and … a maroon Parker fountain pen – an exact replica of my first fountain pen. My Genesis pen.

Uncle Larry and Aunty Sharon gave it to me, Christmas 1985. Young enough to be delighted over a Baby William matchbox doll (I still have that!) but old enough to dream of being sophisticated and grown up. It was a very grown-up pen and one I used for the whole of my secondary education. It got me through exams, many love letters, thank you notes, and journal entries. It also started me on my journey of writing stories. 

Alas, when I finished school, my poor pen had been eaten. The casing chewed and virtually destroyed, my youthful lack of sentiment joyously threw my pen away swapping it for easier biros and Berols. 

So, you can imagine my delight when I saw my pen displayed in all its complete glory. And it was, my pen. I’d commandeered it in my sub-conscience and then in reality as I observed the shopkeeper remove the label tied neatly to the lid, and type the numbers into his cashier till. Of course, it was not the actual pen, this is now floating in the ether of writing stationary memories, but it could be. Made during the same time, it probably sat in Woolworths next to my actual pen, waiting for another happy customer.

My First Fountain Pen 1985