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I’ve already given the Pen talk, the Scissors talk, the Tape talk and now the Pencil talk. Being that I’m a graphic designer I always have some writing instrument around. Add to that my intense love of Sudoku and crossword puzzles and I need my pencils, pens, markers, etc.

“Who took my pencil?” Crickets.“Has anyone seen the pencil I laid down by the Sudoku puzzle?” Crickets. “You know, the one with the little yellow eraser thingy I put on the end of the pencils that you all wear down to nubs, that pencil.” “Haven’t seen it.” says they.

Pencils are scarce as hen’s teeth in my house (the day after I buy a pack of new ones) When I am lucky enough to find one, the eraser is gone, worn to nothing, every single time. That’s why I buy those eraser add on things, love those.

So last night I picked up my permanent marker (finding that is another story) and drew a big black line all around my pencil. Then I gather my pencil pilfers around me.“See this pencil? See the thick black line I just drew around this? This is MY pencil, this is not to be touched by anyone in this house but me. Is that clear, do not touch this pencil . . . I don’t care if it’s the last one in the house, do not touch it.” Heads shaking yes, total understanding achieved.

Sometime between that elegant speech and this morning I lost the pencil. “See this pen? . . .”