Public Pens

Have you ever thought about the community pens you use? Like when you're signing in at a doctor's office? How many germs are you picking up there from all the people who are sick, besides the regular gross germs from people who don't have clean hands?! Ewww!

And then there's the pens you use to sign credit card receipts. How many unwashed hands have used them before you? Another big ewwww!

The worst pens are the ones that are attached to those ePads, or electronic signature capture devices, used so prevalently in retail stores now. There's nothing a germaphobe can do to get around a pen like that.

For all standard pens used to sign paper with, I always keep my own pen in my purse ready to take out and use. I never use the proffered community pen. Those pens give me the "willies"!

But what does one do with those electronic device pens? I freak everytime I have to use one of those! A couple of times I've taken out a tissue to handle the pens with, but the cashier and other customers look at me like I'm a real weirdo! It's a bit embarrassing to be such a huge germaphobe sometimes.

At some retail stores I cannot even write a check without still having to sign on that electronic device! I am so disgusted by those pens. I know they are chock-full of germs.

UPS and other delivery companies also make you sign with that nasty pen on the electronic device. Why can't we all just go back to the standard pen and paper?! Then I can use my own clean pen and not have to touch something that hundreds of strangers with dirty hands have touched before me!