topic Re: Pens and Sanitation.... in Community Chat

Pens and Sanitation....

terrier3 — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:25:01 GMT

I was signing a guy up for insurance...he was a little "strange".

I went to hand him a pen to sign on the line and he refused...he said he always carries his own pen because pens are COVERED in fecal matter.

It wasn't an insult towards me, he said. He held up his pen and said that his pen was covered with his fecal matter, but he was immune to the bugs on the pen. It looked clean to me.

Did I say he was a little strange?

Does anyone else avoid pens for this reason?

I always place a spoon in the bowl of jelly beans or M&Ms...as a precaution against all kinds of germs.

Did anyone else ever hear his explanation?

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

brii — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:27:53 GMT

He has some issues. I'm sure he doesn't appreciate you thinking he is a little strange.

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

terrier3 — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:30:16 GMT

On 4/8/2015 brii said:
He has some issues. I'm sure he doesn't appreciate you thinking he is a little strange.

I certainly didn't treat him with anything other than total respect.

In fact, I helped him find a doctor and set an appointment so he could go and "talk to someone about his issues." His words, not mine.

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

brewhaha — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:30:43 GMT

I don't want to know what he does with his pens.

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

deepwaterdotter — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:30:46 GMT

He could submit some ""strange"" claims.

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

sunshine45 — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:31:51 GMT

i dont worry about these types of things, but i know a number of the people on these boards alone have a list of items they dont use or touch......

not picking up magazines in drs offices

always wearing slippers or shoes in a hotel room

bringing your own sheets/towels to hotels

never touching railings

only using a towel one time and then throwing it in to be washed

not touching shopping carts without wiping them down

not touching the doorknobs or faucets in a public bathroom

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

brii — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:32:28 GMT

On 4/8/2015 terrier3 said:
On 4/8/2015 brii said:
He has some issues. I'm sure he doesn't appreciate you thinking he is a little strange.

I certainly didn't treat him with anything other than total respect.

In fact, I helped him find a doctor and set an appointment so he could go and "talk to someone about his issues." His words, not mine.

So why would anybody else here "hear his explanation"?

1 in 4 people have some sort of mental illness today. It doesn't matter what his explanation is. It's irrational.

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

Preds — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:33:05 GMT

On 4/8/2015 brewhaha said:
I don't want to know what he does with his pens.

Well, we know where he keeps them.

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

Purrrfect — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:33:12 GMT

He was strange to discuss the fecal-ful pen with you, however, I caught a nasty cold once after using the UPS man's pen to sign for a package. Pens are germ magnets.

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

sunshine45 — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:33:28 GMT

by the way, placing a spoon inside a dish of jelly beans or m&ms doesnt mean people are going to use the spoon OR that the spoon doesnt touch their dirty hands and then goes back into the dish.

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

magicmoodz — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:33:46 GMT

No, not HIS explanation. But I will say in my line of work, it is quite common to use separate pens.

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

terrier3 — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:37:07 GMT

On 4/8/2015 brewhaha said:
I don't want to know what he does with his pens.

Hahahaha!

Post of the Day!

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

terrier3 — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:37:38 GMT

On 4/8/2015 sunshine45 said:
by the way, placing a spoon inside a dish of jelly beans or m&ms doesnt mean people are going to use the spoon OR that the spoon doesnt touch their dirty hands and then goes back into the dish.

It's in my home...NOT on a desk at work.

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

Elstongunn — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:37:42 GMT

I've never been overly concerned about using the credit card scan pens/styluses to sign the screen at the grocery store or other retail stores that require their use. I guess I should, but I've never gotten ill from it. Besides, those types of special pens or styluses are needed since regular pens don't work on the screens.

Not sure how much more sanitary or clean a spoon in the jar of M&Ms or jelly beans is, since everyone uses it. Unless you change spoons after each use!

He must not wash his hands after using the bathroom, though. Otherwise, how does his fecal matter get on his pen?? Might not want to know THAT one!

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

nunya — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:39:23 GMT

On 4/8/2015 brewhaha said:
I don't want to know what he does with his pens.

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

sidsmom — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:39:47 GMT

On 4/8/2015 Preds said:
On 4/8/2015 brewhaha said:
I don't want to know what he does with his pens.

Well, we know where he keeps them.

You guys are slayin' me! I read terrier's story & thought..."Dammmmmmm, Dude!" "Ah, sir...how DOES one get fecal matter on a pen?". Ignorance is Bliss.

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

kdgn — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:40:33 GMT

I carry a few pens in my purse and will use my own to sign any paperwork. I dislike those pens attached to debit/credit machines in stores and either use my knuckle or my nail tip to avoid the germ magnets.

I was the same way while teaching-I had my own pencils and would not use a student's pencil. And a student wasn't to borrow mine either.

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

sunshine45 — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:40:57 GMT

On 4/8/2015 terrier3 said:
On 4/8/2015 sunshine45 said:
by the way, placing a spoon inside a dish of jelly beans or m&ms doesnt mean people are going to use the spoon OR that the spoon doesnt touch their dirty hands and then goes back into the dish.

It's in my home...NOT on a desk at work.

but even having it in your home doesnt mean people are going to use the spoon.

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

Topaz Gem — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:45:09 GMT

On 4/8/2015 terrier3 said:
On 4/8/2015 sunshine45 said:
by the way, placing a spoon inside a dish of jelly beans or m&ms doesnt mean people are going to use the spoon OR that the spoon doesnt touch their dirty hands and then goes back into the dish.

It's in my home...NOT on a desk at work.

I have a candy jar/dispenser that I got at a craft fair that works great for candy such as M&Ms, Skittles, etc. The candy is in a glass jar which is turned upside down into a wooden base. When you pull the knob in the front of the unit, it dispenses an amount of candy into your hand. You only get to touch the candy that falls into your hand. If you decide not to eat it, you can't just put the candy back in the jar without turning it upside down and removing the jar from the wooden base.

I didn't buy it for sanitary reasons, I just thought it was cute.

Re: Pens and Sanitation....

lulu2 — Wed, 08 Apr 2015 19:47:43 GMT

While it is not always possible, I try to use only my own pens. Of course I must use the stylus attached to credit card terminals.