Stationery Tales...

“It is way too overcrowded in here,” chimed the neon rubber band. 

“Oh lord, it is unbelievably hot,” chipped the eraser as it glanced around the constricted area of the pen stand in which it shared space with a scrawny looking pencil, an irritated sharpener, a chilled out adhesive, a sick blue marker pen, and an old stapler.

The elderly looking stapler looked at him and rolled his eyes.

“Yes, erasers feel hot too!” it said trying to shrug out of the paper skin that covered more than half of its body.

“Will you simmer down?” chuckled the adhesive.

“Excuse me?” the sharpener broke its silence.

“It’s your job to stick to things. You’re used to this. We like our freedom!”

“Nobody’s taking away your freedom. It’s just a little while before she comes back and we’ll be free. No need for theatrics. Learn to adjust,” advised the sagely stapler.

“This is not fair. We can’t live our lives as per the whims of someone!” rebelled the eraser.

“Yeah, they only remember me when they need to sharpen their pencils! Blunt edges and all! Speaking of edges, your sharp and pointy nib is poking me where it shouldn’t!” exclaimed the furious sharpener looking at the pencil beside it who seemed lost in deep thought.

“Are you even listening to me?” it yelled.

“Why would he listen? He’s busy ogling shiny Miss Parker out there!” said the adhesive bursting into peals of laughter.

Seven pairs of eyes diverted their attention - first to the pencil and then to the Parker pen that lay languidly on a sheet of paper on the desk. Two talkative binder clips tried making small talk with it.

“Look at him! Watching her with puppy dog eyes!” added the adhesive, this time everyone started laughing breaking the pencil’s reverie.

“I was not looking at her with puppy dog eyes!” the pencil finally retaliated.

“Yes, you were,” said the adhesive.

“Was not!” argued the angry pencil.

“Pipe down you two!” the flustered rubber band screamed.

“She’s way out of your league man!” the eraser chortled.

“Yes, you’re a whiny old pencil. Sure you may have been the dreamboat during your days but this is now. I mean look at her! She is magnificent!” the adhesive declared eliciting uproarious laughter from the occupants of the pen stand.

“You need to shut the hell up!” the enraged pencil shouted.

“Admit it you like her!” the adhesive winked.

The sharpener, eraser and rubber band all hooted in unison.

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t,” smiled the pencil in a coy fashion looking down at the floor.

The old stapler moved his head from side to side reproachfully.

Soon all of them were looking at Miss Parker.

“What are those two losers doing over there anyway?” the sharpener said looking at the binder clips.

“Kissass,” muttered the pencil.

“Trying to suck up to the newbie in town,” the rubber band proclaimed.

Suddenly they were interrupted by a gasp.

“Hey man! You’re leaking all over the place! God!” snapped the eraser staring at the marker pen who had been quietly recuperating in the corner all along.

“I’m sick,” the marker pen admitted sheepishly.

“Now look what you’ve done! I’m blue! Do you know what that does to an eraser’s livelihood? My life is finished!” it cried.

“I’m sorry. I’ll be alright soon I promise. I’ll make it up to you,” the marker stated guiltily.

“And how exactly do you plan on doing that Einstein?” the eraser retorted.

And they started bickering.

The din was soon disrupted when the one they’d all been waiting for entered in the room.

She came in like a storm throwing her backpack in one corner and her phone in the other. Then she made her way towards her desk in haste.

Everyone waited with bated breath as she walked towards them.

“How much long are you going to take?” someone bellowed from downstairs.

“In a minute!” she screamed at the top of her lungs.

The next few seconds were chaotic.

With one swipe of her hand she sent the pen stand flying.

“Free at last!” yelled the eraser while still airborne.

Each one of the tenants inside found themselves in diverse places in the blink of an eye.

She searched and found the stapler she was looking for. She picked it up and hurried outside.

The rubber band hung from the knob of one of the drawers of the desk.

The adhesive lay on the floor still recovering from its flight.

The sharpener fell on the chair and rested dangerously close to the edge.

“Don’t look down!” the sharpener repeated to itself continuously.

The marker had somehow ventured into the Bermuda Triangle that was the pile of clothes on the bed.

Still leaking.

The pencil had surprisingly landed beside Miss Parker. His happiness knew no bounds.

Suddenly the sharpener asked, “Where is the eraser?”

“I’m here,” came a muffled sound from the waste paper basket. He was wedged between weeks of reeking trash. Grumbling.

A round of uncontrollable laughter ensued. 

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.