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Kliek van my BiC



Ek skryf in my joernaal met een van daardie vreeslik algemene kliek BiC penne. Regte ou werksesels.

Wanneer ek petrol ingooi en ek betaal met my garagekaart en ek moet die strokie teken, diep die petroljoggie een van myne se broers op om die werk te doen. Gaan ek by die fabrieke of verskaffers deur die hekke waar sekuriteit diens doen, wie sal ook daar aan diens wees? Meneer BiC. Moet ek die betaalstrokie in die supermark teken na ek kruideniers gekoop het - met ‘n BiC.

Dié wat swart skryf is oor die algemeen self swart. Die rooies rooi.  Dié wat blou skryf kom in ‘n hele verskeidenheid kleure voor. Kleure wat na alle waarskynlikheid snaakse name het wat ek nie ken nie. Die een van my het ‘n vreemde grys kleur, soos iets wat met die weermag of die kleredrag van jare gelede se boere te make het. (Moderne boere dra sulke spoggerige uitrustings met meegaande kleurskemas dat ek hulle nie as voorbeelde vir my pen se kleur kan gebruik nie). Dan is daar ook wit en so ‘n snaakse turkoois kleur en ek verbeel my nog ander ook, maar dié kan ek nie nou onthou nie.

Hulle skryf elke keer! Ek meen, die omstandighede waaronder hulle werk is oor die algemeen beslis nie klerk-werk in enige sin van die woord nie. Dikwels, wanneer mens daardie pen vat daar waar jy moet teken, is hy so taai van ‘n menigte vingers wat al om hom gevou het, dat jy jou gedagtes doelbewus weghou van standerd 3 Omgewingsleer by juffrou Zeelie waar kieme en die vermyding daarvan behandel is. Maar skryf skryf hy.

Jy’s ook nie bang jy verlê joune, of hy raak weg nie, want hulle is só goedkoop en word by alle supermarkte en skryfbehoefte-winkels sommer by die pakkies verkoop. Dikwels kry jy so drie in ‘n pakkie teen so om en by R12.00 ‘n pakkie. So, ‘n pen kos jou daar in die omgewing van R4.00.

In baie opsigte is hierdie “Old Faithful” vir my die vergestalting van die werksmense wat hulle gebruik en die algemene publiek se ingesteldheid teenoor hulle. Dit word byna as vanselfsprekend aanvaar dat hulle elke keer effektief sal wees, sonder dat daar met aandag ag geslaan word op hulle spesifieke voorkoms of onderskeidende kenmerke. Die een lyk maar nes die ander. Gee hy probleme is daar baie wat sy plek kan inneem en relatief goedkoop daarby. Dis beslis nie die einde van die wêreld wanneer jy een verloor nie. Hy kan by alles so goed en effektief wees as wat hy wil, maar hy word net nie in dieselfde liga as ‘n Waterman, ‘n Sheaffer of Parker geag nie. Die geselskap waar hy ingenooi word en diens doen, spreek vanself.

Ek skryf met ‘n BiC in my dagboek wanneer ek aan die nageslag van die pen vertel wat ‘n wesenlike deel van ‘n land se ekonomie is.


George

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