When going through the large amounts of possessions this summer, I (as well as anyone who jumped into the fray with me) got desensitized to potential sentimental and/or valuable finds. I almost made people cry describing the piles of cigar boxes, the Hudson Bay blanket, the old tools, the vintage holiday stuff … all or most of which went to the pile destined for thrift land. I know. I would’ve been one of those weepers if I hadn’t been the one having to wrangle the endless parade of stuff stuff stuff.

One of the things that gave me pause was a sweet little Cross pen that belongs to John. It was tossed in with a million other things (as was everything), and I’m sure he hasn’t thought of it in many years.

I monkeyed around with it and determined that the pivot mechanism was broken. I was about to toss it into the thrift pile when my softer heart took over and I took a look at the little enclosed brochure. Cross has a lifetime warranty! They are classy old school, all right (since 1846!):

Headquartered in beautiful Lincoln, Rhode Island, just outside Providence, A. T. Cross is proud to still be a part of the community we helped build. And we still make products unsurpassed in quality and value, one at a time and by hand, just as Richard Cross did.

Well then. Into the mail it went, all the way to Lincoln. And here it came back, all fixed and sweet and shiny.

A nice little transaction, from another time and another world.