#2 yellow pencil

Did you ever see or even know what a #2 yellow pencil is?  I have not seen one in years but the other day someone gave me a #2 white pencil and it reminded me of growing up in the Osage.  So, here goes another.

Every year when school started I got a new #2 yellow pencil and a new Big Chief Tablet (bet they don't even make those anymore).  Hugh Allen Jones could make a pencil last longer than anyone.  I think it was a pride thing in that he would sharpen that pencil until it was so short I could not even hold it, much less write legibly which I still cannot do today.

Speaking of that subject Mrs. Shumate, my 4th, 5th and 6th grade teacher always gave me bad grades on penmanship. Yes, we had three classes together for a total of about 16, 5 in Debbie's class above me and 6 in Jay Olsen's class above her)  If you have read many of my stories you know she is about the sweetest and shortest lady ever (about 4 foot 10 inches).  She was an incredible influence in my life and I was invited to speak at the Grainola Methodist Church in her honor. I was pleased to point out that you DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE GREAT PENMANSHIP to be successful in life.  I know I love to poke fun at folks but she was a magnificent lady.  Back to the #2 pencil.

Those pencils were always a good thing and we used them for many purposes like:  when Mr. Lewis Morris (teacher) left the room we could take rubber bands and launch them toward the 14 foot high ceilings and penetrate the ceiling tiles.  So Cool!  The ceiling had many a hole and actually a lot of pencils just dangling.  We also could use them as projectiles across the room and it was never a safe thing.  In fact many a folk got injured but luckily not permanently and no eye injuries.  Another good use was defending your papers and desk as Jon Tanny Olsen attempted to grab something off my desk I jammed the #2 into his hand/finger.  The lead broke off in his finger and remained there for many years until surgery to remove it.  

Another fine use of those pencils was relief of stress or an outlet for those of us with ADD squared which included Jon Tanny, Hugh Allen and I really don't think Jimmy or Denise or Joy were in that category.  In fact I would say Joy probably was incredibly organized and would never have chewed on her pencil.  Did I mention that chewing on the pencil was the stress relief?


As I remember those pencils were 5 cents or maybe 2 cents, not sure.


So, what do you learn in the Osage?

• look up, you might find a hole in your ceiling if one of the Grainola 5 sometime 6 show up at your house
• don't take things from folks that don't belong to you, you might get lead poisoning
• it is better to chew on a #2 than chew on another person (great marital advice)

Thanks for listening,

gary

gary@thepioneerman.com

I would love you to support Wings (a community for adults with special needs) by purchasing my book, "Home on the Range"  found on Amazon or send a check to me made out to Wings for $25 or more and I will donate the book and mail it to you (in the US as I am not sure what it would cost to ship overseas).