Monday, July 31, 2006

What Would You Think?

Two totally unrelated questions for you, my dear readers.

1st - If one of these retractable pens were lying on the table just as it is in the picture, and I asked you to point to the "top of the pen", which end would you point to? The left side or the right side? (And "no" SMART ALECS, I'm not trying to turn this into a brainteaser where you would answer something like, "the top of the pen is the edge with the clip.")

The reason I am asking is because Donnie and I disagree about the answer. I'm curious what YOU think and will explain the situation after I've heard from some of you.

2nd - If you saw somebody at the mall that you thought was dead, would you stop them to tell them?

I actually did this today. Let me explain.

A few years back when I was helping plan our 10 year class reunion, I was talking with a fellow classmate about the LARGE number of people we had lost to death over the years. This guy I was speaking with asked me, "Have you heard anything about KH?"

I had not so I asked him what happened. He told me he didn't know but that he thinks he heard on the news that she had died.

Ack!

Well, even though I didn't spread this news because he wasn't sure and because I hadn't heard anything else about it, I still kinda thought...."Crap, that's ANOTHER friend who has died!"

Well, like I said, I saw this girl at the mall today and as she walked a foot away from me, walking the opposite direction, I called her name.

I hugged her and laughed and said, "My goodness! I hate to say this but...I actually heard from someone that you might possibly be dead and I am just so happy to see that you're not!"

She smiled and amazingly, had a story behind the reason I thought she had died.

Turns out that her fiancee' was killed in an auto accident about 6 years ago. KH was "sort of" missing during that time, too (mostly a misunderstanding) and her mother reported it to the news and they posted pictures of her and even used the words "feared dead."

Thankfully, that news story was cleared up almost instantly as communications became clearer. It was mainly just a worried Mom desperately wanting to talk with her daughter after hearing of the fiancee's tragic situation.

So, I'm just wondering, would the rest of you have stopped to talk with her about it all?

(And yes, for those of you that went to school with me and are curious about who KH is, email me privately and I'll share her name.)

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

The top of the pen is the end with the cap on it, of course. Hold it as if you were writing with it. Which end points up? Ta da! There's the top. :D

As for talking to dead people, I think you and I are a lot alike in that respect, Stace. Of course I would have told her. You handled it delicately and respectfully, so even though the situation was a painful one for her, I don't see how she could have been offended.

Then again, I've been accused of being a bit too open and forthright sometimes, so maybe we're both wrong.

Jenny said...

The top of the pen is where the clicky part is. The bottom is always the part that touches the paper. PERIOD. ;)

:) said...

I would say the right side was the top of the pen.

And I would have totally said something too. How could you not??

And yes, I'm dying to know who you are talking about! Email me!

Jenny said...

I also want to know who that is!

Two Munkees and a Thread said...

The ink part is the bottom of the pen.

Also, I've been meaning to email you about something else. So, email me to tell me who KH is and I will ask you my quesiton : )

gins1309@yahoo.com

:) said...

BTW, why are you asking about the pen thing? Just curious. . .

Stacy said...

Dangit, y'all! You all are SO WRONG about the pen! LOL

OK, OK, Donnie was right...or at least agrees with y'all about the "top" of a pen. Sheesh.

It all stemmed from a 'clicky' retractable pen that Donnie couldn't figure out how to use. The clicky part would only turn on a fancy little light (a little novelty pen I got at MannaFest) but wouldn't bring out the writing part. So I told him, "Twist the top." He then proceeded to twist, what YOUSE GUYS say is 'the bottom.'

This brought up the topic as I had to show him, "No, you twist HERE" and then twisted the....you know...the pointy part.

I'm sighing like crazy over this. I mean, doesn't the TOP OF THE PEN (when you have a non-retractable) go over the pointy part?? THAT is why I think it is the TOP of the pen. Also, an eraser....is THAT the top of the pencil??

It just seems so backwards to me. The business part of the pen/pencil should be the top regardless of the fact that it is held upside down when being used :)

OK, I give up now.

Ryan said...

I agree with you Stacy... The top of the pen is the writing end!!! (sympathy vote)

Anywho... dead man walking.... hmmm, I would probably not say anything for the fear of the person saying "I did die"! EEEEEEEEEEEK!

The MannersCast said...

I concur with Jen.

When in writing position, the top of the pen is what you would be looking down at.

But that begs the question, "Is there a bottom?" The tip should not be considered the bottom, right? Since a pen is round, I would refer to what we consider the bottom of a ball. That would be the area of the ball that is pointing toward the center of the earth.

Now, we're back to the "top". The top of a ball would be the area furthest away from the center of the earth. Therefore, the top of the pen would be in relation to whether or not it is on its side.

Why are we talking about this again?

J.D. said...

The clicky part is SOOOOO the top of the pen. Go Donnie! Guy power!! woot woot!

~Cindy said...

I consider the clicky part of the pen the top.

I think you did the right thing by saying hi to her.

Your whole explanation is exhausting to me. You crack me up!