Go Ask Canada How That's Working Out

So...this one time I came home from the testing center and had a hilarious story to tell, but no one was home.

I'm glad I have you faceless, emotionless, ever-present, ever-listening internet following.

***

So, some people like to notice things like lead sizes on the side of their pencils...some people don't.

I made the earth-shattering discovery today that I fall in the second category!

I was taking my second test of the day and the lead in my pencil snapped, which is a common occurrence for anyone who uses mechanical pencils and always seems to push too hard.  I clicked the pencil.

again.

and again.

Nothing seemed to happen.  There was no lead entering the chamber of my pencil.

I shook the pen.

again.

and again.

There was definitely lead in there.  I could hear it gently jingling against the eraser and whatever plastic piece was down at the other end.

This was not ok.  Why was there lead without lead?!?!

I proceeded to get very frustrated with my pencil and take the eraser out and dump the lead on the desk in front of me.  The next seemed all but too logical as I tried to cram the lead in from the front of the pencil, in reverse.  A catheter for pencils if you will.

This was not working at all, so I resorted to what any MacGyer-minded young man would do.

I finished my written portion while holding a single stick of lead and writing very lightly.

I also wrote a note afterwards explaining the situation and apologizing for the sudden change in lead intensity.

Upon leaving the testing center, still not realizing the problem at hand I threw away my pencil in disgust and returned to my apartment with smug satisfaction at my clever solution to this testing problem.  As soon as I walked in the door I grabbed my OTHER mechanical pencil and tried to shove the lead, which I saved, into it catheter-style once again.  As you have probably figured out by this point, the lead did not go in.

Turns out the lead that I had saved from previous ACTUALLY dead pencils and put into my now trashed PERFECTLY GOOD pencil was .07 lead.  These pencils needed .05.

really.

Who gets pencils with .05 lead?!  .07 is the way to go...what on earth was I thinking.

***

So, moral of the story?

If you would like a perfectly good red mechanical pencil that accepts .05 lead, it can be found in the garbage to the left of the exit from the testing center.

~McSpeasy

P.S. Peanut M&Ms are highly addicting and should be purchased with great caution.