Auntie Vera's Biro

A short story

When I went to university my aunt gifted me with an antique biro. It was made in 1942, the year she was born. She insisted I use it when I was doing creative writing for my English Language degree. She gave strict instructions to return it to her after my course had finished. I had always admired my aunt but at this moment in time I thought she was being a bit doolally. Nevertheless, I took the pen and promised to do as she said.    

    At first, I just used my laptop, but when I got a bit stuck I tried writing free-hand with the biro. Strangely it did seem to help, it seemed to activate my brain cells. I wasn't sure if it was just wishful thinking on my part, but throughout my course, I carried on using the pen and marveled at how it helped me. It was a Squire biro, a golden ballpoint pen. As promised, when my course was finished I made a visit to Marlow in Buckinghamshire to return the pen to Auntie Vera.     

    I said, "You know what auntie, it did seem to make a difference, I started many a good story with that pen. I didn't believe it at first, but it really made a difference."    

    She told me that when she was younger before she met her husband, she had dated an Arabian prince who had told her that this pen was a gift to her, to treasure it and to only lend it out to family members who had large hearts and big imaginations. It had been passed down from one generation to the other, it was always passed to those with creative potential in the family, the writers or katibs as they are known in the Arab-speaking world. He had fallen in love with her and knew she had potential. They'd had a wonderful year together but he had to go back to Yanbu and she feared that she wouldn't be happy in Saudi Arabia and didn't go with him.

Auntie Vera died last week and I am on a train on the way to her funeral. She was a famous playwright was my aunt, Vera McQueen. She has bequeathed the biro to me in her will. She never had children and I was her favourite niece. She was also fond of my older brother and younger sister, but my aunt and I had more in common. I found her fascinating and followed her footsteps into writing. I have been a journalist for a national newspaper and in the last few years I have been writing successful novels, chic-lits. I'm going to write my beloved auntie's biography but the golden, antique pen will remain a family secret. As promised, I haven't told anybody until now.