I don't know why, but I never tear off the plastic wrapper off a brand new Staedtler eraser; I always take my time with unwrapping them. Maybe it's because of the way they're wrapped, so neatly, each end folded meticulously, just like the way you would gift wrap a present.
They have such a distinct smell, brand new erasers. They smell like growing up. I don't know how to explain it.
My kindergarten teacher used to have this little box filled with cute, Japanese style erasers that she would keep on her desk. Every Friday, right before Jumu'ah, she would call on the students that got five gold stickers on their weekly behavior sheet, and then those students would get to pick something out of the little box. I remember once, when it was my turn, I picked one out that looked like a cute little frog. And I never used it. I just kept it in my pencil case and took it out every now and then just to look at the cute little frog eyes and then I'd put it back. I was gonna keep it forever and ever. And next week, I'd be good and get the other eraser shaped like an ice cream. And the week after that, I'd get the one shaped like a star. But for now, I had my frog eraser and I was content.
And then my little brother bit the head off. Broke my six-year-old heart.
After that, I moved onto the Papermate eraser phase. Whenever my mother would take me back-to-school shopping, I would always, always pick out those Papermate erasers where one half was white and erased pencil and the other half was a grey and had a grainy sort of texture and erased pen. I remember I'd open it the night before school started so I can put it in my pencil case, but first, I'd rub my thumb across the grainy side of the eraser. It never worked by the way. The pen eraser. It always just left holes in my composition notebook paper. But I would still pick out the same eraser every year. I didn't even care that the grainy side didn't really do anything. I was in, what, second grade? I didn't even use pens yet.
Throughout high school, I was a pencil-cap-eraser girl, through and through. I don't think I ever used my pencils' actual eraser. I would always use the pencil cap ones. And then during my junior year when I started taking studio art, I converted to kneaded-eraser-ism.
But through out all those years, one thing remained the same - no, still remains the same... There is no forgiveness for the person who asks to borrow my eraser and uses the pointy corner. I always use my erasers one corner at a time. And the few times that I tell someone not to use a new corner, they give me strange looks.
And finally, I shall hit you directly in the nostalgia. Enjoy.
They have such a distinct smell, brand new erasers. They smell like growing up. I don't know how to explain it.
My kindergarten teacher used to have this little box filled with cute, Japanese style erasers that she would keep on her desk. Every Friday, right before Jumu'ah, she would call on the students that got five gold stickers on their weekly behavior sheet, and then those students would get to pick something out of the little box. I remember once, when it was my turn, I picked one out that looked like a cute little frog. And I never used it. I just kept it in my pencil case and took it out every now and then just to look at the cute little frog eyes and then I'd put it back. I was gonna keep it forever and ever. And next week, I'd be good and get the other eraser shaped like an ice cream. And the week after that, I'd get the one shaped like a star. But for now, I had my frog eraser and I was content.
And then my little brother bit the head off. Broke my six-year-old heart.
After that, I moved onto the Papermate eraser phase. Whenever my mother would take me back-to-school shopping, I would always, always pick out those Papermate erasers where one half was white and erased pencil and the other half was a grey and had a grainy sort of texture and erased pen. I remember I'd open it the night before school started so I can put it in my pencil case, but first, I'd rub my thumb across the grainy side of the eraser. It never worked by the way. The pen eraser. It always just left holes in my composition notebook paper. But I would still pick out the same eraser every year. I didn't even care that the grainy side didn't really do anything. I was in, what, second grade? I didn't even use pens yet.
Throughout high school, I was a pencil-cap-eraser girl, through and through. I don't think I ever used my pencils' actual eraser. I would always use the pencil cap ones. And then during my junior year when I started taking studio art, I converted to kneaded-eraser-ism.
But through out all those years, one thing remained the same - no, still remains the same... There is no forgiveness for the person who asks to borrow my eraser and uses the pointy corner. I always use my erasers one corner at a time. And the few times that I tell someone not to use a new corner, they give me strange looks.
"Hey Nehal, can I borrow your eraser?"I can't explain to you the little screams of agony that go off in my mind when I see my eraser's pointy corners all being used at the same time. Kills me.
"Yeah, but don't use the pointy corner. Use the corner that's already used."
"Get out."
And finally, I shall hit you directly in the nostalgia. Enjoy.
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| I had that frog one! KAWAII!! |
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| I don't know a single girl in second grade that didn't have some sort of variation of this. |
