Moving Stationery

I am throwing away a small old stapler today.
Big wow.

Only, I have had this stapler as long as I have had anything.
I used it at school and it takes pleasingly small staples.
It started to decay a few years ago. A bit broke off and the stapling became less reliable. But I stuck with it. I always enjoyed its brief repertoire whenever it worked.
And it wasn't easy to replace. Every ministapler uses different slightly less 'mini' sizes nowadays.

Then 6 months ago I resolved one final time to really find an identical replacement.
I had to research staple sizes - they are incredibly confusing in case you want to visit Wikipedia on the subject. I bought 2 wrong replacements.
Perfectly satisfactory.
But I knew they were wrong.

Eventually I tracked down the updated model of the same make and waited 6 months while Amazon said it wasn't available.
I cancelled it eventually and found a new supplier.
It arrived today.
I peeled off the mini-printer name tape from the old one labelled in my school days (when I labelled everything). It had survived impressively well. And beneath was my childhood handwritten capitular scrawl written long, long before I changed my J.And possibly predating my school handwriting prize. Though I rarely dine out on that anymore.

I have had the same box of 2000 ministaples from WHSmith costing 20p for as long as I can remember.
I have 17 of these copper staples left.
They have gone in the new stapler.
And it works fine. Of course.
I think in time we too will form firm bonds together. (I don't have a dog).

The box is in the bin.
Now the stapler has had its obituary and it feels apt.
It's in the bin too.
So, don't mess with me. I'm ruthless!


Time.
It rather passes, doesn't it?