A BIC Story
A Reflection on the Power of Storytelling
Dear Fellow,
Welcome to August! “Marked by majestic dignity or grandeur” is the definition of august in the Merriam-Webster dictionary. For me, the eighth month of the Gregorian calendar seems to be a period filled with events of dignifying majesty and grandeur. On this block of the calendar sits the date I got out from my mother's womb—and my immediate younger sister, too. It's also home to when I launched this newsletter, when I started my Facebook page, when my debut book The University Library was first released (in electronic format)—and I published my first article on Medium two days ago! If I'll rename August, I'll call it Wonder Month. I hope you experience wonder throughout this month.
I got into this month feeling compelled to reflect on my journey as a creator. I have done so elsewhere, and in a couple of other pieces. I deem it necessary to carry you along on this phase because you are a vital part of my becoming a creator. (This newsletter was created as a public commitment to improving my writing skills. So, I owe you this honour—to carry you along on this journey of reflection.) I'll hinge this reflection on a story, which follows next.
I got to the venue for this poetry event earlier this year. There was a registration form at the entrance. Everyone ahead of me filled out the form using the pen at the registration point. I always have my pen, so I drew out mine to use. “Not BIC anymore?” said the lady at the registration point.
The despatch published on 4th March 2023 was “My Sister and Bic”. That piece was about how BIC pens became my sister’s favourite pen because I told her the story behind the invention. That piece put me in the eyes of people as a lover of BIC. “I purchased a pen for twice the cost it was last year,” I wrote in that piece. “Before now I disliked the pen. . . . My sister’s resolve in the previous week played on me.” I also wrote in that piece:
Amid my sister’s hesitancy to take the ballpoint pen, I told her about the human and the story behind the pen. She was thrilled. Her pen preference was altered immediately. Right now, her first choice of pen is BIC. Unless when BIC isn’t available that is when you will find her picking the previous one we both liked; at least, that was what she told me. Somehow, I shared in her regard for Bíró and the invention which still bears his name to date.
This was the narrative that the lady at the registration point alluded to when she asked if BIC wasn’t my first choice anymore. “I have taken to liking BIC since reading your piece about it,” she said.
That held me at a fix for a brief moment. I let the message sink in. It was a reminder of the power of storytelling. The history of the invention by László Bíró (1899-1985)—of the making of the BIC Biro—caused the change in my sister’s pen preference. A retelling of that experience had a similar effect on another person. I would be delighted to see someone else influenced by this piece a few days from now. And so much more has been achieved using storytelling.
As I said earlier, this is a reflection piece. I renew my commitment here to get better at this craft. I seek to tell more stories that nudge you and me into new arenas of thought, leading to changes that will last a lifetime and beyond for good. I seek to do better with this gift entrusted to me by my Creator.
Thank you, as we anticipate this newsletter’s anniversary day. I appreciate you for travelling this far with me. Thank you.
Your LetterMan,
Tongjal, W. N.