Many years ago, when I was a little too podgy, too short, too… well, when I was a kid, I used to have a Shetland Pony.
One year, I spotted an advert for a horse race held at Iffezheim (Baden Baden) Racecourse, called the "Bauernrennen".
This raceday is pretty unique. It’s the day when the racecourse is handed over not to Thoroughbreds — but to any horse out there. Be they Heavy Horses, Warmbloods, or Shetland ponies, Arabians, or any other horse.
If I remember correctly, this is because some time in the past, the local farmers saved the racehorses stabled there from starvation, and in return the race club established a race day for them. (I could be wrong, but that’s how I remember it.)
So on a bright and cold morning some time in June (If I remember right) we rolled up in Iffezheim with my Shetland. I knew it was probably the last year I could ride him, I was simply getting too big for him.
We had a little trouble. 
He was a stallion and he behaved accordingly, so we had to keep him away from the other horses.
Then, later that day, the race was on. Despite my weight, my little childhood companion (who wasn’t the most friendly of shetlands) raced into 3rd place in amongst some 20 others.
I didn’t care about prizes, I was way too happy to have taken part, but my prize was a set of Parker Pens. The real prize for me was the memory of the day, but that’s something else.
I have had, and used, those pens for years. I still have the Ballpoint of the set, but somewhere during the years, I lost the fountain pen.
I was gutted. Then forgot about it, then remembered and searched again… only to be gutted again when I couldn’t find it. It is lost.
So a while ago, when I started to pick up my fountain pens again, I tried to track down which model this was. Well I found out, they were Parker P25’s. Black ones, which are relatively rare. The P25’s tend to be silver colored. My hopes of replacing my lost pen were… not very high.
PARKER P25
A kind member from the Fountain Pen Network spotted a black P25 on Ebay and messaged me, because I’d mentioned wanting one.
I put it on my watch list. I messaged the seller, because the only shipping option listed was the US.
Well we got that part cleared up, so now I had to wait for the auction.
I sat in front of the TV today when suddenly I thought "Hang on. I think that auction finishes today. Better go check."
To my complete horror, when I logged into Ebay, there were 30 seconds left to go on the auction.
I added a bid, hoping to snag the pen, when Ebay goes "Would you like to log in?"
ARRRRGHHHH!!!!
I got in with 2 seconds to spare, or thereabouts. LUCKILY my bid was high enough to win!
I am getting my beloved black Parker back! So yeah, I’m floating now.
And this time… I’m not going to lose it again!!
Tags: Fountan Pens, P25, Parker, Pens
