The Germs on a Pen

I asked a young woman to sign a petition for me today. She agreed to sign, but spurned my offer of a pen.

"Too many germs," she said. She then brandished her own writing utensil.

I'm thinking she's a little OCD about cleanliness. I have never worried about the disease-spreading potential of a pen or pencil or crayon.

I'm sure I've accidently consumed all manner of bacteria, viruses, and protozoa over the years, sticking dirty pens in my mouth, temporarily storing them there to free my hands.