It's only a sharpener!

The situation was unbelievable.

I was 8 years old. We were in an after school class at my prep school in Jamaica, diligently working on a problem set in our exercise books. My pencil point was a bit blunt, but I had left my sharpener at home and didn't have another pencil. I leaned over to the classmate on my right:

Keri: "Hi [X], may I borrow your sharpener, please? I need to sharpen my pencil." *I show him my dull pencil point*

[X]: "No." *He looks back down at his problem set*

Keri: "Why not?"

Huh? I am in semi-shock. Kid, do you realize that I am asking to borrow a sharpener? I am not asking for

• half of your jelly donut
• any of your banana chips
• a gulp of your box drink
• a piece of your icy kisko pop

I am not even asking to borrow a complete pencil! I am asking to use your SHARPENER! I will literally need 45 secs to sharpen my blunt pencil and return your precious sharpener to you. I promise.

[X]: "I don't want to."

He said that or something equally inane. I was no longer listening to him. I was extremely puzzled by the fact that someone could be that mean. After a few more moments I remembered that despite [X]'s wacko behavior, I still had to sharpen my pencil and finish my problem set.

I turned to the classmate on my left:

Keri: "Hi [Y], may I borrow your sharpener, please?"

[Y]: *[Y] picks up his sharpener and hands it to me - all without a single word*

Phew! My faith in the world has been restored. Normalcy has returned to my planet. [X]'s behavior was a mere aberration.