Back to School Bargain: No. 2 Pencils? On Sale?

The Hope Diamond is to Jewelry as the No. 2 pencil is to _________.
 
The answer, of course is school supplies.

For some the No. 2 pencil is symbolic of the wonder years - good times. Others have flashbacks to hands cramping up after writing about 6 million words in an exam book in 59 minutes and 59 seconds.

Vernon Superintendent of Schools Mary Conway said it is the ideal pencil for school-aged children because the lead transfers well into paper and correction scanners pick it up better than any other writing instrument.

Vernon  Board of Education member Laura Bush, a teacher in the Andover system, joked that No. 3 pencils are harder on the "old" eyes.

Well, Sharpies are out, so don't even suggest it. It's the No. 2 - period.

Bottom line? No. 2 pencils are a requirement, something the academic deities have carved onto the tablet proclaiming all the golden rules.

So - really - there is no reason for them to be on sale. It could be like landing on Boardwalk with a hotel - oh well just pay up.

But there was on Route 83 on Thursday night, two signs proclaiming an eight-pack of No. 2s for 79 cents.

Best bargain so far of the back to school shopping season?

There is certainly an argument for that.