No, I won't do a Cross vs Parker, because there's no contest. I've been a Cross man for 40 years. Not only that, the same one. The chrome is mostly worn off, and its dented up a bit here and there from some encounters of the too close kind. But it still writes and fuctions just fine. Couldn't do my monthly bill paying without it.
Sgt. Smith had some very non-literary things to do with a Cross pen.
Good mentor.
Yeah, I remember chrome flashlights well. Loved the Ray-o-vac sportsmen. 2 nice big D cells, great spotlight throw, and you could find them at any hardware store. Right next to the Ever-ready Captain, with the big head on it. I sure do miss the little button.
Grew up with a man who used a Colt Woodsman as his only gun, and a Case peanut as his only edc pocket knife. They say beware of the one gun man. It's plain amazing what a .22 will do in the hands of somebody who really knows his gun. Dad was a little bit of a strange bird, but he tought me what you really need to get by with vs what the different magazines (gun, knife, car, and so on...) would have you think you need.
The old mentors knew what they were doing.