probably a relatively uncommon error

7 or 8 years after adopting the fountain pen as my preferred means of scrawling on paper, it finally happened:  I laundered a pen.  The load had 3 brand new unworn pairs of walking shorts and a shirt I am quite fond of, along with some towels and napkins and stuff that certain members of the household would not want to see stained with ink.

As far as I can tell, I only lost the shirt, but that rather SPECTACULARLY.  May also have lost the pen but I didn't have time to play with it this morning to see.

Let's not do that anymore, hrm?