I'd made my way to the front of the plane to pour myself another cup of coffee. 
 
As I stood at the dispenser the pilot turned and asked through the opened curtain: 
 
"I don't suppose you'd happen to have a pen that I could borrow?" 
 
I retrieved one the few branded, hotel souvenir pens that I keep in my bag for just such an emergency and told him to keep it. 
 
"Thank you, sir," he said, "you're a lifesaver!" 
 
"Well I hope not," I replied, "I thought these things were supposed to fly themselves anyway." 
 
"Oh they do," he acknowledged, "but they don't take notes for crap."