Tide To Go pen saves the day -- and the pants

Note: I've not been paid by either Mars or Procter & Gamble for the product mentions that follow, though I'd gladly accept their endorsement of my commuter musings.

Drinking accidents are nothing new on my commute. Food accidents are less frequent, but do occur. Luckily, I now have leather seats to minimize the lingering impact on the car.

The impact on my clothing is another matter.

On the drive to New York earlier this week, I was nearing the end of a package of Dark Chocolate M&Ms when suddenly one disappeared. It was still dark out, so I fumbled around for it. When I didn't find it by feel, I figured it must have reached the floor.

I later stopped for a coffee refill, and looked on the floor for the wayward M&M. No luck. Figuring it was under the seat, I decided to leave the search for later. I refilled my coffee mug, chatted with the clerk about her neighbor with six daughters (God bless that neighbor!), and headed back to the car. Just before entering, I spied the M&M's fate: Melted, on my seat.

I tried to execute a quick check of my pants, looking over my shoulder and doing an unorthodox twist to see if the M&M had left a mark behind me. Not finding one, I wiped the mess off the seat, and thanked my lucky stars as I headed back to the highway.

After two coffees, the next stop was naturally oriented toward a biological break. After washing my hands, I tried a mirror-aided check of my pants and discovered my stars had not beeen so lucky. The M&M had indeed left a mark.

Luckily, this was an overnight trip, so I fetched the pants that had been packed for the next day, changed in the bathroom, and headed for a pharmacy or grocery store to buy a Tide To Go pen. I figured if the pen could work its magic on the stain, I'd be all set to wear the revived pants the next day. If not, I'd go clothes shopping that evening.

As I was dabbing and swabbing the stain with the pen, though, I was a bit discouraged. Though the stain was fading, I could still see where the chocolate smear had left its mark. I dabbed and swabbed some more and hoped for the best, but was nearly certain I'd be heading for the store after my meetings that day.

Cut to arriving at the hotel later that night. I grabbed the previously stained pants from the back, and voila! No more stain! I could detect the slightest trace of it, but only because I was looking for it and knew where to look. Chances were, no one was getting close enough the next day to notice. The shopping trip was averted, making the Tide To Go pen a great $4 investment. It will now be an omnipresent tool in my commuting arsenal.

As for Dark Chocolate M&Ms, I'll be crossing them off my commuter dining list.