It’s the paper cutters.
The long metal bar. The calm, authoritative downward motion. The clean, confident slice that says, this will be precise.

Income Tax freezes every time he sees one. Full shutdown.
Last week we tried to buy printer paper, and he spotted the cutter near the copy station and immediately dove behind a display of three-ring binders like he was evading capture.

He says he knows it’s irrational. That paper cutters are designed for paper.
But how do we know that? Has anyone interviewed one? Has anyone verified its intentions?

Exactly.

We now order office supplies online.
It costs more, but there are no visible slicing mechanisms, and that feels like responsible budgeting.