(A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 6: Searching In The Wild is a work of fiction presented by DependableFlame.com)
Every Step You Take
Elston had been about as patient as he could imagine any man being in his current situation. The late morning sun was beating down through the windshield and the Jeep’s air conditioning was having a terrible time
catching up. He’d been on the road this morning since well before the sun made its appearance and began to bake the summer joy from his countenance.
The first yard he’d stepped into was a bit of a mess which was well to be expected at that time of the day when prevailing light was about though the sun itself had not yet peaked over the horizon. The folks were friendly even if their faces were puffy and it was hard to understand them as they spoke through sips of coffee and yawns.
It was a needle in a haystack venture for sure as he browsed through macrame plant hangers, thrift store quality clothing and tools that had been abused in their work and neglected to rust in storage. A small box of smalls got his attention and blood flowing but disappointment set in as he quickly discerned there was nothing there for him, just junk roughly the same size as his query.
He stepped inside the garage with its tables full of kitchenware and candles, old pot holders and lady’s shoes. “Any cigarette lighters, ashtrays or similar kind of items?” Elston asked but there was little hope in the question.
“Well, I did have a few…” the woman’s voice trailed off as she looked about searchingly, as if she’d just hit the jackpot, “…lighters but these are expensive collectors items that belonged to my grandfather, heirlooms really…” she produced an El Roi Tan cigar box from beneath the table and Elston was keen to examine the contents. A couple of piezoelectric butane lighters littered among the many plastic Bic, Scripto and novelty or advertising junk. Elston said a friendly goodbye as he made his way to the vehicle.
Oh, Where Have You Been?
The rest of the morning was even less eventful than that first garage sale. They had been more busy as the day had drawn on, thus requiring Elston to wade through much of what he hoped to search with the handicap of others
at his elbows. He didn’t mind the search, he rather loved it, but hated the feeling that his time had been wasted because, of course, there were other options.
These days always began with such enthusiasm and spikes and glimmers interspersed throughout the tedium and gloom as moments of familiarity gave a glimpse of what he was after. He had found some really cool petrol lighters over the yrs though through no more effort than simply being the first one to spy out a table at a flea market or antique mall or garage sales exactly like the ones he’d visited this morning but Elston had a cure or at least a balmy salve for what ailed him when this didn’t happen.
He had buddies who swore they’d never found anything worth buying at a garage sale or antique mall. While he knew the feeling, he also knew they were not up well before dawn and standing there when the sale opened like he usually was. For many of them Ebay had made things too easy and not a search at all, more like a shopping trip where you just picked out what you wanted and then paid for it.
Elston didn’t have the luxury though of paying full price for any of these magnificent little fire making machines and even if he could he wouldn’t want to. A big part of the hunt for him was not simply finding old petrol lighters but finding them at the right price. He wasn’t sure about the nomenclature used by many of his fellow collectors anyway.
They spoke of “finding” this lighter or that but they had been bought out of such a circumstance that it was clear to Elston that they’d never really been lost in the first place. In his mind, in order to be found they must be lost or at least forgotten at some point and there were too many eyes on the internet for that to make sense regarding most collector‘s purchases. But to each his own, this wasn’t their search, it was Elston’s.
If You Can’t Be With The One You Love
The morning had disappeared in Elston’s searching and he’d exhausted all that day’s garage sales quicker than he’d figured. That was just dandy to
him as the direction he’d taken would afford him a stop at a couple trusty old spots on his way back from the morning’s trek.
Those places weren’t likely to yield anything earth-shattering because Elston frequented them often because of the proximity between them and his home. On the other hand, if a vendor had rotated stock or made some new finds then this could be a blessed day after all.
He’d often daydreamed of finding an old cache of boxed new, old stock Zippos or some bygone collector’s stash of the Penguin Cygnus lighters that Elston treasured so much. He’d never once found anything even close to this and had on far more occasions walked out empty-handed and had never bought more than two lighters at a time in such an establishment.
That was the thrill of the chase though and several of the single lighters he’d gone home with on a given day were still there being displayed among the favorite pieces in his collection. Quality over quantity and a good deal were the keys.
And if after all the days searching, he were to wind up back home without anything to show for his efforts, well, there was always Ebay.
(Please leave any comments, questions or suggestions in the comments section of this or any other page at DependableFlame.com. This is a work of fiction and any similarity of the characters or situations herein to those that have happened in real life should be seen as coincidental.)
Soooo…I want to tell you the petrol lighter brought back so many memories. My father used to light his Lucky Strikes with one of those. The silver one that you show in the YouTube video is what he had. You know, turn your head to the side so the high flame does not scorch your forehead? lol! Fun reading your post. Thanks for the memories!
Thank you Hazel, I really appreciate you stopping by and reading the story. I am also glad to hear that the story evoked memories of your father and the way he used to light his Lucky Strikes with a brushed chrome Zippo. The flame of a Zippo can seem somewhat volatile but with experience in fueling and maintaining the wick that can usually be tempered to a more useful flame.
This story of a man’s search for vintage petrol lighters at garage sales and antique stores is a fun read. Elston’s enthusiasm for the hunt and his commitment to finding the right items at the right price are admirable. The story also highlights the joy of collecting and the thrill of the chase – which are often key themes in many of the best stories!!
Thank you Aly, I am glad you stopped by to read the story and also that you enjoyed it enough to share your insights here in the comments section. I can see where for some collectors there is no price they wouldn’t pay for certain lighters that they desire in their collection but I can also appreciate Elston’s frugal approach and need to get a deal in order to justify his purchase. I hope you will continue to come by and check out these fiction stories and other lighter articles.
As the story of the vintage lighters unfolds, I am learning more about Elston and what he does. He goes in search of vintage and new lighters, and meticulously goes through stuff at garage sales and junk yards, in the hope of finding a bargain at the right price.
I am curious to know if Elston would actually fix any of the lighters himself, or does he have somebody else that will fix it if needed? Is Elston purely a collector, or does he also sell some of his finds? Thank you.
Thank you Liné, I appreciate you insights into the story as always and per usual you ask some great questions. Though where exactly Elston fits into the vintage lighter hobby may still be unknown there are many collectors who end up being sellers themselves simply because of the quantity and array of lighters they end up buying even though they may only be personally interested in a single or few lighters from a particular group or lot.
I loved the story. It’s well-written and engaging and provides a unique perspective on the joys of collecting.
I learned from Elston’s experience, searching for vintage petrol lighters at garage sales and antique shops. He loves the hunt and the thrill of finding the right vintage lighter at the right price.
I also learned how important it is to be an early bird to catch the best deals and the value of quality over quantity when building a collection.
To be resilient in facing setbacks and obstacles and the need to persevere in pursuing one’s goals and not give up when faced with challenges or difficulties.
I also viewed failures as opportunities for growth and development.
Thank you Ziya, I appreciate your insights into the story and appreciate very much you stopping by to read it and to leave such a kind comment.
We have all heard the adage “the early bird gets the worm” so often that we might fail to see the wisdom of such a phrase but it bares out so often and in so many situations in life that it is obvious that being prepared and being the first often pays off more lucratively than we could ever imagine.