Author: Joseph

(A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 15: Fires Of A Home is a work of fiction presented by DependableFlame.com)

Another Chance(Ordained) Meeting

Elston had recognized the lighter the second he’d caught a glimpse of it in the man’s hand as he offered Elston the flame. When he carried plastic disposable butane lighters, they used to disappear on him all the time but that problem had not plagued him so much since he’d begun carrying vintage refillable petrol lighters. In fact, he couldn’t recall losing a single lighter in all that time.

Of course, losing a lighter is one thing and having it stolen away from you on purpose was quite another. A cheap, plastic lighter could seem part of the Continue reading “A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 15: Fires Of A Home”

(A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 14: A Spark Of Kindness is a work of fiction presented by DependableFlame.com)

Coffee Anyone?

It was a cool, calm morning as Elston made his way to the coffee shop down the street under blue skies that yielded no space for clouds. He had the day off and planned to use it to take in the fresh air around him and hopefully

perform a kindness or two toward some folks who had gone out of their way to do the same for him, even if it had taken him a while to notice.

He could see the long line at the register through the glass windows that ran Continue reading “A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 14: A Spark Of Kindness”

(A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 13: I Spy With My Zippo Eye is a work of fiction presented by DependableFlame.com)

Creating A Buzz…

Elston James had many Zippo lighters among the dozens of old fire making gadgets that he’d accumulated over the last several years. He hadn’t begun as a collector and he considered his collection now still to be a relatively

modest example of the models and mechanisms, brands and themes that a collector could reasonably assemble.

Elston had never been an all-out, price is no object sort of buyer though as Continue reading “A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 13: I Spy With My Zippo Eye”

(A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 12: Retracing Youthful Steps is a work of fiction presented by DependableFlame.com)

Catching Glimpses

Elston hadn’t seen water in that pond since he was a teenager. He remembered sitting out here on the banks with his Dad, Grandpa and brother, fishing poles in hand and adventure in their hearts.

The pond was completely dry now, not a single cattle footprint depression in sight, just dried up weeds protruding from the gray clay surface but in the recesses of his mind he could still see the crystal vivid images of yesteryear. Continue reading “A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 12: Retracing Youthful Steps”

(A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 11: Wrecking Life To Save it is a work of fiction presented by DependableFlame.com)

Crashing

Elston James was far from anything he’d have ever considered comfortable, in fact he was agitated. It was after midnight and the hard, slick floor was extremely cold on his bare feet as he sat watching the movie that was

playing on the big television set in the common area where all of the patients spent most of their time.

He was never going to hear the end of this one. He couldn’t remember all of Continue reading “A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 11: Wrecking Life To Save It”

(A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 10: Wetting A Line is a work of fiction presented by DependableFlame.com)

Ancestors

This had always been one of Elston’s favorite places in the entire world. He hadn’t been here in years and there were good reasons for that but he missed it nonetheless. This was the place of his ancestors and he could see,

feel and hear them in the crevice of every rock and waving of the tree limbs as he watched the sun rise and eventually set in splintered arrays of light.

He spent summer mornings here with his father and uncle exploring coves Continue reading “A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 10: Wetting A Line”

(A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 9: Waiting For The Mailman is a work of fiction presented by DependableFlame.com)

A Watched Pot

Elston knew the mailman wasn’t likely to make an appearance before the early afternoon but he’d been sitting there watching for him and keeping an eye on the mailbox all morning anyway. The sun was bright and the day was

hot but made a little more bearable and mild by the brisk south wind that coursed through the neighborhood and his hair.

Elston received packages regularly, so he was no stranger to the “Christmas Continue reading “A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 9: Waiting For The Mailman”

(A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 8: Let’s Go To The Dispo! is a work of fiction presented by DependableFlame.com)

Sign In The Window

Elston tapped the steering wheel with his knuckle, keeping time along with the James McMurtry song coming out of the hexagonal speakers in the Jeep. He was waiting for the dispensary to open this morning and he was a little agitated that they hadn’t turned the open sign light on yet. He had a lot to

do and he was ready to get on with it.

“You got a light buddy?” the question came from beyond his peripheral Continue reading “A Vintage Petrol Lighter Story Volume 8: Let’s Go To The Dispo!”