The Lighter of my Life

George laughed to himself when he saw the young man, doing his best to be a gentleman, fumbling to light the cigarette of the petite, but buxom, blonde on the corner as he rushed to work. Try as he might the young gentleman couldn't keep the match lit in the slight breeze that blew up the street.
"What he needs is a lighter with a windhood." George said to himself and then he stopped short and leaned back on his heels.

I lost my Zippo a while back. This, by itself, is not surprising as I am in a constant state of dispossession of all my worldy goods. At any given time I am likely looking for something which I have misplaced. Think about it. You've probably heard me say, "I can't find my...." Losing your Zippo is like discovering you're not wearing pants, however; it just won't do.

Since 1932, Zippo has been making windproof lighters. The design is essentially unchanged. The flint spring pushes the flint to the wheel and the wading, soaked with lighter fluid fuels the wick, which lights when you spark the flint. The windhood, arguably the kicker for the success of the product, will help keep the flame lit in the wind. It's a simple yet very effective design, tested by seventy-plus years of production. Mine was made in Niagara Falls, the only place besides Brandford, Pennsylvania to manufacture them, in September 1998. While not exactly a collectible, it has a certain importance to me. What have you carried in you pocket for eight years?

I'm sure you'll all be happy to know that my Zippo made its way home to me, with a little help from my friends. Now if I can keep it out of Evy's hands there shouldn't be any more problems. Of all the cats out there I had to find the pyromaniac.

George? He got his patent in 1936 and has made over 400 million of them since then. Not bad for an idea that came to him standing on a Pennsylvania corner, watching as that man tried over and over again to impress a beautiful girl.