Department of Things That No Longer Exist
Kitchen matches.

Actually, any matches.

Pilot light on stove went out, scrounged around looking for matches. Realized that since I haven't smoked in 15 years, I don't have any. Since you can't smoke in bars and restaurants any more, I apparently haven't restocked by picking them up near the cash register. Last time I recall using a lot of matches was at the start of the Iraq war, with all the candlelight vigils. Last time the power went out, I snagged a light for the candles from the stove, the one with the pilot light.

The clerk at Walgreens looked at me as though I asked where they kept the buggy whips.

They only sell lighters now that come in packs of 3.

In a box somewhere in my back bedroom is probably an old briefcase or purse or jacket from the days when I smoked (I used to smoke at work, too) that may have a squashed book with one or two left.

What I really want are the wooden ones I remember always lived in a box on a shelf in the cabinet above the stove when I was growing up. I think they were called "safety matches" but I never knew why, since the phrase seems a bit oxymoronic to me.

Until I find them, I guess I can coax a flame from the cigarette lighter in the car.

What? You say they don't exist any longer either?
- posted by Cynthia @ 4:04 PM | | | Link |