Cigarette Lighters: Buyer Over 18

Who knew that in order to buy a cigarette lighter, you have to be 18 or older? Who knew they would actually card one for such a thing? But they do. Oh yes, they do.

Saturday night - or was it Friday night? They're all kinda blurring together right now... Friday night, it was Friday night - Mike stopped at a gas station and since I was going to buy gum, asked me to pick him up a lighter - he'd lost his, and then he'd bought another, and lost it, too.

So, I grabbed the gum and the lighter and the woman behind the counter said, "I'll have to see an ID."

So I showed it to her. She looked at me suspiciously, clearly not believing that it was a real ID. You know, since people forge passports on a regular basis. She finally said, "Okay," and gave me my total.

So, I said (making conversation... it's what I do), "How old do you have to be to buy a lighter?"

"Eighteen," more suspicious looks, as if she still disbelieved me.

I got out to the car and told Mike about it, and he laughed! "Do I really look that young?" I asked when he stopped laughing.

"Um... today... well, you know... well..."

"Nevermind, Mike."

"Thanks, sweetie."

And then, at dinner, Mike told Adam, who spit up his alcoholic beverage. (And then a friend of theirs apologized when he said his 18-year-old students are kinda stupid sometimes, thinking I was 18... Mike choked on his coke, Adam his taco. Dang it all.)