Rebirth of the Zippo

A long time ago when rock bands were so loud it hurt, the fans did something wonderful. They waved Zippo lighters in the air. They were almost deaf so they needed something to look at.

 

When the rock bands saw the flames they played louder.

 

The Zippo lighter came of age in World War II. It was indestructible. It kept soldiers warm and smoking. All you needed was a thumb to flick back the cover and then with one fluid motion the same thumb spun the wheel.  You had a fire in your hands and it was warm and useful and reliable.

 

You engraved the name of your army platoon or your union on it. You kept your Zippo all your life. Same lighter, smooth in your pocket, was always there. 

 

Then times changed. The plastic, disposable, butane gas fueled lighter was invented and even thought it had no artistic, or loving appeal it sold incredibly well. It was good for lighting cigarettes, but it was useless at a concert.  You had to keep your thumb down on the flicking switch…don’t read that fast…. or the light would go out. 

 

The burning flames at concerts went dark.

 

Then times changed, again. Smoking became a no-no. Who smokes now? Not him?! Yuck. I thought I liked him, but no more. So who carries a lighter? Right. 

 

Then times changed again. Everyone. EVERYONE had a cell phone. Cell phones lit up when opened. So the audiences at concert started waving phones in the dark and suddenly there was a warm, artificial, warm, pretend,  warm electronic glow in front of the band. 

But someone would always get a call and that light went out. And others tweeted and others tweeted back and those lights went out and soon there was just music in the dark.

 

My friend Jamie Forsythe who is an editor and creates many of the stories you see on television showed me something his wife gave him. Jamie goes to concerts. Jamie does not smoke. Jamie would find it difficult to wave a cell phone in the air.

 

His wife told him about a new app. 

 

Up on his I-phone came a pictures of a Zippo lighter. Then with a flick of his thumb the top of the lighter opened. And with another flick the wheel spun and the flame lit. A real Zippo, right in his hand, not warm, can’t light a cigarette, but a real pretend Zippo. Luckily he does  not smoke, but he can now wave the fire of his Zippo at the face of the band.

 

I am humbled that someone in the technological world has a heart  for things that matter. Thank you. Now if only the volume could be turned down. 

 

Mike