Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Something was wrong with my lighter, the Zippo I inherited from my mom. It was sort of coming apart, and it wouldn't light. There was plenty of gas - I could hear it hissing out the nozzle - but there was something wrong with the flint or the wick, or both. Suddenly it sparked, and the gas that had been expelled caught fire. The flame ran up my chest and neck and along the left side of my face. I frantically tried to put it out.