I admit I like old stuff, I like old cars, trucks and motorcycles , I like old guns and knives, I like old cast iron and old coffee pots. I even like old people (well most anyway....come to think of it....well never mind I will refrain from making derogatory comments about my good friend Stephen)Now I am sidetracked......... Oh I remember, as I was saying I like old stuff, preferably American made old stuff.
A couple of Sundays ago I went for a afternoon drive with my wife and ended up in St Augustine, and for someone who likes old stuff the oldest city is pretty neat.
On the way back we were traveling along the Kings Highway (US-1 for you people born after the early 1800's) and passed an antique mall I have visited before, anyway something made me do a U-turn and go back. It was only a few minuets before closing so I made a quick walk through (by the way something quite impossible for my wife to do nevertheless I tried)I came across an old US made Dietz, Little Wizard Lantern which I instinctively picked up to inspect, it seems most I see nowadays are severely neglected and the few you find which are worth having are expensive. The price was marked as $18 which is usually only reserved for the ones in the worst shape but this one seemed different, it had fuel in it and appeared only very dirty so I quickly decided it was worth having. Usually antique malls will give a small discount if you ask however after we had made them late for closing and seeing as the price was below that of a Walmart, Chinese made lantern I really didn't have heart to even ask so I paid the sticker price and left....after I coaxed my wife out the door with a promise of a stop for coffee.
Upon arriving home I lit the lantern and it worked perfectly just as it was found in the store however due to it being extremely dirty and full of soot I carefully cleaned it and discovered the original paint was still in good shape as you can see from the picture above. It goes to show bargains are still to be had if you keep a look out and old lanterns like this are worth having for a number of reasons including survival situations or times of power outages plus they are cool just to look at as well.
Why do I like old stuff ? ...... I don't exactly know because it makes me sad. It reminds me simpler times and how things change, sometimes not always for the better I might add. I am very nostalgic and the last few mornings I find myself sitting on the front porch, in the dark with my old lantern lit beside me, it is cold and the little flame it seems gives off just a little warmth to my soul and as I sit and drink my first cup of coffee for just a little while I imagine being back in time. I watch the headlights of the cars passing by presumably of people on their way to work most of whom don't have a clue as to what they have lost.
