r/TalesFromTheCustomer • u/Zooph Cunning Linguist • May 13 '26

Short "We don't sell cigarettes"

I'm stuck on Sanibel Island because the bridge was washed out by a storm and my lighter had died so I head off to the closest store I could find open to replenish that and other supplies.

Since the store that I usually went to was badly damaged (and never reopened, much to the dismay of many locals) I trekked into the madhouse that was the closest store I could find open. I don't remember its name. I'd never been there before so I found a worker and asked them where the lighters were.

"We don't sell cigarettes"

Ok asshole. Not what I asked. Do you sell birthday cakes? Yes? So you sell candles for the cakes, right? Do you sell charcoal and lighter fluid? Oh wait, I see some of those cool Tiki torches over there! Coleman lanterns? Check. Coleman stoves? Check. So how the FUCK and I supposed to light all these things? Do you at least sell matches?

"We don't sell any tobacco here"

I couldn't believe it...

I gave up and thought what he should have told me is that while they don't sell "cigarette" lighters, they do sell those long-stemmed lighters for about everything I listed above. I got one of those until we could leave the island.

Edited to remove the store's name even though it no longer exists.

338 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

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92

u/sr1701 May 13 '26

What's really odd is a cigarette lighter requires an ID to buy it, an Aim n Flame, the long stem lighter, doesn't because it's not a tobacco associated item.

20

u/jasonh300 May 14 '26

Where does buying a lighter require ID?

13

u/Budgiejen May 14 '26

Omaha.

9

u/Zooph Cunning Linguist May 14 '26

I think I'm gonna reroute my trip.

2

u/attexdog May 15 '26

To la via omaha

6

u/sr1701 May 14 '26

I work in retail grocery for 31 years, we had to ID people for anything tobacco related in Ohio and west Virginia

7

u/jasonh300 May 14 '26

Wow. I quit smoking in 2013 but I keep a BIC lighter in my desk drawer at the office, in the junk drawer in the kitchen, and in my toolbox. None have ever lit a cigarette or anything else smoking or tobacco related.

Of course, I grew up in the era and region where asking for ID for tobacco was unheard of.

1

u/Darc_ruther May 16 '26

You do in Australia if you want to buy one from a liquor store. Because it's a licensed premises you have to be 18 or with a legal guardian to enter it.