chiflik (τσιφλικι): a turkish term for a system of land management in the ottoman empire

çakmak (τσακμακι): a turkish term for a pocket lighter

Tsiftiri (τσιφτηρι): another term for a pocket lighter

Τσιφλικι means nothing close to lighter. During summer while camping I turned to my friends in the middle of the night, during that last cigarette of the night, when it’s almost day, and i asked them to pass me the τσιφλικι. The closest words to that meaning lighter, that one could find are “τσακμακι” or “τσιφτηρι”. Since that moment and for the rest of that summer my friends made fun of me by asking for the τσιφλικι whenever they needed the lighter. The March after that summer I visited some friends across the country to celebrate the carnival season with them. One of the people I met there, the second night I was there turned to someone and asked for the τσιφλικι. I looked at him in shock and he saw me so he said “I know this isn’t really the right term…”. I laughed and ever since that moment I started calling all my lighters by the wrong name. They are all τσιφλικια. 

Sometimes though when I look at my lighters I mistake their names even more than a simple vocabulary mistake, I call them by their actual names. All of them have names. Names they got from their people, names that stayed with them even after I stole them from people. There’s anneta, roberts, mom, hannah, sof, phoenix smoking area, dad, spanish guy at st christophers and valentini. Each of them has its own story.

Anneta is one of my best friends in this world. When we were in high school he was one of my smoking buddies. We used to share and exchange lighters all the time. That carried on for the rest of our friendship. He still has one of my favorite lighter

Anneta is one of my best friends in this world. When we were in high school he was one of my smoking buddies. We used to share and exchange lighters all the time. That carried on for the rest of our friendship. He still has one of my favorite lighters, a fox one. I never took it back even though I was complaining about losing it. I would lose a million lighters if that meant that I could talk with Anneta a million times more.

I met Roberts at a karaoke bar in Riga because he was wearing a great hat. I went up to him telling him “I’m young, I’m drunk, I’m leaving in three weeks so when am I going to see you again, and you are one of the most beautiful men I’ve seen in a wh

I met Roberts at a karaoke bar in Riga because he was wearing a great hat. I went up to him telling him “I’m young, I’m drunk, I’m leaving in three weeks so when am I going to see you again, and you are one of the most beautiful men I’ve seen in a while.” We went on our first date a week after that. I forgot my lighter at home so I kept taking his. I accidentally stole it by the end of the night but I told him I’ll give it to you next time I see you. My last day in Riga we went for coffee and I was using his lighter. He saw, he let me keep it, he didn’t even mention it.

I was terrified of my mom learning that I smoke, as every smoker teenager is. For a year we both acted as if we didn’t know. That was until my first vacation with friends after my high school graduation when she asked me how much money did I spend on

I was terrified of my mom learning that I smoke, as every smoker teenager is. For a year we both acted as if we didn’t know. That was until my first vacation with friends after my high school graduation when she asked me how much money did I spend on cigarettes. We joked about it a lot. Next time she found some funky lighters she got a pack for the entire family even though she doesn’t smoke.

On my last night in Brighton me and my friends went out for our last cigarette. This now is a typical tradition amongst all my friends everywhere, we always have a last cigarette before I leave. My friend Hannah gave me this lighter, crying, as a goi

On my last night in Brighton me and my friends went out for our last cigarette. This now is a typical tradition amongst all my friends everywhere, we always have a last cigarette before I leave. My friend Hannah gave me this lighter, crying, as a going away gift. I almost never use, I’ve kept it as a souvenir of my time in the UK and that last cigarette with people I loved so much.

There’s been a mystery case going on with pink small lighters surrounding an entire party. It’s been a year since the party with the mixed pink lighters. Me, Sof and someone else all had pink lighters at that house party. We were sharing them all nig

There’s been a mystery case going on with pink small lighters surrounding an entire party. It’s been a year since the party with the mixed pink lighters. Me, Sof and someone else all had pink lighters at that house party. We were sharing them all night. Since that day everyone exchanged their lighters without knowing. The only proof we have is the chipped off paint on some of them or the missing tag on others, but to this day we all just guess who’s the lighter actually is. Mine is probably my friend Sofia’s, but it’ll always be a mystery.

So many things from that smoking area ended up in my room, on the other side of the continent. I hope whoever lost their lighter that night didn’t miss it, because when I found it, it saved an entire group’s night.

So many things from that smoking area ended up in my room, on the other side of the continent. I hope whoever lost their lighter that night didn’t miss it, because when I found it, it saved an entire group’s night.

Sometimes I believe my dad is the reason I smoke. When I was younger I used to hate the smell of his cigarettes in my room and on my clothes. When I got the kicked-out-email from my university in Brighton I cried and went out for a cigarette. That’s

Sometimes I believe my dad is the reason I smoke. When I was younger I used to hate the smell of his cigarettes in my room and on my clothes. When I got the kicked-out-email from my university in Brighton I cried and went out for a cigarette. That’s when realized

I rolled him a cigarette and he gave me his lighter. I never saw him again. He went to China last summer. That’s all I know of him. End of story.

I rolled him a cigarette and he gave me his lighter. I never saw him again. He went to China last summer. That’s all I know of him. End of story.

It all started with me. It all started with the first cigarette Iris ever rolled me when we were drunk. It all started when I bought my first pack of cigarettes that late august evening. It all started when I smoked under the bridge for the first tim

It all started with me. It all started with the first cigarette Iris ever rolled me when we were drunk. It all started when I bought my first pack of cigarettes that late august evening. It all started when I smoked under the bridge for the first time. It all started when Monica taught me how to roll with the trick. It all started when I stole Anneta’s lighter for the first time. And now they follow me around to remind me of all my unhealthy habits and people I’ve met and loved.

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