14
Mar
I was a phillumenist
Long ago I was a phillumenist, but I discarded the habit. A phillumenist is one who collects matchbooks. I had a sizable collection that filled two metal coffee cans. The matchbooks were ranged in circular rows in the cans, lying on their sides with the top, wide, side out, standing maybe three matchbooks high. I decided one year to discard some of my collections, and I got rid of the matchbooks. I wish now I had kept them because they would provide interesting insight into the 1960s and 1970s, and I especially regret that I burned the matchbooks. Is there a word for one who burns matchbooks? Something along the lines of pyrophillumener? Now I collect beer labels. There must be a word for that.