Kame Sennin's story

[A dark corridor, a pale ray of light shine from under a door]

Voice 1 (shaky and hesitating) : I am not sure if it's a good thing to join

Voice 2 (somewhat ironic): You can't help anyway !

V1 : That's true but ...

V2 : GO IN !

V1 : I already have so much of them

V2 (tantalisingly) : You still might need some more !

V1 : i'd better go away

V2 : GO IN !

[Open the door and enters the light]

Hello, i am Kame Sennin from France and here is my story :

From what i remember it all started when i was 6 or 7 years old, when my beloved grandma took me with her to the city and made me choose my birthday gift at the general store.

She was there, on the counter, a shiny red little flashlight. So beautyfull with her painted metal body and small glass window ! So full of promises ! I was already exploring the cellar side by side with her, secretly reading books in her light under my blanket or fighting the curtain's monster during the cold nights. She was made for me and i was born for her !

Grandma followed my gaze, understood it all and offered me the light.

Follow several years of happiness only tarnished by the need to beg my parent's for batteries. I learned electricity by dismantling her and finding what part did what (i am now an engineer designing electronic stuff), i watched an eclipse through her candle-flame darkened window, together with my pocket knife (next best birthday gift and futur co-addiction) we defeated the curtain's monster, we even almost got me and two friend drawned in the local sewers (don't tell my parents !), and so many other happy things !

Mmm ... i think i'd better shut up now

Thank you for listening and maybe one day i'll be able to tell you how, about 50 years laters, i eventually ended on BFL but for now i have to go and see all those group buy

Ahah, great story :wink:
Welcome to BLF, Kame Senin :partying_face:

BTW, this is what I found today when I was digging AliExpress for gear things and…flashlights :smiley:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Brass-Turtle-Fairy-Knife-Beads-Fall-Hanging-Buckle-Phone-Fall-EDC-Umbrella-Rope-Pendant-Zipper-Head/32868078987.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.35ef2e0ecsb3jT

Have a great time and…seek those groupbuys :smiling_imp:

Bonjour Kame! Welcome to BLF!

BTW, here is one of my 14500 dream flashlights:

The BLF X5 with the lighted tailcap!

A moving story, Kame Sennin, reminds me of my own childhood.
Welcome here!

Bienvenue, monsieur.

I hope you have fun here, Kame Sennin!

Welcome!

I enjoyed your story, especially the parts about viewing the eclipse and your adventure in the sewer. I also enjoy exploring sewers. :partying_face:

Do you still have your little red flashlight? Do you remember what brand or model it was?

@ All : Thank you !

@MascaratumB : He he ;-) Yes i stumbled upon those beads once while seeking AE and still have an eye on them from time to time. I know i will order some sooner or later

@goshdogit : I still have the little red flashlight ... somewhere ;-) The brand is Wonder, a french battery brand that was famous when i was a kid and the type is "Pigma". Some pictures in this ebay sale, mine is the same as the small one except for the color, the bigger one use the normal 4.5V flat battery (3*AA bonded together in the same cardboard casing) while the Pigma use a less common smaller one

Welcome! Nice story there.
If you like zoomy, get this while you still can.

The Pigma is a very neat looking flashlight! I hope you will locate yours and share some photos.

I looked and looked but could not find a red Pigma, so I made one. :partying_face:

The Pigma reminds me of a modern flashlight called ‘The Eye Of Sekhmet’ by Silent Thunder Ordnance.

The photo is a screenshot from BLF member mhanlen’s video review of The Eye Of Sekhmet because STO has no photos of the light standing upright.

The Pigma also reminds me of BLF member CRX’s ‘Stratis Lumina’ trio of lights, which are works of art.

As a child, I used to spend a few weeks with my Grandmother every summer. Some of my fondest memories, similar to yours

Merci mamie, maintenant je suis fauché :partying_face:
Bienvenue dans le terrier du lapin blanc !

Hello / Bonjour :-)

That kind of shape (rectangular metal box with a glass window replaced by full plastic box/window later on) was pretty common here along with the one that had a chrome tube containg 2-4 C or D batteries and a LARGE reflector head and were nearly the only ones available until the mid 90's when the maglite type became available.