I have a huge walking stick

Today as I was waiting for the bus after class to take me back to the west campus lot a strange bedraggled, creepy looking man walked out of Schoenbaum with a HUGE walking stick/possible table leg. I say table leg in the fact that it looked exactly like a table leg that he ripped off and now used for some sort of walking device.

I noticed that he had a cigarette in his hand and that he was searching for a light of some sort.

When the first person he asked didn't have matches or a lighter he immediately turned around to face the brick facade of the building and began furiously rubbing his walking stick/table leg against the building in hopes of creating friction and sparking a light.

This is not possible for very obvious reasons.

He continues to do this for a while until he gives up.

He then asks another person for a lighter....to which they happily oblige.

Man goes on his way.

WHY.