On second thought, I may know why I liked the toothpick dispenser when I saw it.  But to explain why, I have to detour a bit.

I’m fairly picky about food hygiene and anything that might spread contamination.  I can’t stand anyone who double-dips and I shudder sometimes to think about what germs are living on the shared condiment containers in some restaurants.  A few months ago I had some friends over for barbecue.  At the time I had a toothpick dispenser that was kind of like a salt shaker.  You shook the dispenser and one would pop out of the hole at the top.  One friend of mine thought this was kind of neat, so much so that he had to shake it again just to try it.  But he ran afoul of my food phobias when he grabbed the toothpick that came out and then dropped it back into the container.  At that point I told him he could keep the whole damn thing, since I wouldn’t ever use it again. 

That may have sounded a bit harsh, but I wasn’t mean about it.  I just can’t stand the thought of putting something in my mouth that someone else has touched with unwashed hands.  When I filled the new dispenser I made sure not to touch any of the toothpicks as I poured them in (from an unopened box).

I realize that food preparation involves using your hands, but I’m pretty compulsive about hand washing while cooking (especially with meat).  It also doesn’t bother me as much, since the food will be cooked, which kills most germs.

So, perhaps this dispenser appealed to my peculiar bent without me consciously realizing it at the time.