As I have mentioned previously, my local Pipe Guy has some great pipes but seems not to understand much about them. For instance, one day my friend and I came in for more tobacco and discovered to our horror that he had replaced every single blend with mild aromatics! When we roared out dismay, he got them back. About two years ago he had a rare tin of FVF in and I snapped it up, telling him that I liked it. He told me he could sell FVF really quickly as every one of his customers was a fan. I told him he should get some more in then. He smiled as if I'd just told an off-colour joke....and got no more in for two months. I have asked him on many ocassions to get me some tobacco of my taste, I even told him I would buy ten tins, pay up front and trust him to deliver. He just smiled. Last night I went in and he said "Hey, long time no see" in an accusatory way.
Is this guy an idiot or what?
So I got some Drum for handrolling and looked at his current stock, which consists mostly of mild tobaccos which get a lukewarm response on tobaccreviews.com. He has a supplier for Robet McConell now so I have just texted him to say I will buy any tins of Scottish Cake he can get his hands on. He has just replied
"Sorry".
How does this guy stay in business?
I understand more chinese than he thinks I do and have heard him discuss me with his Chinese customers, joking that he overcharges me and that he doesn't like speaking English with me. I wonder if he is just a racist or has to pretend to be, to curry favour wit his locals? There is a notable change in the atmosphere when I arrive if there is a little pipist enclave going on, althugh sometimes this results in a friendly international exchange. Certainly when it was just me and my Canadian friend Tim, he would talk nicely and has given me many discounts of up to 30%. I wonder if this is a hangover from the bad old days? I once was in a main shop in my city and I saw some pipes. So I asked La Grande Dame behind the counter which tobaccos they stocked. She sort of sighed theatrically and reached down under the counter as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders, then pulled out a single packet of Cherry Delight or some such which. I said "Is that it?" and she looked at me very angrily at not having accepted this, then literally flopped out a few more; vanilla, Cptn Black etc. I walked away and she started cursing me for forcing her to "do all that work".
Is this guy an idiot or what?
So I got some Drum for handrolling and looked at his current stock, which consists mostly of mild tobaccos which get a lukewarm response on tobaccreviews.com. He has a supplier for Robet McConell now so I have just texted him to say I will buy any tins of Scottish Cake he can get his hands on. He has just replied
"Sorry".
How does this guy stay in business?
I understand more chinese than he thinks I do and have heard him discuss me with his Chinese customers, joking that he overcharges me and that he doesn't like speaking English with me. I wonder if he is just a racist or has to pretend to be, to curry favour wit his locals? There is a notable change in the atmosphere when I arrive if there is a little pipist enclave going on, althugh sometimes this results in a friendly international exchange. Certainly when it was just me and my Canadian friend Tim, he would talk nicely and has given me many discounts of up to 30%. I wonder if this is a hangover from the bad old days? I once was in a main shop in my city and I saw some pipes. So I asked La Grande Dame behind the counter which tobaccos they stocked. She sort of sighed theatrically and reached down under the counter as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders, then pulled out a single packet of Cherry Delight or some such which. I said "Is that it?" and she looked at me very angrily at not having accepted this, then literally flopped out a few more; vanilla, Cptn Black etc. I walked away and she started cursing me for forcing her to "do all that work".