Those that see my posts probably know that in my relatively short journey as a pipe smoker, I have a penchant for old estates. I’ve acquired fifty or so pipes, and other than a Peterson Short Army, a few Ropp Etudiants, and the obligatory cobs, none were bought new. I appreciate design and function, but other than a couple giant Danes inherited from my dad, they all see use at work, both on the job and around the property-tools, so to speak.
You may also infer (correctly) from my screen name that I’m a recovered alcoholic, and that’s a huge part of my life.
Today marks thirty years from the day that I sat in this very spot at the Rock Springs Cafe in Black Canyon City AZ and drank my last drink:
It was a bad day, full of drunken rage, remorse, incomprehensible demoralization, letting down those I love, assault on peace officers, and almost dying that culminated with myself “coming to” from being passed out shackled to a hospital bed. A doctor stood at the foot of my bed holding my chart (they had paper charts back then).
The doctor looked me straight in the eye, and nonchalantly asked “do you really want to live the rest of your life like this?”
Long story short, that was the spiritual experience that melted away the anger and blame I’d known since I first got blackout drunk as a pre-teen and filled my days up to that point since. With the help of others, and the power of helping others, I haven’t found it necessary to take a drink since.
Okay, back to pipes….
Pipes and tobacco have quickly become beyond a passing interest, and I’m all in. I smoke on average 3-6 pipes a day. With the thirtieth anniversary of my sobriety coming up, my wife asked what I wanted to celebrate the milestone. Bottom line, it’s just another 24hr reprieve from the disease, but it’s also a pretty big deal.
I kicked it around and came up with the idea of getting probably the only high end pipe I’ll wind up with.
As pipes are tools in my opinion, but in the same way a great firearm can also be objects of both aesthetic and engineering marvel, to be cherished and used for decades, I thought this would be a good lasting choice.
And as tools, function is the ultimate goal.
I’d read and heard stories of people getting über high end pipes, that while exquisitely beautiful, they didn’t smoke well for whatever reason. I find that abhorrent and unacceptable, so I did my research and came up with a name that I can’t find any account of an owner complaining about the smoking qualities of their pipe, and that was Larry Roush. From Greg Pease to members here, all I could find was praise for his attention to detail regarding the smokability, attention to detail, and the craftsmanship of every piece he puts out.
Being the jackass I am, I reached out to him to see if he’d sell what would be a second, as I was leery of spending “gun money” on a pipe. He confirmed all accounts of being a perfectionist with his reply: “I won't do ‘seconds’. But that doesn't mean I couldn't come up with something.”
Fast forward a few months, and today, on this very special day by the grace of a god I don’t fully understand, I just finished my first smoke (and it could not have smoked better) in this very special pipe.
I give you Roush #2794, an S4 pot, with a personalized adornment marking the occasion on the wonderfully tasteful silver band:
The coin is from my wife, and days like today are why I’m grateful every day.
You may also infer (correctly) from my screen name that I’m a recovered alcoholic, and that’s a huge part of my life.
Today marks thirty years from the day that I sat in this very spot at the Rock Springs Cafe in Black Canyon City AZ and drank my last drink:
It was a bad day, full of drunken rage, remorse, incomprehensible demoralization, letting down those I love, assault on peace officers, and almost dying that culminated with myself “coming to” from being passed out shackled to a hospital bed. A doctor stood at the foot of my bed holding my chart (they had paper charts back then).
The doctor looked me straight in the eye, and nonchalantly asked “do you really want to live the rest of your life like this?”
Long story short, that was the spiritual experience that melted away the anger and blame I’d known since I first got blackout drunk as a pre-teen and filled my days up to that point since. With the help of others, and the power of helping others, I haven’t found it necessary to take a drink since.
Okay, back to pipes….
Pipes and tobacco have quickly become beyond a passing interest, and I’m all in. I smoke on average 3-6 pipes a day. With the thirtieth anniversary of my sobriety coming up, my wife asked what I wanted to celebrate the milestone. Bottom line, it’s just another 24hr reprieve from the disease, but it’s also a pretty big deal.
I kicked it around and came up with the idea of getting probably the only high end pipe I’ll wind up with.
As pipes are tools in my opinion, but in the same way a great firearm can also be objects of both aesthetic and engineering marvel, to be cherished and used for decades, I thought this would be a good lasting choice.
And as tools, function is the ultimate goal.
I’d read and heard stories of people getting über high end pipes, that while exquisitely beautiful, they didn’t smoke well for whatever reason. I find that abhorrent and unacceptable, so I did my research and came up with a name that I can’t find any account of an owner complaining about the smoking qualities of their pipe, and that was Larry Roush. From Greg Pease to members here, all I could find was praise for his attention to detail regarding the smokability, attention to detail, and the craftsmanship of every piece he puts out.
Being the jackass I am, I reached out to him to see if he’d sell what would be a second, as I was leery of spending “gun money” on a pipe. He confirmed all accounts of being a perfectionist with his reply: “I won't do ‘seconds’. But that doesn't mean I couldn't come up with something.”
Fast forward a few months, and today, on this very special day by the grace of a god I don’t fully understand, I just finished my first smoke (and it could not have smoked better) in this very special pipe.
I give you Roush #2794, an S4 pot, with a personalized adornment marking the occasion on the wonderfully tasteful silver band:
The coin is from my wife, and days like today are why I’m grateful every day.
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