Had a Friendly Argument With an Old Friend About Pipe Smoking

[voorhees]

The wife and I attended a wedding last night, lots of friends of mine were there. I have this one friend who is quite outspoken about everything and knows alot about nothing. But, is a decent guy overall. You know the type.

He brought up my Facebook picture(same as one here) and asks me why am I smoking a pipe and making myself look "old" smoking a pipe like some old guy? Now, this fella is six to seven years older than me and I'm 42.

He can't understand why I smoke and why as a pipe smoker we don't inhale. I told him its for the taste, not the nicotine. He just flat out thinks only old guys should use a pipe. BTW, he is a nail smoker.

Why is it so hard for people to accept a pipe smoker these days? I never smoked nails and have only smoked cigars before the pipe. I even tried to explain how I do it to relax. He still looked at me cross-eyed. Even insisted that a cigar should be inhaled also, comparing it to taking a sip of beer and spitting it out.

I guess some will never understand.

 

[taerin]

Just say your also a wine taster, that'll really get him going "What, you mean you actually take a sip of fine wine and spit that out too?" heha...

 

[voorhees]

Had thought about that to, but he would have went off on that as well. Funny, his name is Eric as well.

 

[jbbaldwin]

The notion that you're not getting all the good out of it or your money's worth if you don't inhale is amusing.
Does that apply to chewing tobacco? (I did know a fellow who would chew Levi Garrett and swallow. Makes me feel queasy even now.)

 

[kashmir]

Choose your friends wisely.

Life's too short to have to explain it to others.

 

[oldredbeard]

I just tell them if I have to explain it, you probably wouldn't understand anyway.

 

[thesmokindragon]

Like that saying; "If you have to ask, you will never know. If you know, you need only to ask" ;-)

 

[youngsmoker]

lol about that im only 19 years old I allways get strange looks if someone finds out about it or sees me buying pipe tobacco or smoking it but who cares what other people think about it, the way I look at its alot better than cigarettes and consider it a hobby and theres nothing more relaxing than to me than coming home from working all day and enjoying yourself smoking but everybody has there own prefrence in things and can seem odd to other people who dont understand the hobby

 

[papipeguy]

It's simple really; pipemen are generally a cut above the rest of the world. The fact that we tend to listen with a pipe clenched in our teeth helps preclude us from saying something equally as dumb as the next guy.

 

[jndyer]

Here is my one and only explanation I give to people when they question any of my activities: "Because I enjoy it!"

 

[ghost]

Here is my one and only explanation I give to people when they question any of my activities: "Because I enjoy it!"

Exactly. Some people just enjoy being contrarian no matter what you say or do, so let them be that way. Be yourself at all times, it's your life. Enjoy it.

 

[soggycitybob]

Nicely put, PAPipeGuy. I'd like to say I'm 43 and quite enjoy the pipe. The friend who taught me a few years ago was in his 40s. Old guys smoke pipes...pshaw!

 

[piperl12]

Smoking Dragon, it's amazing how that saying permeates through history. You would almost think it was used by some esoteric craft? :wink:

 

[voorhees]

I hear you fellas, I surely needed no convincing that what I do for enjoyment is beyond his mental aqquisition. I actually feel sad for anyone who passes off the old ways as "old". There still much to be said for those classic things of years gone.

 

[piperl12]

Voorhees one thing that I love about this world is that we all get to be ourselves. And that can change throughout our lives. You need to do what you like to do and he get's to do the same. I agree with the comment that you should never have to justify yourself to your FRIENDS. They should accept you for who you are. And the old ways are coming back. My wife loves the fact that I smoke a pipe, shave with a straight razor and act like a man's man. She say's if she wanted a Metrosexual that dressed better and smelled better than her she would have married someone else.

 

[loborx]

How does the old Mark Twain quote go? "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt." Sage advice for your friend. ::

 

[Perique]

Clearly he is jealous and frustrated that he has not yet discovered the pleasures of the pipe.

 

[crazypipe]

I started smoking a pipe at 16 years old and never cared one bit what anyone thought ::

 

[topd]

papipeguy said it perfectly.... Nothing needed to add to that.

 

[ciderguy]

Bah, nail smokers. Pipes are a mark of distinction, start meaningful conversations, and often solicit complements from the fairer sex. About the only conversation nails ever start is "Can you spare a cig?" then you answer yes or no and afterwards the person walks off. Pipes are a usable work of art and the depth of flavor to be found in pipes drastically outweighs anything to be found in cigars or cigs.
Does your friend like cigars? Go pick him up a La Gloria Series R #6 or something else with a strong nic hit and watch him try to inhale that. Back when I used to smoke cigars I remember smoking one of those and my friend who wasn't smoking or drinking anything across an outdoor table from me had trouble walking straight afterwards.