Happy Tobacco But Some Sadness

[hoosierpipeguy]

I stopped in Nashville, on my way to Birmingham, to see one of my old Cigar Friends from Cigar Family. Hadn't seen Ken in quite some time, we met for breakfast. I knew Ken had been undergoing some medical treatments that were less than pleasant but I wasn't sure of the problem. I still can't remember all the terms but he has a very rare disease, less than 200,000 cases on the planet. It is technically not cancer but a bone marrow issue that affects his red and white blood cell count and occasionally requires a transfusion. Some parts of the treatment have gone well, some, not so well. Ken is 71, looked very good and has a happy, upbeat attitude.
So that was the sadness. As we were getting up to leave, Ken pulled out a gift bag from hiding full of unopened tins of tobacco. I had left in a hurry the night before, grabbed a tin of 40th Anniversary to give to him. Thought that would be rather special. Photo of the tins he gave me shown below. Christmas Cheer is from 2010. Exotique from May 2013. Orlike DSK from 2015. Wilderness from 2010. 3 Oaks from 2010. I purchased the Northern Briar pipe today at The Briary in Birmingham.
Here's what is even more odd. I have a little bit of 3 Oaks left in a zip lock I got from another Cigar Family friend. Smoked a bowl on the way to Nashville late last night. Seriously, it was one of those magical bowls you encounter now and then, I enjoyed it immensely and remember being a bit sad knowing it was gone forever and I only had a couple of bowls left in the zip lock.
For those inclined to do so, please remember my friend Ken in your prayers now and then. He is truly a very special human being.

 

[seacaptain]

Nice story. Best wishes for your friend.

 

[rmpeeps]

Whether it be pipes or cigars, that friendship is what CF is all about. During those years I just met a few of the Texas guys and kinda wish I’d done more.

I just loaded a small bowl of FVF from 11-‘98. That’s the year CF started I believe. This bowl will be for Ken, and the time you got to share with him.

Prayers tonight.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Thanks rmpeeps. You're correct, the friendships I've made at CF are phenomenal. I'm pretty sure it actually started in 1997, I think that's when I actually started posting there. How things have changed technology wise in the 20 years since then.

 

[josephcross]

Sorry to hear bout your friend. I’ll be sending some Smokey prayers out for him!

 

[jvnshr]

Sorry to hear that Mark. My best wishes to your friend.

 

[mikethompson]

Sorry to hear about your friend, but perhaps the experience of meeting up with him made you enjoy the 3 Oaks even more? Mindset and mindfulness affect the pipe smoking experience for me.

 

[Civil War]

That's hard, Sorry to hear bout your friend.

 

[cortezattic]

Thanks for sharing some great moments. A friend is a gift you give to yourself. ::

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Will be remembered in prayers.

You are obviously a great guy. People are lucky to have a friend like you. And, nothing is really ever gone forever. Everything is just in flux, changing. When we see old friends, they are changing. When we try tobaccos again, they are changing, even the same tin from one year to the next is changing in the cellar. I find comfort in that. Sure, we want to hold onto to the now for as long as we can, but accepting that nothing stays static for forever is more healthy way to look at things, IMO. I wish the best for Ken, and I hope he recovers well.
Hey, even that nice pipe is going to change if you keep smoking that latakia in it, ha ha.

 

[cigrmaster]

Mark, is it Ken H you are talking about? If so please give him my best.
Cigar Family .com went online on December 30 or 31 1996. Drew Newman was 14 years old when he started the site. Pretty amazing when you think about it. I joined in Jan, 1997. Mark you joined fairly close to then as well.

 

[robcapp]

Great post, and story, Mark. Well wishes and good thoughts for Ken.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Harris, yes, that won it is.

 

[mso489]

having great friendships is one of the major accomplishments of a life, and your friend and you have attained that.

 

[mikefu]

We will keep Ken in our prayers. thanks for the touching story.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

Great post. I don't know Ken but wish him all the best.

 

[tnfan]

Mark I appreciate your kind words. And thanks to all for the prayers and well wishes. I have been a member of this forum for several years. I just don’t post very much. Over the years this forum has been extremely helpful in teaching me about pipes, tobacco, etc. For some strange reason I cut back on my pipe smoking about 4 years ago. I am now getting back into the swing of the pipe mystic.

 

[jvnshr]

Welcome back Ken!

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

If I knew he was going to see it, not sure I would have said all those nice things about him. LOL

 

[jamban]

Welcome back and hope that you are well...