Have You Ever Been Laughed At For Smoking A Pipe?

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pipenscotch

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 19, 2012
116
0
Hello fellow pipe smokers, long time no see (or talk more like it).
So the other day I was with a group of "friends" (you'll see why I used the quotation mark in a second), and we were having a couple alcoholic beverages, just catching up. Some of these guys were people I used to hang out with quite a bit when I was in school, but there were only 3 other guys there that I seriously count as being close friends as of now. Well, the topic of discussion turned towards smoking, as I used to be a cigarette smoker (haven't bought a pack or smoked one in quite a long time now, thank you very much :puffy: ), and so did some of the other chaps sitting at the table. I mentioned how I was greatly enjoying smoking my pipes and cigars now that I had turned away from the nasty nails, and I had three of the people sitting at the table look at me funny and laugh at how stupid they thought it was. I was a little offended to be honest. I've always thought these guys were kind of idiots before, but now I know that they're just total asshats. I've gotten everything from weird looks, to kindly compliments while smoking my pipe, but never have I been laughed at for what I consider to be a huge part of my life. Makes me a little peeved just typing all of this.
So now I ask, have any of you ever been laughed at outright while smoking or talking about smoking? And what was your response?
Happy puffin,

pipenscotch

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
No, but pipe smoking has been so marginalized, I don't consider I've put this to the test much. When

you get into group psychology, as in your situation, any time you are not following the group, you risk

being made the brunt. I don't think this has anything to do with pipe smoking, just that you are not like

that group. These guys may be louts, but even with mannerly people, if you aren't drinking what they're

drinking, you're outside their circle, at least in a small way. When I'm doing a smoke break in public,

in an approved area (so help me), I assume a faraway look, and this leads others to take my pipe activity

seriously too. No guarantees, but it seems to help. Also, we're picturesque, if you'll pardon my saying

so. If you of an age to have gray or white hair, you get to play the sage for six or eight seconds.

 

pipenscotch

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 19, 2012
116
0
Good points mso! I myself am nowhere near the age (hopefully anyways, my old man started to develop gray hair when he was my age, exactly 8O !) where anyone would consider me sage like, but you never know I guess... 8)

 

voorhees

Lifer
May 30, 2012
3,834
937
Gonadistan
I did get huge amounts of ridicule from a couple of friends, but now they know I don't care what they think, so its not such a big thing.

Be yourself.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I had the advantage of having a dad who chain smoked a pipe into retirement. He had mastered "the look,"

so I picked up on that. He was a painfully deliberate thinker, but it gave him a focused, distant-seeing look.

He was a pipe-smoking skipper of a minesweeper during World War II in the Pacific. Come to think of it, he

died at 89 still licensed to drive, without glasses. People teased him now and then by calling him "the pipe,"

but not much. He could recite Wordsworth and Shakespeare off the top, and gave a second retirement speech

that was a stemwinder, worthy of William Cullen Bryant, that brought down the house. He even recited one of

my poems in his speech. Not an easy act to follow.

 

aquilas

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 3, 2013
212
1
I bet they were just doing what guys do and that's talk trash to each other. I bet they don't mean it in the slightest. I mean, you can't brush them off with quotation marks that easily. I'm sure in time, they'll be like the guys in my situation.
I have a group of guys that I smoke with. At the time, it was just all cigars. When I decided to start smoking a pipe instead of cigars, they laughed and ridiculed me. Of course, I didn't just sit there and had to take my share of firing off some shots. I really can't take any of it seriously, especially since the talk there was a lot lighter when compared to when our fantasy football season is on (now that's when teh trash talking gets a bit excessive and feelings get hurt). A few months later, I'm getting comments like, "The pipe is interesting...I think we might start smoking the pipe, too...It smells so good..." It's funny how it's always been like that since we were younger. I'd start doing something different...they'd point and laugh at me...then next thing I know, they're interested and doing the same thing.
But in the end, don't care what others think about you smoking a pipe and don't let it bother you. Just smoke it all away.

 

pipenscotch

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 19, 2012
116
0
That's also a good point trailboss, I haven't thought of that...whatever, I guess for someone who thinks of the hobby as ridiculous in the first place its hard to be succinct in explaining the virtues of it.

 

pipenscotch

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 19, 2012
116
0
And aquilas, I'm definitely gonna take your advice and just puff away without dwelling on it. Life is too short eh :puffy: ?

 

lucky695

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 2, 2013
795
143
yeah about 5 minutes ago... and I'm sure it won't stop...because I know I won't. I work at a nuclear power plant with ~800 others... i think there are 2 of us here that smoke pipes...that I know of. I have had some odd eyebrows and questions about my Mr. Brog desk pipe clock too...again could NOT care less. It's funny I had some friends over to watch the hockey game during the Olympics. They noticed my Pipe rack and cellar cabinet, and summarily game me grief. I have a big bag of unused MM's and offered samples. So after smelling picking out an appropriate blend for each of them. We went out for a smoke.. 2 of the 3 kept their cobs and asked for some samples to take home too...

 

aquilas

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 3, 2013
212
1
And aquilas, I'm definitely gonna take your advice and just puff away without dwelling on it. Life is too short eh
Exactly! I bet soon enough, they'll be asking if they can try the pipe. That will be a perfect time to get your revenge and you let them smoke some strong tobacco! lol jkjk.

 

phil67

Lifer
Dec 14, 2013
2,052
7
At the age of 67 and being retired I no longer give a shit what others think. Of course when I was 66 that was a different story. :wink:

 

PlanxtyPipes

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 6, 2013
222
2
Personally I haven't had anyone laugh at me for smoking a pipe. Usually people either think it is interesting and are positive about it, or they think that all smoking is stupid and start spouting off about how bad it is for you. The second kind of people never laugh, in fact, the people that would lecture one about smoking never seem to have very much of a sense of humor do they?
If anyone ever laughed at me about smoking a pipe I would think that would say a lot more about THEM then it would ME. And, from the fact that you referred to the people laughing at you as asshats, it looks like you agree with me.

 

flakyjakey

Lifer
Aug 21, 2013
1,117
7
It is a very long time since I have been laughed at, for anything. If people have negative or mocking thoughts about my pipe smoking, they must keep them to themselves, which is fine by me.

 

layinpipe

Lifer
Feb 28, 2014
1,025
8
I agree with aquilas, in that being young, when i bring my pipe to social get togethers/parties with my friends and they see me smoking a pipe, it definitely goes from laughing and jokes to asking questions about it and and sparking their curiosity. This happened fairly recently at a new years eve party, where there was a lot of people (most friends, some not but almost all i at least knew) with a range of reactions from staring to laughing followed by a joke to a few that were genuinely interested. The most common thing i heard and hear on a regular basis though is without a doubt, "my grandpa used to smoke a pipe, i loved the smell of it". I find that both funny and interesting but take pride in being different and carrying on the tradition with something that i truly enjoy. I do not do it to look cool or intentionally trying to be hipster-vintage-cool-different, but i could really not care any less what anyone thinks, regardless. Like apatim said, it is important to laugh at yourself. Couldn't agree more and couldn't be more true. People who take themselves too seriously and cannot do that are usually the ones who get ragged on the most, whether to their face or behind their backs.
I smoke my pipes by myself on the front porch or out back while my dogs play probably 90% of the time anyways, but if i'm going somewhere with my friends or with my girlfriend or on vacation and there is a chance of it being smoke-friendly, I sure as hell bring at least 1 pipe and a couple different tobaccos. Come to think of it, I don't think one of my friends smokes a pipe, excluding the pipe-smoking friends i've made since taking up pipe-smoking.

 

brdavidson

Lifer
Dec 30, 2012
2,017
5
Does my daughter count? Mind you she laughs at everything I do since she's almost 12. Oh well she's now coined the term Pipe Nerds for fellow member Pruss and I!

 
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