Ouch. I Took the Proverbial Social Hit

[cwpiperman]

Sometimes the options seem limited to being menacing or walking away. However, depending on the person/people and the situation, don't overlook the possibility of doing a little public relations for pipe smoking. If you can be warm and pleasant, make conversation off the subject, assure them that pipe smoking is just an occasional pleasure for you (fib as necessary), and lay a little charm into it, you may leave an impression. This may only make some more hostile, in which case, back to options one and two. But if you can present pipe smoking as something done by sociable pleasant people who are good conversationalists, who knows? They may have the check-out person at Walgreens slip a cob and a pouch in the bag with their aspirin and Tums.

This I can do.
CW

Posted from my Raspberry Pi 3 running Raspian

 

[npod]

I was walking my dogs tonight, enjoying a wonderful bowl of McClelland Classic Samsun with overcast skies and no wind. A perfect night to walk with a pipe. Then I passed a couple on the sidewalk and the gal started to "fake" cough and the husband told me I should be ashamed of myself. I kept walking and never turned back.

 

[timt]

The check-out lady at the grocery store (whom I don't know) asked me what I was canning when she scanned the 2 flats of half pint jars. Jelly? Jam? No, I said. Pipe tobacco. "Oh" she said and asked why I would want to put so much away in canning jars. I mentioned that I might have a hard time obtaining it in the future. You know, the way it's going, tobacco may even become illegal. In which she replied, "along with all the cancer and other stuff that goes along with it". I thought I should point out the bacon and eggs she also just ran through the scanner and get her opinion on those, but well....

 

[mahew]

I just tell them that I am not concerned. My wife will kill me long before smoking a pipe does. One of the benefits of being a pain in her arse!

 

[kola]

GTFO works.

 

[newbroom]

"you should be ashamed" that's the line I was taught at the feet of nuns and priests.

Smoking has been a refuge to me in times of stress.

I've quit entirely for years at a time, suffered traumatic stress, and found some solace in nicotine.

Pipes have alleviated much of my concern for physical health in this endeavor to soften the blow of stress,

and, seem to help....a lot.

 

[crashthegrey]

Giving unsolicited advice results in receiving unsolicited back rubs. They either get really awkward or report you to HR, and if you take a quick look at your employment manual, many of them have a section on smoking, and legally often require some statement about not discriminating for that. It's just a whole can of worms. (Please don't take me seriously)

 

[timt]

you should be ashamed" that's the line I was taught at the feet of nuns and priests.

Smoking has been a refuge to me in times of stress.

I've quit entirely for years at a time, suffered traumatic stress, and found some solace in nicotine.

Pipes have alleviated much of my concern for physical health in this endeavor to soften the blow of stress,

and, seem to help....a lot.
I know exactly what you mean. My pipes and tobacco have given me a lot of relief from general stress and anxiety - so much so that my wife and kids after first raising an eyebrow when I first started, have seen the positive effects and are very accepting. I use to be a pack a day guy (quit almost 18 years ago) and know what that monkey is all about. It did concern me some that it would lead to wanting a cigarette but it hasn’t - not even a little.

 

[ssjones]

I tell them that I'll miss all of them the last two years of my life. The only pipe use study of any merit showed that result. Sure, it was old and the participation group must have been tiny, but it's still fun to reference.