About two weeks ago on a quick walk with a dog (in the middle of a work day) I saw another man smoking pipe in my hood. Unlike most walks, this time I did not smoke my pipe ( had to get back to my spreadsheets quickly after doggy business was done). I also did not really feel like stepping out of my way to bother another fellow pipe smoker, and was in a little bit of a hurry, so I only stared at him from a distance for half a minute or so, and continued on my way. However, that feeling of “I am not alone here” completely filled me inside. Finally, I saw someone who appreciated this diappearing practice. After all, meeting another pipe smoker in the city (Greater Toronto Area) is an extremely rare event in my experience (never happened to me ever before). I knew, though, that eventually, if he was local, I would run into him again, at some point in time. That happened about a week later (last week), on one of the evenings as I was taking Alfa (our Belgian malinois) for her night walk, I saw that same guy giving a charing light to his pipe across the street. The streets were empty, but he was right on my usual path; we walk there with the dog almost every night. So I crossed and greeted him by raising my pipe and saying “Its so rare to see another pipe smoker!” He mumbled something undistinguishable and not in a friendly tone as he was trying to lite the pipe. Immediately it became clear to me that he was not as excited about seeing
another pipe smoker as I was. I wished him happy lunting and off we went.
Oh, well! Now, that I read the common attitudes and suggested etiquette
rules, I think I understand why he seemed to be so grumpy in his response.
But, frankly, whatever! I just was excited about such a rare encounter and wanted to be friendly...
I often smoke pipe when I walk my dog, and walking a dog makes interaction with by passers or other dog owners inevitable since many people own dogs in our neighbourhood. Hence, being not social (or anti-social) while I smoke my pipe on a dog-walk is typically not an option, unless its a late hour and the streets are empty. I would prefer to not talk to others while I smoke, but people wanting to pet the dog or interactions with other dogs, make it impossible. Together, though, a pipe in the teeth and earbuds in the ears often help but even this combo does not always deter others from starting a conversation with me. Oh well, being an asshole and just ignoring people is not a choice I want to make. So, this whole etiquette thing is subject to the social context, big time. As it has already been suggested here, I neither expect others to know my personal preferences for interaction , nor I expect them to know the etiquette of the pipe smoking “brotherhood”, especially if all they know about it is that their grandpa used to do that.
Sometimes its nice to have rules but sometimes it is just as nice to say, f*** the rules, I do what works!
