Smoking in Public - Best Experiences

[maineyachtie]

Hello Brothers,
Smoking a pipe in public is always an experience. Most of us are used to the attention it brings. The Stares of curiosity and sometimes a kindly comment. Others of us prefer never to smoke away from the comfort and security of our private smoking sanctuaries. Be they armchair, computer desk, back porch, or that meandering rabbit path through the thicket. Having a quiet, contemplative place to smoke is essential. However, when we smoke in public there is always a chance we can interest others in our great pastime.
This thread then, is a place to share good experiences when smoking in public. So that we may encourage our more shy members to do likewise and proudly so.

 

[ohin3]

Lately I seem to get more positive comments than I used to. I always got the quizzical looks. Lately I have been getting compliments from every manner of person about the pipe. For Canada day fireworks I had some 17 year old drunk jar head say to me at the top of his drunken lungs, "dude you're smoking a pipe...that's so awsome...that's just fuckin' classy man". Then he, most likely, moved on to vomiting or date rape or both. I was smoking McClellands Oriental #8 at the Natal Day concert when a drop dead gorgeous security guard came up to me and said, "I hate to say this because that smells so good, but you can't smoke here". I was chatting up the old ladies at the weekend market one morning after they asked what I was cooking with what I had bought. We just happened to be leaving at the same time and as soon as I was out doors I fired up the pipe. She came walking by me with her girlfriends and said "you're good looking, you cook, and you smoke a pipe...are you married?" they all laughed and skittered off.

 

[frostyforge]

This spring when I was going to the local techincal school to pick up some welding experience, I would sit outside with all the cigarette smokers and light up my homemade corncob, after few times of that, a couple other guys started bringing their pipes too. It was pretty cool to see, 10 or so cigarettes going, and 3 pipes.

 

[recurl]

You smoking that pipe make me think about my PawPaw, he smoked a pipe and I always loved the way it smells.

 

[admin]

Not all of the people I pass while smoking my pipe have a confused look on their face. Some give me looks of admiration. While window shopping downtown on a recent Sunday, my darling girlfriend decided to go into a store to try on some clothes. I stayed outside to finish my pipe. Several people passed by. Some gave me the odd looks, but many gave me looks like "that dude looks pretty cool". Not that I care either way, but the best part was when I finished and went inside the ladies clothing store. Apparently I was carrying along some "third-hand smoke". (That’s the new Anti-Smoking-Nazi term for when someone smells like they were smoking.) A middle-aged woman inside the store saw me holding my pipe and commented; "I can smell your pipe and it smells so good! What is that? Cherry blend? I love it!" (I wasn’t actually smoking "cherry blend", but if that’s what she got out of it, then fine by me.)
Excerpted from my article ... Don't Leave Home Without It ... Your Pipe

 

[kcvet67]

I started smoking a pipe back in the '60s when it was more prevelant than today, so I've never been shy about smoking a pipe in public.
I have noticed far more comments from strangers in the past 2-3 years than ever before. Perhaps the efforts of the Smoke Nazis have made the sight of someone who's not ashamed to be seen smoking a rare enough occurence that we tend to stand out more.
The experts say that smell is far more likely to trigger memories than any of our other senses. I think the smell of pipe tobacco often brings back long-forgotten memories of a Grandfather, Uncle or other friend or family member. The person may even not be aware of the connection, they just know that the smell of a pipe somehow makes them feel good.
So stoke up your biggest bowl with your favorite blend, fire it up and stroll proudly down the street. The worst that can happen is that you'll give some Smoke Nazi a heart attack, which leaves one less fanatic trying to extinguish the last embers of our liberties.

 

[bubbadreier]

The worst that can happen is that you'll give some Smoke Nazi a heart attack, which leaves one less fanatic trying to extinguish the last embers of our liberties

I think I just found my new favorite quote!

 

[maineyachtie]

Great article Kevin. You initiated some interesting conversation at the bottom of that page as well.
To all the rest: I'm really glad others share my opinion on smoking in public. I'm enjoying the stories.
Kevins article:

http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/put-that-in-your-pipe/dont-leave-home-without-it-your-pipe/

 

[bubbadreier]

I get some pretty strange looks from most people. I live right next door to the University of Oklahoma campus, so most people I run into are people around my own age (21), and they don't understand why I don't just smoke cigarettes. But every once and awhile I will get some students parents who walk up and tell me their memories of a pipe smoker close to them.

 

[briarbrian]

One of my best experiences was, sitting in rush hour traffic trying to get back to my terminal (this was back when I drove a semi local for a living) I was sitting there just happy and content smoking my pipe enjoying the downtime. A guy next to me looked up from a pickup truck and said to me, "you look so relaxed smoking your pipe there while everyone around us is all nerve racked because of the traffic, I think I need to start smoking a pipe" True story. I dont know if he ever started but it was a good experience for me at the time.

 

[juni]

The best is when you run into another pipe smoker. Lots of talk about blends and pipes, latakia - love or hate etc.

 

[maineyachtie]

Juni - The best is when you run into another pipe smoker. Lots of talk about blends and pipes, latakia - love or hate etc.
I look forward to enjoying that same moment.

 

[admin]

Talking about running into other pipe smokers ... here in downtown St. Pete, I have run into other pipe smokers. They are usually older guys that are old school, smoking a Dr. Grabow that they smoke Half-and-Half in all day every day and the pipes look like they have never been cleaned ... and the guys appear quite content.
I usually give them my card for the site, but I don't know if any of them have ever showed up here.

 

[caliguy]

I was smoking my little Nording in my truck this past spring just enjoying the day. A woman pulled up next to me and stared for a minute or two. At the next light she caught up to me and shouted out her window that it reminded her of her grandfather. She gave me a big smile and a thumbs up as she drove away.
I'm still not quite sure how to take that (Did I remind her of her Grandpa or was it the pipe?) but I'll accept it as positive and be glad that I made her day.

 

[maineyachtie]

I hate to bump my own forum back onto the recent list, but I really was enjoying the stories.
Thanks to all who have posted and will post.

 

[pstlpkr]

Don't rush me I'm thinking......

There are several that qualify.

 

[pstlpkr]

1992; my first daughter was about 6 months old. The wife and I had gone to Brookwood Mall and she was shopping for stuff. I however, was there for one thing… my Ascorti. I had played the dutiful husband and I had been following the better half all over hell’s half acre, pushing Crystal in the “perambulator”, when I mentioned that I needed to have a smoke up at Skip’s on the second floor, and I had a purchase to make; some Yorkshire, and something else. I had been saving for almost a year for this pipe. I was so excited; I almost couldn’t contain myself.
Well; we strolled into the newly carpeted Pipe Shoppe, and the usual chit chat ensued. Crystal being the beautiful baby that she was attracted all the wives of the other patrons, and was soon being passed between all those “Baby Shopping Women”. It was about that time, that I asked Skip if I could see the third most beautiful thing in the shop, and he handed me “The Ascorti”. I proceeded to load it from one of the jars (1Q) and lit that sucker up. The look on Skip’s face was priceless. Then I handed him 4 brand new one hundred dollar bills. All the men had a good laugh, and it was a very sweet smoke………

Then Crystal, being true-to-form threw up on the new carpet.

The perfect punctuation to the perfect day.

 

[briarbrian]

Thats a good story I would have liked to see the look on the store owners face after you gave him the cash and then the baby chritened the floor!LOL I bet it was mixed emotions for him for sure!

 

[pstlpkr]

Skip's practically family.

We still have a good laugh over it from time to time.
Oh yeah.... that baby formula look great on that Hunter Green carpet.

 

[maineyachtie]

Fantastic pstlpkr. That story made my day.