@marconi @chasingembers
I am constantly using both hands to do something else while smoking, especially while driving or working at the bench. But, ask me a question or try to converse where I have to pull my pipe out of my mouth, and it ruins the smoke, IMO, and ruins whatever it was I was working on. Plus, don't talk to me while I am working! My wife has no notion of this, but I've learned to just tune her out while I work.
For some of us clenchers, the whole enjoyment comes from a slow steady deliberate stream of smoke trickling in and out of our mouth, so to stop and take the pipe out of our clench, even if our hands are free, is an interruption to the whole smoking process.
I can listen (some of the time) no problem, but if you expect me to respond, just scram, get out of my yard, ha ha.