Storytime

[mike salem]

Alright ladies and gents, I've got a story for you, you want to hear it... here it goes.

One of my favorite things to do is to smoke a good cigar on a summer's eve with my son, who is 20. I was blessed to have his company tonight because his girlfriend was having ladies night. He's very quiet and reserved, but a good cigar loosens his tongue, and we spend the 35 minutes together, talking just as men, not dad/son.

We're watching lightning bugs, our 3 cats playing on the porch, and the stories start flying. Well my son proceeds to tell one that tops 'em all. He wrestled from 7th-12th grade. His Freshman year we move to Lynchburg for them to go to LCA and because my health hit a major downturn, so we were close to my parents.

Anyway, there was a well known Sr wrestler, who also played football. My son tells me one day someone questioned whether this 6'5" 285 lb Sr wrestler was comfortable with his sexuality. He's just getting out of the shower and he says yeah I'm comfortable, drops his towel, and says who wants to go. He and another guy are wrestling naked in the locker room.

At this point I've nearly fallen out of my chair from laughing so hard! He says the coach walks in, looks bewildered, turns around, and walks out without a word.

I have no idea if he proved his point, but I will say it's one of the funniest and weirdest things I've ever heard. Testosterone can be a weird, weird hormone for a teenage boy.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Glad you and him got the chance to enjoy this special few minutes together. It's really neat when your kids get older and you share things as adults.

BTW, what cigars do you prefer? I like a good one now and then myself.

 

[mike salem]

Glad you and him got the chance to enjoy this special few minutes together. It's really neat when your kids get older and you share things as adults.

BTW, what cigars do you prefer? I like a good one now and then myself.

I've been smoking an occasional cigar since I was 18 years young. I've smoked many good ones, but here are my Top 10:

Fuente God of Fire
Fuente Opus X
Ashton ESG
Greycliffe Presidential (Red label)
Diamond Crown Julius Caesar
Davidoff Nicaragua
Graycliff GrayWolf
Ashton VSG
Onyx Nightfall
Punch Rare Corojo

I try to watch my money, but when it comes to cigars I don't usually do cheap. There are good cigars for $6, but most good ones start around $12. #10 is the cheapest of the lot. It runs about $6, but the rest are $10+.

 

[shauntclair]

Glad you have a good relationship with your son. Enjoy and GL. It really is one of the best things in life. Savor it.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Not surprised a couple of Fuente's are at the top.

I haven't smoked many in recent years. Kind of lost my taste for them. But that has come and gone over the years.

You must have a good cigar store nearby, or do you just order online? Do you have a humidor?

I wonder if we will see some genuine Cuban cigars soon, with the trade imbargo slowly going away?

 

[DinwiddieProud]

One of the best cheap cigars I ever had was House of Windsor. Red Skelton used to advertise them. But alas, like so many good things, they are only history now.

 

[mike salem]

Not surprised a couple of Fuente's are at the top.

I haven't smoked many in recent years. Kind of lost my taste for them. But that has come and gone over the years.

You must have a good cigar store nearby, or do you just order online? Do you have a humidor?

I wonder if we will see some genuine Cuban cigars soon, with the trade imbargo slowly going away?

There is a good cigar shop in downtown Roanoke called Milan's. They have a good selection and are reasonably priced. I also order online, generally from Thompson's cigars because they almost always have all of the cigars I want in singles. I have a couple of humidors, but only 1 has cigars in it. I've got about 10 in it from where I ordered a batch for my son's birthday and my daughter's graduation. That will last me a while as long as the boy doesn't sneak 'em. I have 2 God of Fire and 2 Ashton ESG that I told him if he snuck he may have to go live in a box downtown. Those were meant for he and I to smoke together.

Cubans will eventually be open for the US to order I hope. I'm thinking Trump may open that up more if he is elected, not that I'm trying to bring politics into a good subject matter. I've had a few Cubanos, but honestly the top cigars on my list were much better.

There is a tobacco shop here in Salem that mainly sells cigarettes, but they have a couple of stand up humidors with a couple of good cigars in it. (My son actually worked there for about a year) Their best is the Acid Kuba Kuba or the Acid 1400. If you've never smoked an Acid, get one and smell it. They are the most unique cigar maker I've ever encountered. They're not flavored cigars, but they are definitely flavorful and uniquely aromatic.

Ironically, this Thursday my son and I are going to Milan's for a Davidoff event. I went to a Rocky Patel event several years ago and it was a pretty neat deal.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

I smoke one so seldom these days, I have been reluctant to try anything new. But I think I will try an Acid. I was sort of scared of them, simply because of the name. Thanks for the tips, and enjoy yourself Thursday.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Since we are talking about questionable habits, I picked up a tin of jalapeño flavored peanuts last night. They are screaming to be eaten and washed down with a couple of cold beers. We are having a 4th celebration, (on the 3rd), and a cigar, jalapeño peanuts, and ice cold beer are now in my plans!

 

[shauntclair]

Actually, this discussion reminded me of my Grandfather (always called Papa).

An immigrant from Sicily, he brought up his family in Astoria, Queens as a barber. One would think he was a struggling man during a depressed era but he was quite well off with 5 Barber shops and exclusive rights to hair styling at Paramount Studios (also located in Queens at the time). Adding the bookie business and card games that always took place in the back room, he did very well (wonder how). Needless to say, he was a unique individual.

He frequently took the LIRR (train) to visit our family for special occasions and to give his grandsons hair cuts. Always decked out in full old school barber attire. But after dinners (he absolutely relished my Mother's cooking which is probably why I remain a food snob to this day), all 6 of the grandchildren would escort Papa on his walk around the block where he religiously pulled out what my Father called a "Guinea Stinker". The entire neighborhood knew quickly they had a familiar visitor. These were the longest strolls of my life. It took a good hour to go a little more than a quarter mile. But Papa smiled the whole way and enjoyed every moment of this time with his grandchildren and the fine meal he had just so savored. The stroll was not complete till the "stinker" was dead.

I do enjoy a nice Cigar occasionally but your story reminds me of how a smell can bring back imbedded and prized memories. Mine will be of a wonderful older gentleman and the slowest walks I've ever had. Unfortunately, your's will be of a 6'5" 285' naked kid that wants to wrestle.

 

[mike salem]

Since we are talking about questionable habits, I picked up a tin of jalapeño flavored peanuts last night. They are screaming to be eaten and washed down with a couple of cold beers. We are having a 4th celebration, (on the 3rd), and a cigar, jalapeño peanuts, and ice cold beer are now in my plans!

Be careful DP, sounds like a recipe for a good story of your own!

 

[mike salem]

Actually, this discussion reminded me of my Grandfather (always called Papa).

An immigrant from Sicily, he brought up his family in Astoria, Queens as a barber. One would think he was a struggling man during a depressed era but he was quite well off with 5 Barber shops and exclusive rights to hair styling at Paramount Studios (also located in Queens at the time). Adding the bookie business and card games that always took place in the back room, he did very well (wonder how). Needless to say, he was a unique individual.

He frequently took the LIRR (train) to visit our family for special occasions and to give his grandsons hair cuts. Always decked out in full old school barber attire. But after dinners (he absolutely relished my Mother's cooking which is probably why I remain a food snob to this day), all 6 of the grandchildren would escort Papa on his walk around the block where he religiously pulled out what my Father called a "Guinea Stinker". The entire neighborhood knew quickly they had a familiar visitor. These were the longest strolls of my life. It took a good hour to go a little more than a quarter mile. But Papa smiled the whole way and enjoyed every moment of this time with his grandchildren and the fine meal he had just so savored. The stroll was not complete till the "stinker" was dead.

I do enjoy a nice Cigar occasionally but your story reminds me of how a smell can bring back imbedded and prized memories. Mine will be of a wonderful older gentleman and the slowest walks I've ever had. Unfortunately, your's will be of a 6'5" 285' naked kid that wants to wrestle.

I'll have to go back out soon and have another smoke story session with the boy. I need a new story to try and erase that one ASAP.

 

[shauntclair]

Since we are talking about questionable habits, I picked up a tin of jalapeño flavored peanuts last night. They are screaming to be eaten and washed down with a couple of cold beers. We are having a 4th celebration, (on the 3rd), and a cigar, jalapeño peanuts, and ice cold beer are now in my plans!

Add Wasabi Peas. You just can't stop eating them.

 

[shauntclair]

I'll have to go back out soon and have another smoke story session with the boy. I need a new story to try and erase that one ASAP.

Actually, if you think about it, smell is one of the strongest memory stimulants there is. Just take a moment and think how many times a simple odor makes past experiences suddenly scream.

Afraid you won't ever be able to smoke a Cigar without thinking of the naked big guy that wants to wrestle.

 

[mike salem]

Actually, if you think about it, smell is one of the strongest memory stimulants there is. Just take a moment and think how many times a simple odor makes past experiences suddenly scream.

Afraid you won't ever be able to smoke a Cigar without thinking of the naked big guy that wants to wrestle.

Hopefully it will just give me a chuckle, and not become a lingering nightmare.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

LOL!!!!