Building Relationships through a Cigar...
I found a new smoking companion. Some may call it recruited or corrupted..
It began this last summer. Prior to my oldest daughter's wedding, I attended my Future Son's-In-Law bachelor party, at least the cookout prior to the party bus. Of course, I did my part to assist the celebration and brought several cigars for the groom's party and anyone else interested. My provisions primarily included AF Short Stories that were mild, tasty, and short in duration for the cigar naive. It was quite enjoyable watching the awkwardness how the cigars were handled, smoked, and hearing the reports of a few having mild symptoms of nic sickness and the buzz.
Fast forward to last week when my Son-in-law approaches me and says we need to go out to have a cigar one night. This caught me quite by surprise as I did not realize that he had enjoyed his bachelor party cigar that much. He said he had been thinking about it since then and recently had an opportunity to smoke a cigar with a friend at an area Cigar Lounge. We weren't able to get it scheduled that night due to the lateness we arrived home and I was just plain worn out from the traveling and still recovering from a cold. So again, he is at our place the other night and he asks if we can go have a cigar. I had just returned home in the evening from joining my friends from work for our weekly herf at a favorite lounge, so again I declined, but said that perhaps tomorrow we could. Today while driving home from work, I get a text from him saying that he is free for that cigar and would be heading over. I knew I could not put this off any longer. It wasn't that I didn't want to, just that with a larger family there are many other obligations that interfere. Despite having errands to run and kids to pick up from activities, my wife graciously says that she could manage the home-front and that we should go.
We chose a cigar lounge that is only a few blocks from my home. On the way, I talked about cigars, asking what he had tried before and if he liked it. We entered the walk-in humidor at the lounge where the attendant and I guided him on a cigar choice. I mentioned a few others that I enjoy. He settled on a Punch Rare Corojo. I selected a LADC Mi Amore.
We sat around a table, smoked our cigars, and enjoyed some accompanying drinks. I showed him some basics of cutting the cigar, how to properly toast and light, and even introduced him to retrohaling, which he accomplished. I had opportunities to chat with him during our affair to discuss his future plans, and of course to offer my fatherly advice with the best interest of my daughter in mind. ;)
We finished up and returned to my home, where I revealed my cigar collection to him. He had mentioned during the evening that he might be interested in acquiring a humidor, because there have recently been times he wanted a cigar but didn't have any around. I then proceeded to go through my cache and selected a handful of sticks for him to try. I grabbed a Boveda pack for storage, located an extra cutter I had and placed them all in a zippered baggie with instructions to put in a sealed container when he arrived home.
I haven't had many serious conversations with this young man prior, but thanks to the introduction of a cigar, I found that I now had an avenue to get him aside and have these bonding and guiding encounters. Besides, now I have another companion to justify going out to have a cigar!
You never know where the introduction to a cigar will lead.
