Why do we smoke cigars?

[ggiese]

I don't smoke indoors, but instead out on a patio. Usually I'm reading something, so there has to be a light at night. There's one of those 40W coiled florescents out there that works well. I'm usually by myself, but I'm not alone. I've not really noticed in years past, but this summer I can count as many as a dozen Turkish geckos on the wall around the light. They're still mostly; sometimes they threaten each other by waving their tails over their backs till one of them backs down. But when a moth flies into the illumination, they all go on high alert. The moth bouces in and out, on and off the wall. As soon as that sucker lights, a few of the geckos move into action, closing in. When one is within an inch or so, bam! it's all over but the cryin'. Sometimes the moth goes still fast, sometimes it flutters like hell, causing its captor's head to gyrate in time. Sometimes the gecko misses on first try, and sometimes two of them are at odds as to whom the prey belongs. And it's not always a moth. But they are in agreement as to which bugs aren't on the menu. Let a small black beetle fly in and the reptiles don't budge. Maybe it's the ectoskeleton (doubtful though - they eat the brown ones), or maybe they taste bad (like fuck that, we don't do licorice.) So, I'm there watching part of the food chain and smoking my cigar. Last week I got my daughter to come watch awhile with me. The geckos don't seem to mind the occassional cloud that wafts their way; indeed, this inspires no more interest in movement than does the unpalatable black beetle. Maybe they miss me when I'm a no-show. I miss them - they're why I smoke cigars. I don't miss moths though, which is good because those lizards eat every damn one of them.

Ted - man, you hit the nail on the head...

What is smoking cigars? It's not about smoking, as much as it's about the ritual of the smoking. I don't "need" to smoke cigars like I did smoking cigarettes. I guess I'm lucky in that regard. I know those that cannot go without having a cigar. But what I'm drawn to while smoking cigars are those moments of reflection, quiet time, great conversation - or just plain watching the geckos eat the bugs (we don't have geckos here, but I'd love to see it).

Last weekend I went to the Alstate 400 in Indy. I went with a good friend and his father-in-law. Both occasionally like to smoke cigars. I actually enjoy meeting with them because I like to bring new cigars for them to try. They're like a coupla kids when I open up the portable humi. I always try to bring something I know they'll enjoy, yet have never tried.

On this trip, I brought a Davidoff Diademas (100th Anny) for my buddy, and his father-in-law selected a ISOM Partagas 8-9-8 varnished with a tad bit of age on it. I smoked a ISOM '98 Trini Fundadore. All of us sat around enjoying each others company, but still took several "reflection" breaks (quiet time) to enjoy what we were smoking.

Towards the end of the Diademas, my friend said, "The reason I like to smoke cigars is about the flavor of the cigar, and the thinking I have to do to taste the flavors in it. I'm all about being being on the go, answering questions, servicing clients during the week (he's a lawyer). But - when I smoke cigars, it's that rare time when I just get to sit back, smoke the cigar and think about what's so good about it that brings me enjoyment. It's like the cigar is giving back to me what I've been giving away all week. I'm asking the questions, and the cigar is answering me. And I hate giving the cigar up at the end, because I know my time is up..."