Who do you miss most in your life?

[Cigar Man Andy]

Recently I have had a lot going on in my life as some of you know. I've had a lot of free time to think and reminisce. Something clicked when I read a thread about who you would smoke a cigar with if you could. Alive or dead. I started thinking about my father. Not being a cigar smoker, he did not apply to that thread, so I thought this would be an interesting thread to post.

My father was my best friend. We went to Dodger's and Angel's games, golfed, bowled but most of all we could talk about anything. He was a genius in finance and is in the California history books. He read faster than anyone I ever saw and could read an entire Isaac Asimov or Ian Flemming book during dinner. He had an amazing memory an never forgot anyone he met. If I ever needed advise, he had the right answer. He was the Finance and budget MGR and then the Asst. City manager of Torrance, CA. He created Torrance's Rapid Transit system in 1959 and over the next fifteen years brought several major companies Torrance including Mobile Oil, Dow Chemical, Honda and Toyota. When he retired from Torrance, he was hire as a consultant and helped Hermosa Beach to come out of bankruptcy.

When I moved to Virginia from LA, I got married and my wife became pregnant. My father started getting sick, but didn't tell me for fear that I would drop everything an come. My oldest daughter was born on April 20, 1986, and my father died on June 14, 1986. So my first Father's Day as a father was spent on a airplane going to LA without my daughter and without my father. So this time of the year, I really do miss Dad.

Who is it that you miss the most?

[madurolover]

Would be my Mother. She passed away December 4, 2004. Christmas is still a rough time for me. She was far too young and vibrant to be taken away from her friends and family.

[Coop D]

I miss my brother. Today is his birthday, so really a tough day since he passed on 9-26-08.

Still think of him everyday, and wish he wasn't gone!!!!

[Cypress]

I really miss my brother in law. Every time I get on my motorcycle I remember him. Every time I look at it I remember him. The last thing we talked about was me getting a Gixxer 750 and I got it before he could see me in it. Red isnt my favorite color but I have added red accents to my black bike. Red: frame sliders, bar ends, brake & clutch lever, spools,windscreen, and tank guard. I have a sticker on my windscreen that says, "In memory of Joshua Ramirez" I wish we could ride together physically but in my heart I know he is riding with me spiritually.

[Blindjimme]

I miss my Grandfather. Being from Kentucky, he was " Papaw". It was him, not my Dad that taught me to be a good man. It was Papaw that taught me to carry a knife responsibly ( imagine giving kids knives now ) how to whittle. Not only how to fish, but to stop fishing when we had enough for dinner. He always had a story or a something funny to relate to any situation. A quick Papaw story: We were in the Dixie Dog. A popular hotdog joint in Corbin KY. As we walked out of the restaurant I noticed his pants were unzipped. I told him and he said " A horse that can't get up can't get out. Don't worry about it son. " That was Papaw and that's who I miss.

[Professor Mike]

I miss my youngest son. He was killed by a drunk driver. He was 9. Died 26 November,1974.

Prof. Mike

[Cigary]

Very poignant post, Andy. I remember posting an answer to this kind of thread on another forum and at that time I said I'd love to smoke a cigar with JFK. Having seen your post today made me rethink my answer,,,I have to agree with you that smoking cigars with my Father was much more satisfying and it bonds a Father and Son just like I do with my 30 year old son when we get together. Thanks for reminding me what real quality of life is about.

[2Curious]

All of you here, who can post such heartfealt words, are the ideal manly men. I makes me so happy knowing that you all still exist out there somewhere!

Luckily I still have my father, although we are very many miles apart (Florida vs Ohio) so I do miss him daily, so very much. I can't wait until my next visit, so we can sit on the porch and enjoy a cigar and a chat. We've had many good porch hangs over the years...but this will be the first were we both can enjoy a cigar together. Being the only tomboy out of 4 daughters... I'm basically my fathers son ;o) But in a good way. He's my hero.

Thank you all for sharing your stories.

[cp478]

My grandmother (nanny) she was basicly a second mother to me.
i can't say any more.
great post!

[Cigary]

Originally Posted by 2Curious

All of you here, who can post such heartfealt words, are the ideal manly men. I makes me so happy knowing that you all still exist out there somewhere!

Luckily I still have my father, although we are very many miles apart (Florida vs Ohio) so I do miss him daily, so very much. I can't wait until my next visit, so we can sit on the porch and enjoy a cigar and a chat. We've had many good porch hangs over the years...but this will be the first were we both can enjoy a cigar together. Being the only tomboy out of 4 daughters... I'm basically my fathers son ;o) But in a good way. He's my hero.

Thank you all for sharing your stories.

These are the "ties that bind",,,,learn from others and you can gain immeasurable wisdom for your life. You can't replace the memories created by those moments you share with someone important. How many times we tell ourselves,,,if only I had one more day.

"For yesterday is but a memory and tomorrow is but a vision: but today well lived makes every yesterday a memory of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope." Sanskrit poem

[tx_tuff]

Both my parents. They had been divorced for many years but I lost them both with in a couple years of each other and both pretty much the same way.

My mom called me in Oct of 2000 to tell me she had lung cancer (she smoked like a chimney). I don't think I had a day with dry eyes for months after that. It had already spread all over and all there was to do was pretty much wait. She died 2 months later on Dec 11th, two days after my birthday.

My dad found out in Oct 2002 that he had Pancreatic Cancer, it had spread some but he thought he couls fight it. On Dec 24th he went into the hospital in very bad pain. I got there is fast as I could. He was pretty much out of it and wasn't talking to anybody and stairing off into space. I was holding his had and told him I loved him. He looked right at me and said "I love you son". Was the last words he said and shortly after that he passed away. I was still in there and so was the Doctor. As he passed the doctor looked up at the clock, it was Midnight Christmas morning!

Yeah so December is always a rough month for me, and while I miss both its my dad that I will always miss the most, think about him every day in some way or another. I posted in the "who would you like to smoke a cigar with" as my dad, he didn't smoke cigars but I don't give a damn. I would either make he smoke one with me or just smoke one myself while we talked.

Neither of my kids where born when my mother passed, my daughter was less then a year old when my dad passed and doesn't remember him, my son wasn't born yet. And both of them would love my wife (Tiffany) that I have now! I know they would also love that I am no longer married to that other person (trying to be nice). I know both of them are smelling at me from above (at least most of the time LOL).

[Sweet_Cigars]

It's kinda hard to talk about but....

I would say my dad. He passed when I was 22, 10 years ago. He had hepatidis C(Spelled that wrong?). The H C is probablly not what killed him, I think it was the drugs he was prescribed in combination with the ones he was NOT prescribed.

About 3 months before he passed he got really strung out. He would call my sister and I and ask us for money. Then he started pawning everything he owned. So I decided to just stop answering his phone calls being as I didn't want to give him money to help him hurt hiself. Then one day out of the blue my stepbrother came to my work and told me I had to leave with him. He wouldn't tell me why but I knew. He was found dead in a hotel room by his self. The doctors say his liver gave out.

Now sometimes I feel bad because I quit answering his phone calls and I don't remember the last time we had talked. When I was younger me and him were pretty close. This is the first time in years that I have thought about this so since I am finishing telling my story it's time to block it back out again.

[Cigar Man Andy]

Thank you all for the stories. I felt that this thread only brings us closer as BOTL/SOTLs. To me, it's not enough to just know who bombed who, or what cigar would be your last. I never imagined the friendships that can come out of a forum. So when you meet one or two of us in person, and you will, there will be more there than you could ever have imagined.

[DBCcigar]

Fortunately, I have not lost any loved ones yet.

[Riedelma]

It would have to be my grandfather. He passed away 10 years ago and I think of him every time that I light up a cigar. There was nothing like being a kid and going into his wood shop and it smelling like fresh cut wood and cigar smoke. I never got the chance to sit down and smoke a cigar with him but the cigar smell always brings back good memories.