Hello from TX, long post, my cigar story

[bullitt]

Hi, my name is Craig. I'm only a few years past the legal drinking age and have never really been a smoker in my life. I've brewed my own beers and like a spot of scotch now and again and have learned to appreciate some of the finer things now. College has mostly been a blur of beer and women. I'd had a few cigars before, mostly at the titty bar or a backyard drunkfest with gas station cigars.

So anyways, I found this forum about 2 days ago and started reading up just about everything I could about cigars and humidor, looking to order one soon by the way. Anyways, I decided tonight that I would go by a quality cigar as listed by punch in one of his threads. So I copy and paste and print out a list of the cigars that he considered to be grade A and B cigars for under $4. I think there is about 25 on the list. I then go to google and type in 'tobacco' and my zipcode looking for the nearest place. I find a little tobacco store right down the street from me so I fold up the paper, put it in my back pocket grab my keys and look forward to my journey into the world of the leaf.

Well I pull up to the shop and it closes at 7pm, its 8:30 now. I notice I'm low on fuel so I know where there is cheaper gas and a beer store that has a small walk in humidor. So I head to that part of town and pull up in front. I look in the parking lot... there are no cars. I'm thinking this is good, no one in the store, I'll be able to take my time finding one of these fine cigars.

I step into the humidor and immediately overwhelmed with decisions and figure this might take a little while. It's not very large in here, only room for 2 maybe 3 people. I take my time looking for a Montecristo that's on the list, figure any of them would be a fine choice... can't find any that are on the list. Then I look through Punch, find one that might be right but I'm not sure so I move to Arturo Fuente, still no luck. Then my worst fear is realized... another patron, a large stocky man, enters the store and begins walking to the humidor looking to invade my person space in here. I panic. I frantically look for anything on the list not wanting to look like an idiot in front of this supposed cigar aficionado I have already built up in my mind. I see Macanudo's on the top shelf, there is a green box that says the words 'Hyde Park Cafe', it looks like one of the list, I grab two and move out of there just in time. I decide to play it cool and pick up a 6 pack of beer and then head to the counter. I look for a butane lighter, since that seems to be highly recommended... all i have is a zippo. They have no butane lighters, i figure no big deal i'll get one at the gas station. I make my purchase and leave.

Then I go get gas, while my car is filling up I look for a butane lighter... no such luck here either, looks like its zippo time for me.

So anyways, I don't want to smoke at home cause I just recently had to move into my mom's house because I was renting a house in the area but my room mate just finished up college and bailed on me, we'd be there 15 months on a 1 year lease so we just ended the lease and I'm looking for another place. My family, needless to say, are not smokers. Anyways, its noisy there, I want this to be a quiet expierence with me and my cigar.

So I drive around thinking of the perfect place. I decided to visit one of the 400 (seems like there's that many) parks in my city. There's one for every school (we have over 50 of them here). I decide on the one near my house, drive over there, park and get out. I carefully unwrap the cello from my stick, whip out my zippo, flick the little wheel, then wait a few seconds to let any chemicals burn off and the wind blows it out. So I walk a few hundred feet over to the restroom building in between these baseball fields to be sheltered from the wind. It's better but my flame is still all over the place. I try to hold my cigar at a perfect 45 degree angle away from the flame to let the heat light it, no such luck, the flame is dancing everywhere. So I put it a little closer and success, its lit, i close my lighter and go to switch the cigar to my other hand and disaster strikes... it was like slow motion, i fumbled it, slapping it about 3 times in the air trying to grab it, it smashed to the ground. I'm 6'3", its a long fall and I think its doomed. I pick it up and it appears fine, the wrapper is a little cracked on the end but I figure I won't know the difference.

I sit on the bleachers near the field and look around carefully handling and puffing on my cigar. I can't do much to comment on it (heck I barely know what I'm holding). It was a little spicy in my mouth, I enjoyed it but really have no basis for comparison so I'll comment on my expierence while smoking it instead.

It's still a little windy and I decide to walk around. That's when I realize I'm in the middle of my hometown, next to soccer fields I played on as a kid, baseball diamonds that I'd hit homeruns in, hell I've even brought my highschool girlfriend to the parking lot in the car for a little alone time with her, several times.

I begin to feel all nostalgic, that's when the real power of the leaf kinda took me over. I began to calm down and understand what I was really holding in my hand. It wasn't necessarily about the taste, or the collection I might grow in the future, or the fancy cigars I could wave in my friends face later on in life. It was about the time I could spend with myself and this tobacco that had given the opportunity to slow down for a few moments.

I look forward to my future journey with the leaf and hope to smoke some very fine cigars that will bring me this same feeling in the future.

Sorry for the long post but just thought I'd share what cigars mean to me now.

[King James]

Great Story, im new to cigars too so im not too great at describing the tastes yet, but the calmness you talked about is oh so familiar

[illuminatus]

Wow.. nice first post... Welcome to the Jungle man, I hope you enjoy your stay here!

[croatan]

Great intro. Welcome to CS, Bullitt. Whereabouts in Texas do you live?

[SDmate]

G'day mate!
Welcome to the jungle

[bullitt]

Just north of Dallas in Plano.

[croatan]

Originally Posted by bullitt

Just north of Dallas in Plano.

Cool, we're planning a herf here soon: http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=15032

Another local gorilla (goes by the name of Tresputt--well, he says Uniputt) and I meet up occasionally to smoke, drink, and play golf as well.

[bullitt]

Originally Posted by croatan

Cool, we're planning a herf here soon: http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=15032

Another local gorilla (goes by the name of Tresputt--well, he says Uniputt) and I meet up occasionally to smoke, drink, and play golf as well.

Sounds like fun, I'll bookmark this thread and put it on my calendar, thanks for the invite!

[croatan]

Originally Posted by bullitt

Sounds like fun, I'll bookmark this thread and put it on my calendar, thanks for the invite!

You're welcome; hope you can make it. We're a pretty relaxed bunch.

[kvm]

Welcome to CS. The power of the leaf is amazing.

[pnoon]

Welcome to da jungle.

[Neuromancer]

Originally Posted by bullitt

...that's when the real power of the leaf kinda took me over. I began to calm down and understand what I was really holding in my hand. It wasn't necessarily about the taste, or the collection I might grow in the future, or the fancy cigars I could wave in my friends face later on in life. It was about the time I could spend with myself and this tobacco that had given the opportunity to slow down for a few moments...

Welcome to the jungle...and I must say you really caught on quick what it's all really about...great story...get yourself a Z-plus insert for your zippo...it turns it into a single jet butane torch perfect for cigars...

Z-Plus

and make sure you get a decent cutter and not a cheap piece of plastic and steel...you want one that gives you good cuts and is durable...

Xikar is one of the best and worth it...

and make sure when you buy a humidor you buy a fairly large one, as the slope is slippery and you go down it pretty fast...g'luck...

[King Cat]

Now that's an intro!

Glad you joined CS and a BIG welcome!

Nice first post!! Welcome to the jungle. You might want to check out the Newbie Sampler Thread as a way to score a variety pack to work out with!!

Hang in there, find a good B & M (Brick and Mortar) store where the owner can give you good advice on potential smokes.

[catfishm2]

Welcome to CS!