Compared to last week, this Saturday at The Tobacco Hut was pretty tame. Joe K did present Lou with a bill for $140 as a result of having his car detailed. This came, of course, because Lou let Joe sit in a chair that had been crapped in earlier in the day the week before. Lou ignored the bill and Joe said that that was okay, he probably had lifted more than $140 in cigars the last time he worked at the shop.
At one point a middle-aged couple walked in and while Lou was ringing up the husband's purchases, the wife walked in front of the TV to look at the Zippo lighters. At that moment, Joe was watching the golf game on TV and exclaimed, "Nice putt!" after witnessing a long putt. The woman, not realizing there was a golf game on TV, heard "Nice butt!" and whirled around to look at Joe, who immediately recognized what had happened, turned a little red and explained. All three of us laughed about it as she and her husband left the store and we told Lou what happened. And not to put too fine a point on it, but I think it's been awhile since the woman has heard anyone say "nice butt" to her, so I'm sure she was more flattered than insulted anyway.
Peter arrived, then Barry, and I'm surprised that nary a mention was made of the Yankees beating up on the Red Sox the day before 20-11. Maybe the rivalry between the two teams isn't that important after all.
Barry began to re-tell a story he told to Peter, Lou, and I the week before for the benefit of Joe who wasn't there at the time. Halfway through the story, just as he's building up to the climax, Lou launches into his own story - seemingly unaware that Barry is talking. An awkward moment follows when I point out the obvious to Lou, that - in fact - perhaps we should wait to hear Lou's story when Barry is done with his. Lou pouts a little but acquiesces. Barry does offer to cut his story short, noting that it is Lou's name on the door and ownership of the shop trumps all. Lou reluctantly tells Barry to go ahead with his tale. When Barry is done and we've all had a good laugh over it, Joe asks Lou for the story he was going to tell. Lou tells it, and when he's done, Barry looks at him and says, "Yeah, that was worth the wait." I almost blew the tobacco out of my pipe.
Peter and Barry began discussing the finer points of baseball shortly after Joe left and I helped guide a new customer with a pipe purchase. He's new to pipes - my favorite kind of customer - and Lou and I got him into a nice Peterson, along with some of Lou's premium blended tobaccos.
Steve B arrived and I think Joe left too early for Steve had a number of good computer questions, mainly having to do with workflow, the benefits of an aircard for his laptop, networking, etc. I also did a little proselytizing for Mac. Not sure if it's the solution that makes total sense for Steve, given the existing hardware he already has, but whenever I can spread the Mac gospel...
I enjoyed a Ben Wade pipe that I had gotten from Lou a couple months ago. My bowl of Frog Morton tasted especially nice. I have two Ben Wades and both are solid little pipes, consistently offering a nice smoke.
I won't be around for the next two weeks as my son is visiting from up north before he makes the big leap and heads off to college, but will resume my visits and reporting after that.
Cheers!
- Bob
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