DIFFERENT TASTES

Peculiarities make the man. Or woman. A person whom I knew years ago read French novels and smoked a pipe, but abstained from alcohol nearly entirely because it made her face flush and gave her an instant headache.
No, she did not imitate Tolkien, but probably despised him. She was not a hobbit wannabee, more an independent woman with some rather old-fashioned college man tendencies.

She thought the pipe shapes I preferred rather silly.

But we held to the same tobaccos.

Strong English.


It is quite likely that she influenced me much more than the other way around, and in our sporadic meetings we would ask what books the other was reading, or what movies we had seen; there was no point in talking about pipe tobaccos, because we smoked similar blends and could smell what was being enjoyed. Occasionally: "Nice pipe you've got there." "Oh thank you, it's a Barling."

In remembering her, I distinctly recall that she disliked the pot shape, and had none in her collection.

POT SHAPE BRIAR PIPE, BLACK SANDBLAST, TAPER STEM

POT SHAPE DIAGRAM; SHOWING A SADDLE STEM

Recently I acquired another pot; a black sandblast with remarkable sharpness of grain, of an entirely unremarkable brand. Saddle stem.

She would have hated it.


People may have an overlap in some tastes, while being entirely different in many other regards. Some of my friends probably think that when I'm off on one of my tangents I'm an irritating sort of fish ....
As I likewise consider them when hearing about boats for the umpteenth time. At this point I bloody-well hate boats, but I shan't ever tell them that.
And to an outsider, my apartment mate and I may seem a bit queer. We're not a couple, and she hates tobacco. We don't read the same things. We seldom eat similar foods. She barely ever touches hot sauce (which to me is the essential vegetable component of a meal).

But when you find people with whom you get along well, you must cleave onto them. Friends are precious, and as you get older you become much more aware of the special qualities that some people have.
If you're lucky, you may share interests.


I'm breaking in the new pipe with a Virginia - Perique blend. Sofar, it sings.
I used to smoke nothing but Latakia blends, but years ago I switched.
Possibly I'm less of an impatient blister than I was as a young man.

My preferences in tea, literature, art, and people, have not shifted very much, but have broadened considerably.



AFTER WORD

This post is more or less in tribute to a fellow pipe smoker who passed away yesterday morning, John Harden (Matches860). I never actually knew him (opposite ends of the country), but over the years I encountered him a few times on the internet. A good and kind man. He had many friends.
Entirely different tastes in pipe tobacco.

May his memory be a blessing.

TOBACCO INDEX


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