The "Pipe Dream" Part 2

The above shows the stem and position of the P-lip opening on a Peterson.

This one shows the stem with a "fish-tail" opening on a Peterson.

(continuing from yesterday's post....)

The nattily dressed fellow simply sat on the bench looking at a few pigeons that were walking around near the fountain.  He proceeded to pull out of his pocket a small paper sack that he reached into.  He began to spread small crumbles of bread out for the birds.  

The fellow seemed content, and displayed a calm demeanor.  

"Hmm.  Would you mind if I smoked my pipe?" I asked the fellow.  

The older fellow slowly turned his head and looked towards me.

"By all means, young fellow." he said, his voice somewhat quiet, but solid and articulate.  

His voice had an accent of sorts that I could not fully recognize.  It had a slightly British aspect to it, but was not truly of that nature, but similar.  

"I had decided to sit here, when I saw you withdrawing your pipe from your pocket.  For you see, I too am an aficionado of the briar myself.  I thought that I might join you on your adventure."

I believe I must have developed a quizzical expression, for I could feel my eyebrow raise.  

He smiled.

From the front waist pocket of his tweed sport coat, he extracted a pipe that I immediately recognized as a Peterson pipe.  It was a large-bowled, full-bent variety, deeply brown in color.  The pipe had a "P-lip" which is a bit of an oddity.  A "P-lip" is a stem style where the portion of the stem that you grip between your teeth has its "opening" facing upward at close to a 90 degree angle to the stem itself.  This contrasts with the more common "fishtail" stem which has the "opening" is at the distal end of the stem itself and runs parallel with the stem.  I never really liked "P-lip" stems, as they did not feel as comfortable to me as a "fish-tail".  Most pipes have the fish-tail type opening, only a small subset will have a "P-lip" stem. 

I looked away from the fellow, realizing I was spending far too much time watching/staring at him.  I was reaching for my tobacco pouch to fill my pipe, when the fellow stated:

"I notice that you were finding me somewhat "curious".  I was wondering if you may like to sample a bit of my pipe tobacco.  It is not a widely available, commercial blend, for it was a blend made by the hands of the tobacconist in the small town I grew up in long, long ago.  For me, it uniquely brings back thoughts of home.  I only indulge in it occasionally, as I cannot acquire any more."

I looked at him again.  His hand was extended towards me and in the palm of his hand was a small, opened leather pouch filled with beautiful brown crumbles.

I was somewhat taken aback.  I did not know this fellow at all.  

"Uh...  I wouldn't want to take some of your tobacco since you like it so, and cannot get it again."

He chuckled ruefully.  

"I can understand your sentiment.  Why would you want to accept this small gift I am offering, when you have never laid eyes upon me before and are suspicious of my motives?."

"I didn't say that...." I stammered.

"Yet, it was readable in your eyes.  That is wholly understandable.  But, how may we alleviate such suspicions?  Perhaps through discussion."

Having been a teacher already, I was used to talking and discussing things, even though in my nature, I am typically rather introverted.  We ended up talking for what was likely at least close to an hour about all manner of things.  He was a little vague about things specifically about himself, as probably was I, but when he gleaned that I was a biology professor, we ended up talking about all sorts of biology concepts and it was rather enjoyable.  He had a great deal of knowledge of a lot of topics, including biology, so talking with him soon became rather enjoyable and I felt more comfortable, and relaxed in our interactions.  

"Well, I am thinking I shall enjoy a bowl of my pipe tobacco...." he stated, as he again reached for his pouch and his pipe, "..... would you potentially now be interested in sampling my blend as well?"  

He had talked rather wistfully and eloquently about the small pipe shop that was in the village where he was during his younger years. Even though I still had no idea where that was nor where he was from, I could tell by his description of the shop, his enthusiasm about the various sights, sounds, and aromas of that shop, that he was very knowledgeable about pipes and his manner of speaking also felt completely sincere and heartfelt.  

"Well, I do have say that now I would feel rather PRIVILEGED to sample your pipe tobacco, but truth-be-told, I do worry that with your remaining supply being so limited, that I would feel guilty in shrinking your limited supply."

He smiled again, "That is not something that I would worry about.  I will always have enough for my needs...." as he slid the pouch a bit closer towards me.

His smile widened.

"Of course, if you want to, I could give you my whole pouch of Prince Albert if you would like it." I said half truthfully (to try to give him something in return) but also half jokingly (as it was a blend, pleasant as it was, that could be had anywhere). 

He chuckled at my statement, recognizing the joking aspect of the statement. "Thank you, but I already also have Prince Albert in my cellar.  It can be pleasant as well."

He looked down at his tobacco pouch and then back towards me.

We kept talking while I filled the bowl of my pipe.  Even before I half filled the bowl, I was very much enamored with all the delightful, varied aromas I could detect, and this was before lighting the bowl itself!  It almost seemed akin to a cornucopia of vegetative fragrances.  I could identify a spicy, almost cinnamon like aspect, oddly a pleasing scent akin to a bell pepper was also present, and also the aroma of a vine ripened tomato.... all in addition to the traditional earthy aroma of a traditional tobacco.... no seemingly artificial casings or flavorings were present..... just a lovely, rather firm, leafy texture.  It felt so natural and so unprocessed, that I could not discern any particular relationships to ANY of the myriad of different pipe tobaccos I had at home.  It seemed so unique and different.  

After a gentle clink of sound from opening the cap of my Zippo, I was just about to spin the wheel against the flint with my thumb....

"May I suggest these instead?" as he showed me in his hand, two small boxes of longer than typical, wooden matches.

I recapped the Zippo, and took the one, pro-offered box..... he kept the other to use for his own pipe.

"The match will not mute the subtle, natural flavors which your lighter could potentially mask." 

I scrapped the head of the match against the side of the box, and it erupted and ignited into flame.  I allowed it a few seconds to settle down and to burn through the sulfur of the head.  Bringing the match up to the bowl, I slowly drew in the flame, and the surface of the tobacco readily and evenly displayed a gentle red ember.

I glanced over at the fellow, and he was in synchrony with me with the lighting of his own pipe.

The flavors were indescribable.... but in the same vein, the flavors were everything imaginable.  It was as if every pipe tobacco I had ever experienced had some special, beautiful aspect of its flavor in this one bowl.  I could sense the smooth heartiness of a burley, but also a sharpness of a Virgina.  I could taste a spiciness of a Perique, and in a most subtle of ways sense a little tiny aspect of the harshness of a rustica. Other non-tobacco related flavors where also subtle throughout as well..... the aforementioned cinnamon hovered within a bit, but also hints of chocolate, hazelnut, vanilla, blueberry, and so many more that melded so uniformly together.

It was a pipe tobacco the like of which I had never experienced in such a fashion, before.  It had every flavor, every smoky texture of every pipe tobacco I have ever tried....... all in one bowlful, with such a subtle, beautiful balance that everything was individually simultaneously tangible and yet synergistically the total was more than the sum of its parts.  

I looked at the fellow, and saw he had his eyes closed while enjoying his pipe.  I could see the pure, unadulterated pleasure spread across his face.  

I could feel that same pleasure spread across my face and gently travel from my head to my feet.  I closed my eyes.... and simply experienced.

Eventually, my pipe extinguished, the leaf having completely converted to a fine, white ash.  I could sense that moment happen.  I opened my eyes, and the fellow was gone. I was on the bench alone, still the only folks about on the street, tending to the windows and sidewalks of their businesses.  

It felt simultaneously enriching and melancholic.  In some ways it felt like I had been allowed to experience all the beauty and art that the human experience has ever created..... all within that brief span of time.  But, in other ways it felt sad to be over.

And, it was truly, a pipe dream.

Addendum:  As I mentioned yesterday, I thought the "green hat" was a clue to me about perhaps how and why I had this beautiful dream.  My wife, a while back, bought for both she and I...  and eventually also our kids...... copies of the book "Theo of Golden", by Allen Levi.  I had never heard of the book before my wife gave me a copy, and I was perhaps a little suspicious that it might be a "Oprah" style "special" book as my wife tends to gravitate towards that way.  But, finally, about a week or so ago, I picked up the book and gave it a try.  I am the first to start the book in my family.  I am roughly into chapter 14 or so at the moment, and have to admit my wife was right..... it is (thus far) a perfect book for me (and I think it will be for her if/when she reads it).  I am truly enjoying the book.  But, the book is centering around an older gentleman who is giving away drawings of people that he meets...... and one feature that stuck out to me as I read the opening chapters was that he work a green, snap brim hat.  So, I think the book was inspired my mind to let me have the wonderfully vivid and joyful dream I had.    

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