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Reply to "Beck Speedster question"

My dad smoked a pipe for many many years. He likely started in the mid-fifties and continued until the mid-eighties. He also smoked cigarettes as did my mom. They both quit smoking altogether some time in the 80's. Lung cancer eventually took her life in 2007 but I'm sure quitting helped prolong her life. Both of their parents smoked cigarettes which is where they probably picked up the habit. I couldn't stand the smell of the cigarettes and even as a small child and I would let them know I didn't like it. They did their best not to smoke too much around us which was nice.

My dad's pipe was another matter. I liked the aroma that drifted from the pipe and you could always tell when he was in the house. Although, once, as a small child, I picked up the empty pipe from the ashtray, put it in my mouth, and drew back on the stem with a deep inhale. I just about puked right there on the spot. Apparently drawing on an empty pipe was nothing like smoking a pipe filled with good flavored tobacco. My dad smoked Borkum Riff Bourbon Whiskey and Borkum Riff Black Cavendish. Based on some pipes I looked at online I'd say he had Carey brand pipes and also some Dr. Grabow Pipes, They Need No Breaking In. He bought the tobacco in the tins and we took the empty tins to store our treasures in. This was when the lid for the tin was metal. He also smoked Amphora Extra Mild Cavendish.

There are numerous family photos from when we were all growing up. All of us kids would be in the family room, usually in our underwear that we wore as pajamas. The black and white would be on but no one was watching because we were all reading one book or another and my dad would be in his chair reading the daily paper. Interesting side-note is that no one in my family took up smoking. My brother has dabbled with a cigar once or twice a yer but no one smoked cigarettes and no one took up the pipe. For me it was probably that drag on his empty pipe that did it for me.

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