Zimagal Monthly Magazine - Volume One, Issue Ten

Cigar Culture
Introduction - A Reminscence
Cigar smoking has become the next big thing of late. When I was young, the family would come over to our house for the holidays. My Uncle Charlie would always smoke a cigar after dinner. I thought it was the most disgusting and smelly thing I have ever had the misfortune to be near.

My Grandfather and Uncle Frank, whom I lived with, both smoked cigarettes, which I found to be extremely foul. And my Dad was a pipe smoker; this I did not mind because I found the smell of pipe smoke to be pleasant. I even enjoyed trips to the tobacconist for then I was able to sniff the contents of the many jars of wonderously flavored tobaccos. But cigars really digusted me.

Many decades went by with nary a cigar in the house. My Dad picked up the cigarette habit in the mid-90s, and after much scolding from me, gave it up in favor of cigars. I wasn't sure whether I should be shocked and dismayed or pleased. Wasn't a cigar merely a "cancer stick" of another color? While it is true that smoking tobacco in any form may lead to lung cancer and other illnesses, cigar smoking, when done in moderation, poses much less risk. This is due to the fact that cigar smokers ordinarily do not inhale the smoke into the lungs. (Heavy inhalers do have as much risk of lung cancer as cigarette smokers.)

So now the dreaded cigars were a part of the household. Dad ordinarily only smokes in his office, with the door shut. By the pungency and freshness of the aroma wafting through the house, I can determine whether or not he is home. Sometimes I can even tell how long ago he left if he is not at home. I must admit, the smell of his cigars is not as offensive as that of Uncle Charlie's. Perhaps that is because my father pays more than a quarter apiece for his smokes.

Not only do I have to contend with a smoker in the house, I also have to put up with them socially. A former beau is also a cigar aficionado. He smoked at least one of the beasts every time we were out. He tends to favor mild smokes, and for some reason I did not find them to be too offensive. As long as there was a pack of Altoids handy for afterward, I was ok with it. In fact, I preferred his cigar smoking to his cigarette smoking, but I suppose I really didn't have much say in the matter either way.
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