Cigar Convo with my Dad

"2017 Trinidad, California: Marc, Sheryl, Adam & Dad"


As my Dad approaches 90 in September, I have come to lovingly refer to him as seasoned. He gets a kick out of it and laughs every time I tell him that. His hearty laugh is the same as the first time versus the 8th time. I do try and make him laugh. It brings me great joy. 

I enjoy our talks and as I've gotten older, I am aware of the nuances in the conversation: 
when it's going good we talk for awhile, or when Dad wants to get off and mow the yard, or when he is watching the Golden State Warriors and wants to get off quick to get back to the game! 

When I called him this year on Father's Day, we spoke about my recent morning at Cigars International. I had enjoyed a spicy Bloody Mary made with bacon vodka and a Blue Cohiba Robusto  cigar. I like my Bloody Mary's spicy and my cigars mild to medium. It was a good combo which I would have again. 

I recounted how I used to smoke Backwoods cigars during my fraternity years and still enjoy them whilst camping. They bring a certain ruggedness which camping calls for. When I'm relaxing on my deck, I often go for the smaller Cohiba cigarillos for a quick smoke with my favorite whisky or Scotch. 

Dad and I were having such a nice talk. I love hearing stories from his life which I have not heard before. Dad recounted a story to me of how he was once hired to paint a home built by the granddaughter of the legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright, Mrs. Elizabeth Wright Ingraham.

It was a particularly difficult job due to zoning variances with a property of such historical and architectural significance. There were things you could and could not do to such a property. It had to be a certain type of wood, a certain type of paint, a certain type of color, etc. 

Dad set about to do this difficult painting job and it began to take much longer than expected. But the lucky reward?  At the end of the day the owner brought out two Havana Cuban cigars for my Dad and him to smoke from his own personal stash. Needless to say, Dad extended the painting project by a couple of days just so he could enjoy some more of those Cubans! Not a bad bonus if you ask me! 😊

I couldn't believe I hadn't heard this story from his before. But I'm sure there are many others I haven't heard about as well which is why each conversation with him is so precious. 

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