Cigar Tales

I am not a smoker per se...but I do like a good smoke once in a while... a good cigar with an inch of ash at the end and clouds of fine tobacco wrapped around me.by Barbara Nitke, from Leather Retreat 2004My father's father was a tobacconist for a period of time. Jack. He and his 2nd wife owned a chain of coffee and tobacco shops here in the NW after he retired off the railroad. He smoked a pipe from time to time. I have happy childhood memories involving the smell of good coffee and good tobacco. No cheap stuff thanks. On either. Jack drank though. He had severe diabetes and was on dialasys. I hear these things do not mix if done at the same time... one morning he didn't wake up. They ruled it accidental death.Thursday before camp this year Strider called me out of the blue to inform me that he'd arranged for me to do a high-end cigar photo shoot with Barbara Nitke- Barbara's time and skill as an artist, me as the model/makeup/costumes, and him with the high-end cigars and an eye for what cigar fetishists want. I was livid. I had JUST finished packing and he *just* wanted me to bring another corset, set of stockings or two, suit, and fedora. Ugh. I repacked.I looked at my nails and was like FUCK these things are trashed. Blessed be Mistress Luna Sea and her boyscout who took me to the nail salon to get these acrylics and matching pedicure in a deep red-brown with red highlights... perfect for the deep smoky tobacco color and I knew they'd reflect well next to an Opus X Cigar Band with it's gold and red elegance.At camp Sir Bobby and I had hoped to smoke up together but it never happened. We'd met over cigars at ShibariCon. I owe him a smoke.Cigars are a commitment. They are not the cheap thrill dance of a cigarette or clove. They are not the fling of a joint. Even a short smoke is a one hour promise to stay, sit, be, drink, live, discuss, and thrive. A fat smoke can be a longer commitment indeed. Sometimes I really like commitment.The cigar shoot went well all considering. Black long-bang wig, black pvc bra with pink detailing, orange and black tight-laced corset, black thong underwear, black girdle, black lace-top seamed stockings, open-toed platform stilleto heels... and a bright blue orthopedic brace. Add to that a Fuente Fuente Opus X. I speed smoked to get ash, huge clouds of smoke, mad scientist laughs, and some great winks.Second cigar was a Greycliff. Add a fedora and grey chinese suit jacket. Hot damn. Classy look, classy cigar.We also shot some pics of me with snuff on my chest offering a snuff spoon to the camera. I do not get that kink, but whatever.And yes, I wore the corset, heels, etc etc and leg brace on crutches to dinner that night.Last night, after a fabulous dinner with Duncan, Regina, her Wifit, Furry, Purple Goddess and her partner (bearing good booze and good food), daBlondechica, Coral (fabulous as always) and "the upstairs Adam" (my gods, great drinks, amazing food, and a great pressy from my Duncan)... The Furry One and I headed over to Dolphin 2 for strippers, drinks and most importantly, Tyadda and Carmine's bachelor/bachelorette party. I shared a rather good cigar, an H.Upmann #100, with Kara and PoetHeart. Fedora, black button-up shirt, jeans, heeled boots and brace- I ended up sharing the bar for a while with a guy who made me roll laughing at the end of the night.I was leaving and I stood near the door, exchanged a few woods with Furry, and he headed off. The guy from the bar came up and said "blew him off too?". "No," I said, "I sent my husband for the car.""You ain't married, you're a lesbian!""That too honey, I just happened to fall in love with a boy."he paused, thought, and responded."Damn, I could totally go for that." and wandered off into the night.The Upmann #100 is very mellow with a slightly choclaty undertaste. It was the first cigar I got to just enjoy in quite a while.I have a number of cigar scenes I need/want to do with Duncan. I got one series of pics of me ashing the OpusX into his hand (the only part of him to appear in the pics).If these pics turn out well, I may push forward as a formal cigar model.Gods I want a humidor.As a side note- I would love a subscription to Cigar Afficianado, either the magazine OR the online system. Just a side note :)