my Grandad used to smoke a pipe
he kept all his smoking paraphernalia in a pouch
smoking a pipe was such a ceremony
the pouch contained a tin of unrubbed tobacco
rubbed and ready to use tobacco was loose in the bottom
a box of swan matches
and he had pipe cleaners
as kids we never knew what pipe cleaners were for but we had great fun making models with them
he also had a pipe smokers penknife
the penknife had a blade at one end and a tamper at the other
this was an important part of the ceremony
Grandad would carefully cut up the solid roll of tobacco with the blade
then he'd rub it with his fingers inside of the pouch making it ready for use
then he'd carefully and precisely load the pipe bowl with a measure of tobacco
and using the tamper
he'd push the tobacco firmly into the bowl
I can still hear him drawing hard on the pipe
and the strike of the match on the box
I can see the lit match hovering over the bowl
the flame disappearing into the pipe with every draw
as he did
his lips would smack on the mouthpiece
then
once successfully lit
he'd expel the smoke with great triumph into the air with his head tilted back.
he also have a large silver lighter
the lighter had been presented to him by his work mates at the pit where he'd spent most of his working life
the large engraved lighter stayed on the side table
it was part of the ceremony
but was rarely used
we'd occasionally light it
once lit and functioning well
a look of great pleasure came across his face as he dragged purposefully on the pipe
the smoke which filled the room didn't seem to bother anyone
I can smell it now
it was just what happened when Grandad smoked his pipe
anyway
Grandad enjoyed it
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