One of the grand vitolas of old Cuba

[LiLo]

amazing stuff nick! And by the way, i will have some Vermont maple syrup heading your way

[nivanov]

Our hero is caught in a dilemma, as the gorgeous Josephine bats her pretty eyes, he thinks about virtue family and tradition, "it's not worth it", he whispers under his breath.

Qu'est-ce que vous avez dit? (what did you say?)

I'm happily married and .....................

He did not get to finish the sentence, Josephine became furious and flung the contents of her glass in his face !

He felt the burning sensation of a cognac cocktail in his eyes.

He thought that this was the end....the end of a lead to a stash of pre embargo cigars, he didn't expect the adventure to take an amorous twist though!

He was surprised when Josephine smiled and said, j'admire un homme vertueux!

Ahh! how can you understand women, amorous one minute, angry the next!

Alors, qu'avez-vous pensé de cette boîte cubaine de Henri Clays?

Our hero said, they're not Cuban!

Pardon? Es-tu me traites de menteur, sortez! (What, are you calling me a liar, get out!)

He got up quickly and wiped his face of the remnants of the cognac, it's true they're not Cuban I can prove it!

As he started to leave she said, stop!

Bien sûr, vous avez raison! (Of course, you are right.)

Très bien, vous êtes un connaisseur.

Our hero turned to face her and as he did, he realized that she was holding something behind her back, for a moment he thought, is it a gun?

In her hand she was holding a cube shaped box, instantly he recognized it!

Henry Clay pre embargo! His heart jumped as he looked at the wonderfully preserved box with all of the telltale markings that said to him that this was the real McCoy !

[nivanov]

He wanted to look inside, but she said, j'ai faim (I'm hungry).

I guess it will have to wait until after we eat.............................to be continued.........

[cigarros]

And my 5 cents. Scan picks from my collection:

[nivanov]

Nice bands!

I wonder what our hero will find, perhaps a band that has not been seen? Who knows? Maybe cigar beetles, LOL!

[cigarros]

HdM Churchill. Good ash!

[android]

Good stuff bro...keep it coming

[cigarros]

Good stuff bro...keep it coming

Thank you! Ash lenght was 8,5 cm (~ 3 1\2 inch)....

[nivanov]

Je connais un café dans la rue où nous pouvons prendre une bouchée à manger.

(I know a cafe down the street where we can grab a bite to eat.)

Darn, guess I can wait to see what's inside that box of Clay's, but they smell fantastic!

Josephine dressed quickly and was ready in a flash, half way down the block was a cafe called "The Maltese Falcon"

As we walked into the the dimly lit cafe, a piano player was playing a familiar tune, allons nous asseoir ici (let's sit here) she said, on peut manger, parler d'avant l'embargo ou de fumée, danser, chanter, parler, boire, fumer, parler, boire, etc

(we can eat, talk pre embargo or smoke, dance, sing, talk, drink, smoke, talk, drink, etc)

"The Maltese Falcon" hmmmmm let's see

[nivanov]

Josephine ate the light snack of cheese, caviar & roasted red peppers, the waiter brought two glasses of Warre's vintage port.

She was tight lipped and would not talk about that secret stash of pre embargos!

He had the urge to light up and remembered the box of pre embargo High Life tubos he had in his coat pocket, didn't want to open those but I guess that will do!

[nivanov]

High life...............that's the sensation that hit him when he took his first puff, it's the high life, ahhh!

Josephine looked at him and said, cent mille (hundred thousand).

Damn she's a tough negotiator!

Your Henry Clay box was fake, I say! Maybe you have more fakes?

No, she says and proceeds to tell me a story about how her father died and was killed by a "Ramon Allones Canon Shell"!!

Hogwash I say there is no such thing!

Vous insolent! she says

Je vais vous montrer, j'ai conservé la preuve! (I will show you, I kept the evidence!)

We walk quickly back to her place and she swings the door open and heads directly to the wall safe, after dialing the combination she says,

Tiens, regarde, tu vois! (Here, look, you see!)

My mouth drops open, I don't know what to say! I have never seen anything like it!

[nivanov]

To be continued.................

[purosdave]

That shell is quite possibly the coolest piece of cigar memorabilia I have ever seen. Where does he get those wonderful toys?

[Jimmy2]

Great stuff !!! how do you find stuff like this ?

[demiurgic]

Great stuff from an era gone by. Thanks for showing us it existed, and was glorious!

[LiLo]

more more more!

[nivanov]

The author must rest this weekend....has been sick......needs to re-charge creativity.....has ideas, a plot twist or two!

I don't want to keep all of you guessing about the contents of the Henry Clay box and bands.......therefore, our hero, "Johnny 38 Cigar" has secretly smuggled out a pic of the contents and sent it to me..............

[cgarner]

ah very nice, indeed.

[jfury76]

Those look absolutely pristine.....amazing!!!

[nivanov]

This one is for "Lafición" get well my friend!

Certainly this Edith Piaf song "No, I don't regret anything" captures my thoughts perfectly..............may hearing it give you renewed strength and zest for life!