Herman by Jim Unger for October 03, 2024

“A pipe gives a wise man time to think and a fool something to stick in his mouth.”― C.S. Lewis

Somebody tell him to pipe down.

And that’s just the first outlay. Then there is choosing just the right mix of flavors for the ‘special’ blend, then a tamper, cleaning picks, reamer, tobacco pouch, matches or lighter [the many versions of the latter make for interesting reading], ash trays, the ash dust on clothes, etc. It just keeps getting better.

For many beginners that lasted about 6 months to a year, then the pipe and gear were put aside for more convenient methods of destroying their lungs.

Tracy-Mincer (sp?) was a small pipe making business here in Indy. (It may still be in operation.) Decades ago, the business was located on the near south side of the city in the former Jackson Building, which stands a few blocks from the Circle. There were a number of small businesses situated there back in the 70s (when it was the Morris Building, then the Farris Building), and one or two larger ones such as the Library Bindery. Tracy-Mincer made custom pipes, and, probably, lines of “standard” ones, too. The Jackson building (now owned by Eli Lilly) has an interesting history. Built circa 1907, it was the first, or nearly the first, large building designed and built as a 100% re-enforced concrete structure. Its floors, exterior walls, stairways, and load bearing interior supports are all re-enforced concrete. The edifice is 7 stories tall with ceiling heights of about 10 to 12 feet. The original eponymous owners, the Jackson Brothers, were clothing manufacturers who concentrated on work clothing. They occupied the 7th floor.

The corncob pipe still has some kernels on it.

He’s shooting you a look, dude.

I am pretty “experienced” at this time of my life and my wife and travel some but, I cannot remember the last time I saw somebody smoking a pipe. Just sayin’.

I haven’t seen anyone smoking a pipe in years.

Does it come with a bottle of bubble fluid?

It’s plastic, don’t get it too hot.

My grandfather smoked a pipe when I was a young girl. I really missed it when he quit smoking back in the early 60’s. The pipe tobacco always smelled good.

Why anyone wants to smoke anything i’ll never understand.

That is not a pipe.

My FIL was frugal, so he mixed in some good tobacco with the cheap stuff.

“….And then there’s the expense of treating mouth cancer.”

I smoked a pipe in my twenty’s and I found he better it smelled the worse it smoked. I think I settled on Prince Albert in a can.

If this “Herman” comic was printed 100 years ago, there might not be much humor. (Maybe $3.00 for a pipe would just sound outrageous).

Careful, dude. He might take his 3 dollars elsewhere.