When did you first 'notice' cigars?

[mobarbq]

I was doing some thinking about when I first remembered cigars. My dad ran a little country store (back then we didn't call them convenience stores) and sold cigars, mainly Swisher Sweets and Canadian Club varieties. We had a lot of old farmers come in and buy cigars and chewing tobacco, so I remember them, of course.

But for me, my big introduction, was from seeing auctioneers in action. In the midwest, auctions are really a big cultural event and it fascinated me to see and hear them doing their chants with their cigar held in the corner of their mouth. Doing the spiel they do is hard enough, but I was especially interested to see them do it with a cigar in their mouth. The younger guys nowadays don't seem to employ a cigar as the old timers did. Anyone else remember auctioneers when they still "used" cigars? "Well, whaddya goin' give me fer him, boys? Who'll give me seventy five? Seventy-five and a half, half...now half."



Auctioneer named Bexley from Lockhart, Texas in cattle ring.