Cigar boxes

What a prized possession a cigar box was when I was growing up. Of course, I knew no one who actually smoked cigars, but how I coveted a cigar box my dad had.


Think about it. You could store all kinds of things in a cigar box -- fish hooks, Esterbrook pens and pencils, handkerchiefs, jewelry, valentines, stamps, etc.

I wanted a cigar box really bad. I asked my father where he got his. He said, "I just went into Joe's and asked for one. Joe's was a small shop on The Pike that sold cigars, cigarettes, magazines, and had a soda fountain. Joe's really wasn't a 5 & 10, but it did carry some other things that I loved, but, of course, had no money for.

So, I at the age of 8 or 9 walked the two blocks down to Joe's and asked Joe if he had any empty cigar boxes he could give me. He told me he didn't, but that he would save one for me and to stop back in another time and pick it up.

Those weren't the days of cell phones, so he didn't think of calling me or my dad to tell me the cigar box was ready.

Thus began my daily "nag". I stopped in his shop every day on the way home from school to see if he had a cigar box for me. I guess he got tired of seeing me, because after about a month -- at least it seemed like a month, because I wanted a cigar box so badly -- I got my box!

The picture above isn't necessarily the same box that I received, but it is a representation of what a cigar box is. Back then they were wood, covered in pretty paper. Aren't they made of cardboard covered in logos now? Anyway, I got my box. Nobody told me how awful it would smell. It smelled of cigars! Go figure.

I got it home, and had to air it out -- I opened it up and let it sit for a few days, still it smelled of cigars, and I wasn't about to put any of my precious articles into that smelly thing. Finally after many days of airing out, mom gave me a potpourri bag and I put that in the cigar box. After a few days it didn't stink any more, but it was a delicious blend of lavender and cigar!

It was now ready to receive my precious belongings.