Smoking Cigars and Sipping Brandy

First of all, I have never smoked a cigar nor sipped brandy.

However, when I was growing up, my grandpa and his close friend at the time, Mr. Daranciang, would spend the better part of our parties sitting around, drinking brandy and talking about the ways of the world. I did not take part of such conversations, and most of the adults in the room seldom ventured into deep subjects. I grew up thinking that to be an adult was to be able to hold your own in those politically heavy conversations.

Yes, folks, I wanted to be part of the exclusive club of armchair rulers who build empires (even in their own mind) in a smoke filled room.

Sadly, Mr. Daranciang died (may he rest in peace) since then, and most of my grandfather's friends have also passed away or don't live nearby. But the biggest difference is...my grandfather has a hard time hearing.

Back to my story.

One random Friday afternoon, I bumped into a two former customers of mine. One of them, Bruce, liked to have intelligent conversations. While I was working at Starbucks, I had to stop the conversations mostly due to time and the fact that I couldn't talk about certain subjects.

Ah, the curse of the green apron.

Since then, Bruce and I have had some conversations, but he said he held back a couple of times because he didn't know if I would hold my own without getting emotional. I didn't think of it as a bad thing...I was, as of late, unpracticed in debate. (Sorry for the unfortunate rhyme.)
But this day was different. In my answer to the question "Who do you like for a presidential candidate?" we found ourselves deep into a conversation about Senator Clinton. In midst of my diatribe, Bruce nodded and said, "That was very well put."

I was elated.

He egged me on to other current events and situations. The brandies were replaced by coffees. And the cigars...well, Bruce was the only one who smoked. My answer to a question grew into a hour and a half political debate. We chased every rabbit that we could find. We didn't necessarily disagree or agree on any issue, but what I had learned from my grandfather and Mr. Daranciang, that doesn't matter in these Armchair Conversations. A debate isn't about winning, its about talking about issues that are worth talking about.

At the end of the conversation, Bruce said, "You did great. You did really great." He was impressed.

I held my own.

I beamed at the compliment I had worked so hard to get from my grandpa. And although I may never get to share that conversation with him, I knew that he would have been proud.

At least I hope so.

And no...I'm not ready for that cigar or brandy.

Currently watching : Scrubs - The Complete Fourth Season