Sometimes I feel like my life experiences have been so limited. Even when it comes to simple things. That’s what I said to myself as I sat at the bar of a local cigar lounge.
It was my first time smoking a cigar. The chocolate from the cigar paired with a red wine worked. It was strange, but at that moment, I thought, ‘This makes sense. I get it.”
It was also in that moment that, as smart as I think I am sometimes, I realized I didn’t have the slightest clue about what was in a cigar.
“What’s in a cigar?” I asked my best friend.
“Tobacco,” she replied.
I got quiet.
I’m really not a supporter of tobacco products. It’s just not my thing. I watched my grandmother struggle with lung cancer and chemo treatments. I told myself that I would never indulge in smoking. But there I was, sitting at a bar toking on a cigar.
I imagined the hairs (cilia) in my throat instantly laying down opening my body up to all the toxins in the world. I took another toke on the cigar, making sure not to inhale. I let the smoke roll out of my mouth and took another sip of wine. It was short-lived. I didn’t finish it, and I haven’t smoked a cigar since.
I’m sure it won’t be the last time I try something on this Black Like Us journey that I will never do again. But so far, cigar smoking is the first thing that I’ve tried out of all of the stories I’ve written that I am sure I will never revisit.
But that’s me.
Trends say that Black people in the cigar industry are growing, meaning more and more of us are smoking cigars, developing products, and opening lounges.
Part of this journey is also supporting Black businesses throughout the country.
For those who love cigar smoking or even are thinking about trying it out, I have a list of Black-owned cigar lounges and brands you might want to check out.
Black-owned cigar brands
Black-owned cigar lounges
(Notes from a Black Girl is only offered to our premium subscribers. The column features commentary and behind-the-scenes stories, videos, and images from my journey of self-discovery as I travel across the country telling stories and sharing experiences.)