My favorite pipe

I've seen favorite pipe threads pop up from time to time but I figured this one deserved a thread of its own.

My favorite pipe is a Royal House LTD briar that was won in a poetry contest while I was deployed to Afghanistan. I can't remember who sent it to me but you, sir, have my undying thanks! While I was there the pipe suffered an attack from a 120mm rocket. Well...the rocket impacted about 50 yards from my tent. A nice chunk of shrapnel (which I still have) ricochet'd around my tent and put a "nice" gouge in my pipe. About a year and a half ago I was smoking it in my Jeep and almost had an accident with a truck. The pipe went flying and the stem broke off when it hit my gear shifter. Since then it has been languishing in my "broke box" with a couple other broken pipes. I finally managed to get it to a repair shop. The guy looked it over and asked if I wanted him to repair the gouge. After hearing the story behind it he said "never mind". Instead of just replacing the stem he did a full restoration on it and polished it up beautifully! He only charged me for the stem replacement and gave me a couple ounces of his own private blend! A stand up guy and he has earned my business for as long as I am in this area!

The gouge does not affect the smokablity of the pipe at all and it remains my all time favorite pipe.

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In case anyone was curious, this is the poem that won the pipe:

Mortars, rockets all around,
Smoke and fire upon the ground.

Wild eyes and combat stress,
What I'd like is just to rest.

But up at dawn without a break,
A cup of coffee I must take.

A little time to settle down,
And puff this flakey leaf of brown.

Oasis for the weary soul,
Contained within this little bowl.

For a while the world is nice,
As I puff this piece of paradise.

Now I'm done but wanting more,
I go to face this place of war.

It waits for me while I must roam,
This pipe of mine and thoughts of home.

Cool story, cool pipe, and cool poem.
Thanks for sharing, and thank you for serving!

In all seriousness, I credit taking up the pipe with getting me out of Afghanistan with my sanity more or less intact.

Have to say my Randy Wiley pipes are my favorite, I have a couple and they all fit natural with me.