Yes, children, gather round. You think it's tough here, and it is, a little. But it's not like it was. Kindly, well meaning pointers, criticisms apologetic and subjective. It used to be different. Giants roamed the land, men of power, and not to be trifled with. Their word was law, to disobey the law was to be scorned, if you were lucky. Of their ilk, one stood taller yet, one I shall never forget: Rod Davies.
Yes, it was Rod who told us that beauty was skin deep but amateur was to the bone. Rod who told us "Don't do that."
Rod's pipes were fun. They were good. They incorporated ideals from many aesthetic influences, and they came together in tidy little packages that people like to own. He evoked whimsy and expertise at a single stroke. His pipes ranged from sinuous to outright blocky, and goddam it, they all worked. Just like that.
I met the man. Yes. He came up to my table in Chicago, these years ago. And he picked up a pipe of mine. He looked me in the eye as he jammed his thumb into the pipe and spun it round. I quavered. I could not speak. But Rod spoke. And I'll never forget it. He said "Hey man, is that coffee up front free?"
It was the greatest moment of my life.
So here's to you Rod, we miss your cranky ass, sort of. Sometimes. Not really.
But I made this here pipe, and when I had it all drawn out, I said to myself "That there is a pipe Rod Davies might have liked." So here it is.
Made from briar, just like a Rod Davies pipe, and it has a stem. I learned these things from Rod. Oh and it's a goofy shape and all curvy, and there's a fun little adornment that hopefully adds to the piece. Just like Rod Davies.
So here's to you, Rod.
Hope this helps.
