04-21-2006, 01:51 PM
Well folks, it seems The Parkster is now officially connected in Azerbiajan.
My company have put me into a very nice, new, posh hotel (Called the Park Inn would you believe) right on the boulavard in Baku. Nice place, and they dont mind that I spark up a stogie while sippin a whisky and reading my book in the guest lounge.
I have smoked a couple of cigars there since coming back in from the rig I am contracted to, and since this place is full of suits, and yours truly is normally sitting around in jeans and a T shirt (Merced Harley - thanks LZ) I normally dont get much attention from folks ...... not worthy or something like that.
Anyway, last night a few guys in dark suits sat at the table next to mine, a few other guys sprinkled themselves around the place, complete with clear plastic wires leading to their ear pieces. I even managed to catch a climpse of a shooter or two tucked inside jackets.
Yours truly was puffing on a Sopranos (cheers Mark)and minding his own business, half way through Stephen Kings "Christine" (read it about 4 times now) when I was asked if I would like a drink by the waitress.
Now I am not in the habit of taking a drink from a stranger, and The Parkster scowl (quite famous now) was well and truly on when I was informed that the drink was from a man. I said no thank you and tipped my metaphorical cap to the gent.
No more than 2 seconds passed and a BIG guy in a black suit asked me to come over to the table of the gent whom I had just refused a drink from.
THIS IS WHERE IT GETS GOOD SO BEAR WITH ME.
I decided to bluff it, as well as the fact that I am nobodies lap dog, and dont run when whistled for, so told man mountain, that there were three spare seats at my table ..... none at his, and that if he would like a word, he was more than welcome to pull up a chair.
Long silence
Man mountain was either stunned, or shitting himself at the prospect of telling the boss I had knocked him back a second time.
The next thing I know, the boss and A.N Other, came up to my table and extended a hand, greeted me with the usual Salam, and asked if he could have a word.
Standard Parkster responce was ..... pull up a pue.
He asked about me first, and I told him that it was polite where I come from to introduce yourself properly first, and so it was that I found myself in the company of Vitalay, Chief of Police for Baku.
He was first of all curious as to who I was, what I was doing in Baku etc etc, but the reason became clear when he asked what I was smoking.
I gave him the run-down on the CAO in my face and he listened with genuine interest while I told him about it. He then asked if I had ever smoked any Cuban cigars and was pleased when I gave him a bit of a potted history of my cigar journey.
Then came the question I had been waiting for, I was asked what else I had in my case, at the time it was an Opus X and an empty slot where the Soprano had been.
OPUS X?
What followed was a great sales pitch by me for Fuente cigars, and the more I touched on the exclusivity of the brand, and how difficult they were to come by, the more I could see his eye's light up. Now at this point I was tempted to wait it out and MAKE him ask me for the Opus, but decided that my blatent disrespect to him twice was enough of a win for me in one night, so I asked him if he would like to try the Opus with my compliments.
Lots of fuss, handshakes, startled looks by folks throughout the bar and a promise that if I should ever have any problems I should call or simply mention his name, and a promise that he will keep an eye out for me in future so that we can share a cigar.
So, there you have it ....... Fuente shop in Baku by the end of the year maybe? I would not be surprised if the other designers that are here are anything to go by.
And to cap it all off, Parkster has some MIB's as back up if required.
I'm gonna get that mosque - stogie combo yet.
My company have put me into a very nice, new, posh hotel (Called the Park Inn would you believe) right on the boulavard in Baku. Nice place, and they dont mind that I spark up a stogie while sippin a whisky and reading my book in the guest lounge.
I have smoked a couple of cigars there since coming back in from the rig I am contracted to, and since this place is full of suits, and yours truly is normally sitting around in jeans and a T shirt (Merced Harley - thanks LZ) I normally dont get much attention from folks ...... not worthy or something like that.
Anyway, last night a few guys in dark suits sat at the table next to mine, a few other guys sprinkled themselves around the place, complete with clear plastic wires leading to their ear pieces. I even managed to catch a climpse of a shooter or two tucked inside jackets.
Yours truly was puffing on a Sopranos (cheers Mark)and minding his own business, half way through Stephen Kings "Christine" (read it about 4 times now) when I was asked if I would like a drink by the waitress.
Now I am not in the habit of taking a drink from a stranger, and The Parkster scowl (quite famous now) was well and truly on when I was informed that the drink was from a man. I said no thank you and tipped my metaphorical cap to the gent.
No more than 2 seconds passed and a BIG guy in a black suit asked me to come over to the table of the gent whom I had just refused a drink from.
THIS IS WHERE IT GETS GOOD SO BEAR WITH ME.
I decided to bluff it, as well as the fact that I am nobodies lap dog, and dont run when whistled for, so told man mountain, that there were three spare seats at my table ..... none at his, and that if he would like a word, he was more than welcome to pull up a chair.
Long silence
Man mountain was either stunned, or shitting himself at the prospect of telling the boss I had knocked him back a second time.
The next thing I know, the boss and A.N Other, came up to my table and extended a hand, greeted me with the usual Salam, and asked if he could have a word.
Standard Parkster responce was ..... pull up a pue.
He asked about me first, and I told him that it was polite where I come from to introduce yourself properly first, and so it was that I found myself in the company of Vitalay, Chief of Police for Baku.
He was first of all curious as to who I was, what I was doing in Baku etc etc, but the reason became clear when he asked what I was smoking.
I gave him the run-down on the CAO in my face and he listened with genuine interest while I told him about it. He then asked if I had ever smoked any Cuban cigars and was pleased when I gave him a bit of a potted history of my cigar journey.
Then came the question I had been waiting for, I was asked what else I had in my case, at the time it was an Opus X and an empty slot where the Soprano had been.
OPUS X?
What followed was a great sales pitch by me for Fuente cigars, and the more I touched on the exclusivity of the brand, and how difficult they were to come by, the more I could see his eye's light up. Now at this point I was tempted to wait it out and MAKE him ask me for the Opus, but decided that my blatent disrespect to him twice was enough of a win for me in one night, so I asked him if he would like to try the Opus with my compliments.
Lots of fuss, handshakes, startled looks by folks throughout the bar and a promise that if I should ever have any problems I should call or simply mention his name, and a promise that he will keep an eye out for me in future so that we can share a cigar.
So, there you have it ....... Fuente shop in Baku by the end of the year maybe? I would not be surprised if the other designers that are here are anything to go by.
And to cap it all off, Parkster has some MIB's as back up if required.
I'm gonna get that mosque - stogie combo yet.
