You say stalkers...

On the phone again. This is getting to be a way of life. And a permanent "Get out of blame" card for all errors because the letters are so so so little. 

Anyway, as I was saying, you say "stalker" and we say "obsessed fans also in search of a good time and a better cigar."

And that's how we've already managed to be in two cigar shops over the course of a few hours. 

I blame these guys, who are now BFFs. 

Our hero on the left and La Aurora's Master Blender Manuel Inoa on the right.  
(Hi Julio, lurking innocently in the background!)

Valentino and I currently live in an area where a cigar shop resides on every third corner. (Hyperbole, but not by much.) 

When cigar celebrities come to town, Rhode Island offers many an opportunity to meet the smokers. So during their travels today, La Aurora's Master Blender Manuel Inoa and the company's New England rep Willy Marante wound up at our home base, Habanos in Pawtucket, RI. 

We scurried over to greet our new besties, which is so much better than standing outside while staring in the plate-glass windows, especially when it's as humid and hot as it is today! Many photo ops occurred, because these guys are super kind and fantastic and welcoming. 

Sometimes you need a good montage. And here it is!

Thanks Willy! And yes, that is me in the white shirt.

Consider yourself lucky that my pic was included--otherwise, well, you know..

.there is that one other picture somewhere on this blog. Somewhere. 

 

Valentino partook of the ever-awesome 100 Anos again, as he did last night. Still magically delicious!

Then they headed to Mr. Cigar in North Providence, where I just happened to be right now. Purely coincidental!

(I'm a terrible liar. I know that.)

What's that? You're hankering for another montage? Here you go! These feature Anthony and Rosa, who own Mr. Cigar. 

Because Valentino depleted his La Aurora 100 Anos over the past couple of days, we wiped out Mr. Cigar's shelf stash. I believe another evil laugh is in order. Join me! Bwah hahahaha!

I can't say where they're heading next (not a lie), but I'm positive there's no way I can keep up with them. We'll have to turn to Valentino for special reports, which I'll Internet for him. (I'm nice like that.) I'm already tired and I've done nothing today but plan a class for a rapidly-approaching fall semester. (Fair warning, students: Lots of homework. Bwah hahaha!)