By a Concerned Citizen with a Deep Love of Irony (and Medium-Full Bodied Cigars)
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times—depending, of course, on your cigar cut, your draw quality, and whether you remembered to bring a lighter.
On Wednesday, Feb. 25, a loosely organized but highly spirited faction of Robson Ranch residents will once again assemble under the stars, behind closed gates, and well outside the reach of proper literary criticism to celebrate not just the fine art of smoking cigars … but the birthday of one Charles John Huffam Dickens, a man who surely never saw Arizona coming.
Why Dickens? Why Not?
Dickens gave us Ebenezer Scrooge, Oliver Twist, and at least nine books we all pretended to finish. He introduced the world to debtors’ prisons, emotional guilt via ghosts, and the idea that any story worth telling should take a minimum of 700 pages to resolve.
And now, he gives us an excuse to light up, loosen up, and lean into a night of neighborly nonsense that—mercifully—doesn’t require a library card or period-appropriate footwear.
What Is This Mysterious Gathering, You Ask?
It’s called the Robson Ranch Cigar Meetup, and it takes place on the last Wednesday of every month at a very undisclosed location. It is a gathering of like-minded smoke enthusiasts who believe deeply in three things:
1. Community.
2. Good cigars.
3. Keeping the HOA slightly confused, but not alarmed.
February’s gathering promises an evening of robust tobacco, exaggerated storytelling, and a prize drawing full of items you neither need nor expect—but will absolutely fight to win. Victorian costumes are not required, but if you show up in a cravat, no one’s stopping you.
When: Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: That’s on a need-to-know basis—and you, dear reader, need to know.
Join the inner circle at www.cigarmeetup.us to receive the secret location and an informal wink from the organizers.
What to Expect
* Cigars: Hand-rolled elegance or last-minute gas station grabs—we don’t judge (out loud).
* Beverages: BYOB, unless your friend brought something better.
* Conversation: Topics range from golf lies and grandkid updates to deep philosophical debates like “Do flavored cigars count?”
* Companionship: A ragtag group of retirees, rebels, and accidental philosophers—held together by nicotine and nostalgia.
* Literary Ambition: We guarantee at least one person will attempt a Dickens quote and another will fake recognizing it.
Why Attend?
Because in a world of endless emails, frozen leftovers, and online bill pay, there is still something wonderfully absurd about gathering outdoors on a Wednesday night to celebrate the birthday of a man born in 1812 … with a Montecristo and a Solo cup.
It is, in the truest Dickensian sense, a gathering of characters.
So join us. Don’t delay. The location is secret. The humor is dry. The cigars are smoldering. And somewhere, Charles Dickens is absolutely not rolling in his grave—he’s raising a ghostly eyebrow and saying, “Well played, gentlemen … well played.”
For coordinates, confidences, and camaraderie, visit:
www.cigarmeetup.us
No RSVP required. Just bring your cigar, your curiosity, and your tolerance for bad British accents.