The Old Meerschaum Pipe

By Ava Bee Masterson

     This is a Meerschaum pipe, it was passed down from my great-great grandfather Max Tost to my grandfather William Tost. Max was born in Stuttgart Germany and immigrated to NYC then to Chicago and finally to Michigan. He brought the pipe everywhere he went. He arrived to NYC in 1905.
     It’s special because it’s the only thing we have from Max, plus it makes William nostalgic because they had a lot of fun together and they had a close relationship. He wishes Max lived longer. The pipe is with my grandfather William. William doesn’t use the pipe but it’s for keeping Max’s memory alive.
     When I hold the pipe I feel a connection to Max like he’s here. Sometimes when I see the pipe I imagine Max blowing his pipe. The handle fell off and it turned brown from the smoke, it used to look white but not anymore. We keep it in a hard leather case. He had the pipe in all his home movies. Like I said, I feel a connection to Max from the pipe even though he’s dead I still love him.
 

– ABM

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more