Smoking: The Dark Side of the Truth

WARNING: Bugging Me About My Smoking Can Be Hazardous to Your Health

This is for all you smoking Nazi's out there. Yes, you lot, who through some sense of superiority to fallible man have determined that the smoking public's value has somehow been lessoned by an addictive drug more powerful than any vial thing out of the laboratories of science and chemistry in the last 200+ yrs.

Yes, I smoke. This affects me and several million others around the world, but it does NOT effect you. You have chosen to cut people who smoke out of your life. For better or for worse, this decision is yours to make. I don't judge you for that.

What I do judge you for, is what you do AFTER you judge us smokers.

DON'T TELL ME WHAT I ALREADY KNOW

I walked into a convenience store the other day. I was out of smokes. I had the money to pay for them in my hand, and I walked directly up to the empty counter and ordered my particular brand.

"Cigarettes Are Bad For You." a voice behind me said.

"Stupidity is worse." I retorted without turning around.

"What do you mean by that?" she snapped.

What I said next probably terrorized her more than I had initially intended, but the effect was the same. I turned to face her. She couldn't have been in college yet, maybe just old enough to start smoking.

"Lady, lets look at this logically." I started, "You believe that with all the negative advertising, all the warning labels, and all the little hints and tips, well meaning ladies, like yourself, drop on me in public places, like here, that; 'I don't know that cigarettes are bad'."

"What you fail to see" I continued, "is the obvious fact that; I am 40 years old, and you don't know me at all."

I paused for dramatic effect.

"But!" I continued, " You could have learned a little bit about me before you said anything at all, if you had paid attention."

"I'm dressed for riding that motorbike out there. Fact is I pulled into a convenience store and parked right up to the building. Ergo, I don't need gas. I probably have plenty in the tank." I explained.

"I didn't go to the cooler for beer, or to the snack isle, so chances are pretty good that I don't need those things.

"I came to the counter and asked for cigarettes. Why? I could be low, or I could be out of cigarettes.