I have never smoked and hope that I don’t step on too many toes when I write this post.
I am not crazy about people who smoke who do not respect me enough to NOT blow smoke my way or who walk down a street with a lit cigarette dangling from a hand so that the smoke continuously goes at me as I walk behind.
I know how hard it is to quit; I have had many friends and family who went through that ordeal and I certainly felt for them but was so proud when the effort paid off.
Hard to believe that not very long ago smoking was still permitted in restuarants here and even a shorter time ago, smoking was allowed at entrances to buildings and store fronts(so that every time the door opened a fresh plume of smoke would happily come inside)
When I worked at the hospital it wasn’t very long ago that even the patients were allowed to smoke, in their rooms(including in the FOUR bed wards!!!) There they would be, puffing away and heaven help the roommates if they were adverse or allergic to the smell of smoke.
I worked in one area where patients were placed when ALMOST ready to return to their regular lives but needed a bit of time getting used to a new diet and so on. So they were almost self sufficient and would come to the cafeteria that was just for them(where I worked) to get their meals, servery style.
After dinner, while I did the dishes(the kitchen was open to the dining room) many of them would gather to play cards, chat and (you guessed it) SMOKE! The smoke would be SO thick that my eyes would be tearing up from it’s irritants as I tried to continue cleaning the trays and kitchen.
In later years, when smoking was not permitted inside, some patients would congrigate WITH THEIR OXYGEN tanks and IV POLES just outside the main entrance to smoke. WHY they weren’t blown away from the contact between the oxygen and the smoke is amazing …
Things have certainly IMPROVED since then but the last stalwarts still make their presence felt.
These days, if I am around when you light a cigarette , please don’t be offended if I cough or ask you to step outside…it is NOT a slur against YOU but simply the smoke…
We were trying to book a one week holiday to somewhere(ANYWHERE..LOL)but good heavens, the price of such trips make our annual jaunt to Hawaii positively a giveaway.
Well it is fast becoming the time of year when the international students are just about ready to move out(on Saturday) while the residents advisors are starting to move IN….
