Last week while pounding the streets of Charlotte for my next sales opportunity, I was approaching the Duke Energy building (The tallest signature building in the city). And there they were, the corporate parolees…the smokers who gather at all the entrances throughout corporate America as if they have been sentenced to do time at the entrances due to their addictions. Now I must say, I am thankful that I have never put a cigarette to my mouth. I will tell you that story in a minute. Why is it that corporate America or smokers in general, feel that the best place to light up and share their disgusting habit is on the front stoop in public. What makes them think it is OK for them to exhale their smoke for everyone to enjoy. The best part is when they light up on the beach…oh yes, that’s what I enjoy the most. Heading to the beach to enjoy the ocean view, put your toes in the sand and suck in some second hand smoke from the inconsiderate asshole 4 blankets away.Why has it become necessary for me to go inside a building to get a breath of fresh air. I think minimally if you want to smoke in public they should be made to ask everyone who might have to partake in their lung killing journey permission. Ask everyone within 3 blocks on Tryon street (Uptown Charlotte) or 1/2 mile radius on the beach “Do you mind if I smoke?” I know why they don’t ask because the answer is “Yes” I mind! but they simply don’t give a shit about me. It’s my problem. I was worried I might offend someone who is reading this blog and although that is not my intention,,,if the shoe fits. It gets bettah, I love when they are smoking in the cah with the kids who must respect the adults but feel that is OK because they have cracked the window. Then when they are done they flip the butt out the window or bury it in the sand as if the beach or street is their infinite ash tray. Where do they learn that that is OK? I can still remember the days when I was growing up. My mother was a smoker. I hated it as much then as I do now. Mom would send me to the local cornah store for some milk, bread and cigarettes. I would often come home with the milk and bread but not the cigarettes. It would piss my mother off to no end.
When I was in grammah school, I attended a catholic school and most of the time we had nuns for teachers. this one year we had a lay teacher who was pretty hot for a teacher. But then again anything not wearing a habit looked good during middle school. I am sure this probably doesn’t surprise most but I was kind of a “Class Clown” in school and was often being spoken to or on some type of catholic school probation.. Well this lay teacher would smoke before and after each class and loved her coffee and when it was time to speak with me about something I absolutely didn’t do, she would call me close to her and speak to me. Between the cigs and the coffee when she spoke I felt like I as getting kicked in the groin and maced at the same time. I often walk away with tears in my eyes looking for a hazmat eye wash staion. She thought I was a sensitive kid.
I am not sure but I think I heard that smoking can cause or should I say will cause cancer. Hmmm besides the fact that smoking pollutes every internal organ in a person and that it makes your breath stink and your clothes smell, your hair smell, you skin smell, your house smell, your car smell and it infects those around you that who you don’t care about weather it’s you kids, spouse, friends or a salesman who simply wants to get in the lobby without being compromised. I think if you want to smoke you should be made to go somewhere where you won’t infect those who have made bettah choices. Go to your car and don’t crack the window, go to the roof top and blow your smoke at the ozone layer. Now it’s the E-Cigarretes…Are you fricking kiding me?. I guess I could say the vapor is less obnoxious so why do I care, I guess I could say that the e cigarette doesn’t need to be discarded so why do I care, The problem is I care more about them than they do. I watch people walking around with those deVICES and sucking on them extracting the chemicals that Phillip Morris assures you are better for you than regular cigarettes. I can only imagine what diseases and health issues will be coming to a smoking generation near you. I don’t know if I care more that this habit affects me or because it affects them.
I watched my mother carry an oxygen tank around with her until she passed at age 54… I looked around at her funeral and didn’t see Phiilip Morris in any of the pews.
diary of a PB 
That was a great story. I smoked because of all the fancy, expensive stuff that I used: the lighter, the cigarette holder, the cigarette case. I hated smoking, and did not inhale, but thought I looked fabulous! But when I met Kenneth, my smoking days were over, as he was at non-smoker.
LikeLike