.jpg "Puff, puff, smoke, smoke.")
A post or two ago I discussed my sheer glee at the long-awaited return of spring. This stills holds true for me, but I realized that spring brings something else with it – the uninhibited smoker. For most of winter these folks hide from the elements in cars, doorways, and alleys, but at this time of year they are free to roam about as they please, exhaling in the general direction of passers-by.
Now don’t get me wrong. I was once a smoker and I know how it feels to be shunned, sent outdoors, and endlessly harrassed about the dangers of smoking. I also know the reality of having the precious few places where your habit is acceptable begin to vanish before your eyes…I get it. Tough times. BUT I think I was always a conscientious smoker. I made efforts not to be in the way or to let that stream of smoke from the end of my cigarette trail towards the only non-smoker in the room. And I don’t see the same kind of respect very often anymore. It’s almost as if the smokers have banded together to punish those who have wronged them, i.e. non-smokers.
So I guess that’s why it bothers me to have to hold my breath and duck out of the way of the long line of smokers who crowd the front of my office building. There is a sign (or should I say ‘small sticker’) posted that clearly says NO SMOKING WITHIN 9 METERS OF THE DOOR. No one follows this rule. I often feel the urge to point it out, but I haven’t had the guts to yet. Then I’d always just be ‘that girl’ to them. My suggestion: change the sign to NO SMOKING WITHIN 9 METERS OF THE DOOR or you risk being kicked in the kneecaps. I think that would get their attention.
Has anyone seen my steel-toed boots?
dan - As an addendum to that: Why aren’t cigarette butts considered litter?
Pet peeve #3 on my list (the other two will come out on this blog at some point) is people flicking their butts out the window while stopped at traffic lights. My urge is to get out of my car, grab the still smoldering butt, and toss it back into their car window, saying “I think you dropped this”.
Most of these people wouldn’t throw their McDonald’s garbage out the window while whistling down the highway to North Gower or Cornwall. But they have no qualms about making their nasty morning filter deposit at curbsite.
Ca me fache.