To the women walking behind me today...

In the immortal words of Missy Elliott, "Haters I flip the bird." So that is what I am doing...

So I am going to class today, minding my own business, when these two women walking just far enough so I could hear their conversation decided to use me as a basis for a tirade against smokers.

It is my normal routine to light up a smoke before my several hour long class on my way from my parking space to the school building. People do not like smoking and they are especially intolerant here in California. I get it. It is smelly and gross. It is bad for your health and those around you and it very well may kill me one day. I realize the effects and try to be as courteous as I can with my vice. As I last checked there are no non-smoking signs in the parking lot.

So I see these women, one holding a small child. I deliberately walk way ahead of them because I do not approve of smoking around children. I always avoid smoking or go out of my way to keep it as far as possible for them. This was not even noticed by them. They saw my puff of smoke and went on a tirade about how smokers liberally litter their butts all over the ground and that it is not only an "eyesore" but is gross and disrespectful. The fat one sans child spouted her theory that smoking kills all the necessary brain cells because all smokers are stupid. The other wholeheartedly agreed.

It is fine to talk trash. People do it all the time. People diss smokers and we deserve it a lot of the time. But come on! Having an overly loud performance conversation about me when I am trying my best to shelter your child from the smoke is just plain bitchy.

Your claims are partially true. There are a lot of butts on the ground and it is an "eyesore". Truthfully, there aren't enough public trash cans or ash receptacles and a lot of us get frustrated and toss them. Some smokers are just self-centered and lazy and treat the Earth like their personal dumping ground. Is that right? No. Littering is always wrong even if you know they will get swept up by someone later. Habitually polluting and dumping your butts anywhere you please is horrendous. A dog or kid could pick it up and they are not biodegradable. I can say that I and my friends that smoke do not do this. We will hold it until there is a trash can and throw it away. Other smokers do too. I have seen them. They even invent these cool things to put in your purse to hold onto the butts until you reach a trash can. (a favorite of mine)

You are right that smoking kills brain cells, at least according to BBC news. I will have to read up on the matter more but it makes sense. Smoking kills cells in the lung which are crucial for air exchange and the brain needs lots of oxygen to function. Your claim that all smokers are fools is unsubstantiated and wrong. Winston Churchill, Jack Kerouac, George Orwell, Edwin Hubble, Sigmund Freud and how about this one ALBERT EINSTEIN were all smokers. All of them were brilliant and smoked! I know for a fact that I am not stupid, either. Is starting smoking a bonehead move? Yes, it is highly addictive and will kill you. The word you are searching for is "self-destructive", not "stupid".

Next time you have a conversation for the sake of others hearing it, think about what you are saying. You did not make me feel bad about smoking. You made me angry with your stupidity and narrow-minded view of the world and sorry for your little girl. I hope her dad has some sense.

36 views and 2 responses

  • Oct 31 2009, 6:27 AM
    k0s responded:
    I wouldn't count on the girl's dad having much sense. Sadly, fools tend to breed with fools.

    Some people have absolutely nothing to live for. They think that because they "live a good life" and "brush their teeth" that life needs to reward them. Well, it don't. So they get frustrated when their "good will" aimed at garnished some reward doesn't pander out. Then, the only "logical" conclusion (forgive my "liberal" use of quotes) is that they have to educate the rest of society as to their good will by picking on things. I guess that's what counts as being a nice person these days. Sounds like you had a couple of those behind you.

    The fact of the matter is smoking is a nasty habit but there's a lot worse things people do, like using animals for food and breeding just because its a Thing To Do. I really hope people wise up and put smoking in perspective. But they won't. Well, they can breathe my nicotine and tar for all I care.
  • Nov 1 2009, 7:13 PM
    k0s responded:
    i was just about to sit down at a completely empty park when i saw some signs "NO SMOKING INSIDE OR OUT". I'm glad they're protecting all the invisible people.