The Smoking Paradigm

Last week while leaving Starbucks I noticed something on my journey from the coffee counter to my car door. There was a man sitting out front smoking, as I passed through the patio another man approached the smoking man and asked him to a bum a cigarette. Smoking Man was more than happy to help him out, but warned the cadger that they were menthol. Cadger replied that he didn't mind and that he was trying to quit anyways. By this time I was sitting in my car and as I was shut the door they were engaging in a legitimate conversation. As I drove away I surprised at how amused and blessed I was at this, and new understanding of how difficult it must be to quit smoking. It is both a physical and social addiction. Asfor my amusement, I think it was because these two grown men were engaging in a legitimate conversation all because they had common ground in tobacco. What is sad is that if Cadger were to have just sat down to talk to Smoking Man without asking to bum a smoke I hardly think they would have had the colloquy they did.