Being a cigar smoker is one of society's small pleasures for me. But for society as a general rule this makes me an outcast. Now as a general rule this has never really bothered me. However I was in Orlando, Fl for a trade convention during July and before I walked into the loby of the hotel I was staying at, I searched the door for the ever present "NO SMOKING" sign. To my suprise not finding one I enetered the lobby and went to the back corner to the pay phones.
This is where I should note for the record that the trade show I was there for was the RTDA (Retail Tobacco Dealers of America) convention and there were 60,000 plus cigar smokers in Orlando this week. When I got to the pay phones and had dialed the number I was calling, I stuck my cigar in my mouth and was about to take a draw off of my cigar and send a large cloud of smoke towared the ceiling, I noticed this sign.
"THANK YOU FOR NOT SMOKING"
At this time I took my cigar out of my mouth and put it in an ashtray beside the phone, without I might add, taking even one draw off of it. NOW here is where I get pissed. Not at the sign asking me not to smoke but at this rude asshole standing two phones down who said to me "Hey, see the sign!" When I informed him I had, and that there was no sign on the door leading into the lobby, he said "Why dont you TAKE it outside!" Something in the guys tone of voice pissed me off and I replied "Why don't you bite me!" At this point he walks up to me and say's "Bite me?", "Yeah" I say "Why don't you just bite me."
Off this guy walks muttering under his breath an ill disguised threat about sending hotel security back there. I finnish my call and leave the building without ever taking so much as one draw off of my cigar.
Here is my gripe, when did being a cigar smoker become a crime, and how the hell did my face get plastered, on a wanted dead or alive poster? I don't expect people to be happy with my cigar smoking, but I am considerate of other people and do not try to cause problems as a general rule. However there are times when non smokers should think before they speak. Because as a wise man once said about ignorance "It is better to remain silent, than to speak and remove all doubt."
Check out my gripe from 07/25/97
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