Friday, November 2, 2007

Tar and Ashes

Taking a break from reading my email in the cafe down the street, I grabbed my Marlboro's and lit up, placing the brown filter in my mouth with my left hand and typing my website address with my right. Inhaling slowly and exhaling quickly while scanning my life on the tiny screen in front of me, I noticed from the corner of my eye a creepy, old man to the left of me throwing furtive glances my way. I reached across the table with my left arm to ash my cigarette until I realized that it was my cup of green tea. I pulled my hand back quickly like a child that just touched the hot stove because she really, really wanted to know if it was hot.

I glanced up to see the dirty old man smiling and laughing. I smiled back, then attempted to search for the ashtray. As the dirty old man got up to leave the cafe, he approached me and gave me some helpful advice. "It's better if you put you cup to the right of your computer, then you won't ash your cigarette in it." Wow, brilliant. He even moved it for me.

I thanked him, smiled knowingly and took his hand when he shoved it in my face, and nearly breaking the personal bubble rule.

At that moment, I quit smoking. The horrid image of the four remaining teeth in his mouth with black, tar-like substance oozing out of the crevices is still haunting me.