Smokin'

An interesting aspect of language is that an action or habit many people think of as disgusting, smoking, is also used as an adjective to describe someone who is very attractive, as in he's/she's smokin'- it features in the film The Mask.

So, I've been thinking about smoking as in the act of lighting a cigarette - ah but wait because that's not the start of it. The start is when you take the cellophane off the packet, then open the packet, remove the silver paper, take out a selected cigarette and that's when you light it.
I might say at this point that I stopped smoking, something I loved, almost exactly eight years ago. I miss it and I believe I would be a least a couple of stone lighter if still smoked. But, I knew I had to stop because I would die a premature death otherwise. So, cold turkey it was.

It isn't just the smoking I miss, it's the whole ritual. I loved the click of the lighter, the explosive match and the smell of the phosphorous. Back in the day, I also loved the offering of the cigarettes to others as we sat in the pub. There was something very companionable about it - sharing ideas, getting slightly drunk and 'crashing' the fags,as we used to say.

Of course, smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your health. I am NOT promoting smoking, in fact I think everyone should stop- NOW. Still though there lurks in me an idea that actually, smoking is cool and it's the more interesting people who smoke. Yes, interesting maybe, but sadly, sooner dead than more boring people.