I guess I'm cruel.

[trof]

I was at a neighbor's Christmas party last night.
Big crowd.
I stepped out by the pool for a smoke.
Our hostess had thoughtfully provided an ashtray on a table there.
No chairs at the table, and no one nearby.

Two guys were sitting on a couch some distance away.
I was downwind of them.
As soon as I lit up I heard "Trof. When you gonna quit smoking? I thought you were smarter than that."

Well, thank you very much for your gratuitous criticism.
The guy who said it is about 50 pounds overweight and recently learned he's diabetic.
He told me himself, a few days ago.

"Gee, Wayne, I really haven't planned to quit. If I do, you'll be the first to know. How's the diabetes? When are you gonna lose some weight? That's not helping your condition, you know."

OK, I'm an asshole.
I accept that.
But it sure felt good.
:evilgrin:

[MrCoffee]

1. you're not an asshole...you're hilarious

i'd have busted a gut laughing if i were there.

i used to work retail in a frou-frou shopping area. one day a coworker and i emerged from the depths of receiving to have a cig. some ladies who lunch strolled by, and one of them gave her demure little *coff coff* and waved her hand in front of her face. my coworker buddy jumped up and started screaming "what the hell is wrong with you? i'm an addict!! would you dance in front of a paraplegic?"

i almost wet myself from laughing so hard.

[trof]

3. That's good.

A few years ago I was sitting in a hotel lobby, smoking.
This was a bit before everything went 'no-smoking'.
An old biddy walked by and , just as she passed out of my peripheral vision, said "Lung cancer is a terrible way to die."

I was reading, and it took several seconds for me to register what she said and that it was directed at me. I looked around, but she was gone. I wanted to chase her down and throttle her.
:grr:

[youthere]

22. You should have told her..

"So is falling and breaking a hip and lying helpless for days with no one to hear your feeble cries for help."

[billyskank]

2. There does come a point

when concern for someones' health (on his part) turns into hassling. Particularly when combined with the sense of moral superiority typically possessed by the non-smoker.

[trof]

4. Exactly.

My target was just too wonderfully set up.
:-)

[YankeyMCC]

5. Wait let me get this straight

A Xmas POOL Party??

Fraking south! lol

I have a good friend that smokes And is way overweight. I worry about him a lot, on occasion I give him a friendly jibe in the hope it reminds him of the even rarer more serious comments I've made to him expressing my concern.

But I would never publicly say something like Wayne said, and even as I say only rarely in private and center it around my concern for him as a friend not as a failing on his part (as in "I thought you were smarter than that"). He's currently watching what the same habits and diet has done to his father, and he's a paramedic so he knows damn well what the consequences are. Somehow it's just gotta click with him on his own, I just hope it does soon.

[trof]

7. It's a fantastic house.

'L' shaped with a screened in pool and patio.
It was in the 60s last night.

I've known Wayne for about 13 years, since we moved here.
He's a decent enough guy, but a blowhard.
Always quick to offer his pronouncements on whatever.
Used to be a big Bush** supporter, but he hasn't had very much to say about his boy lately.

[azmouse]

8. I live AZ and have a pool but you wouldn't want to be in it

this time of year. The water temp is only in the low 50's.
Much too cold for swimming. But it is great for chilling a bottle of wine quickly. :)

[Whoa_Nelly]

11. Aha! Great thought, azmouse! Pool as wine chiller!

And a quick way to remove the cool labels I like to save!

Am in Central CA, and recently moved into a house that has a pool. While looking forward to next summer's hot weather and being able to use the pool, you just gave a great idea for winter pool use! :bounce:

[azmouse]

13. Just be careful.

The bottle is glass and you don't want to break it in or near the pool. Broken glass can't be seen in the bottom of the pool.

[Whoa_Nelly]

15. Local supermarket gives away awesome wine carry bags

for each four bottles of wine/liquor you buy, AND they give you a 10% discount off all four bottles. It's one of their ways to combat the new Wal-Mart Supercenter that opened in our small town.

The other day, when shopping at this local store to buy for a dinner party I was hosting, I bought only seven bottles of wine/liquor. The cashier stuck a bottle of salad dressing in one of the four pockets of the carry bag, so I came home with two of these great sectioned canvas totes!


Am thinking these wine tote bags may come in more useful than I even imagined! ;)

[Bunny]

6. trof, if this makes you an asshole, then you're my kind of asshole!

:thumbsup:

People who make rude comments should have no expectation of a polite response.

[trof]

9. Us assholes gotta stick together.

:-)

[Bunny]

10. .

:pals:

[caty]

12. I quit smoking for six months last year.

My husband kept on smoking. I never said a word to him about it. I knew that when and if he was ready, he would quit. Quitting is a decision that only the smoker can decide. So, I started smoking again. Now, last spring he finally stopped smoking. I know I will quit again when the time is right. But, he is giving me a hard time. I try not to smoke in front of him (which is a courtesy he never gave me when I had quit), but if he walks into the room while I am smoking, he gives me a judgmental look. He is not as gracious about it as I was.

[Flaxbee]

14. so, did he reply at all or could you hear crickets?

I think your riposte was perfect... if he'd just left off the "I thought you were smarter than that..." I think I could have held back, but that snarky, superior comment would have set me off, too.

[trof]

16. It did get real quiet.

The other guy sitting there said 'Ooooo' and laughed.

[kay1864]

17. What do you do about overseas flights?

Do you chain-smoke beforehand to build up a reserve? Use nicotine gum? Try not to think about it?

[trof]

18. Haven't been on one since 1999.

My last 10 years was flying cargo for a Japanese hauler.
We smoked.

I recently flew to Boston.
I was in airports and airplanes for about 10 hours.
It would have been nice to have a place to grab a cup of coffee and a smoke at DFW, but I didn't get the screaming ab dabs.

[Phillycat]

19. I used the patch to get to Ireland and back, and also California.

For shorter flights, I don't bother.

[Left Is Write]

20. Your comment was no worse than his. He dished it - he got it back.

[Pied Piper]

21. Loved your reply

I quit this weekend. I had been thinking about quiting for sometime, in fact for about 6 months now I had only been smoking a half a cigarette or less.

I had to go to the ER this weekend for bronchitis. I was there for 18 hours and watched the nursing shift turn over twice. I heard the damn lecture about once an hour, each time from someone different. And it was always the condescending version.

Finally the last doctor who worked with me was a very kind woman. She started about by asking me if I would consider quiting ("Oh no, here it comes...)". But she followed up with a pleasant "How would you like to try the patch?" Um, ok. Two minutes later she came back with a patch and applied it to my shoulder.

Then she followed up with the usual about how the patch works. But here was the cool kicker: she said that if I was really jonesing, just pull off that damn patch and smoke the fucking cigarette - after all, we're only human. When you're done, just put the patch back on. Just don't give up, we've got a great team here that wants to help you, etc.

Wow, I actually felt good about it. I haven't had a smoke for 6 days, and I don't miss it yet. And I only wear the patch for daytime - I take it off at night, and put the new one on the next morning.

Let me say once again that I loved your response. I always hated it when some obese knuckle-dragger felt the right to lecture me, and I ALWAYS gave it right back.

Please know that I promise to everyone that I won't become one of "them" when this is all over.

Pied Piper

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

24. Good luck with quitting

I quit smoking lots of times. I think the last time is sticking - it's about 10 years ago, and I only occasionally wish I had a cigarette.

The good part is I breathe better, run farther without getting winded. The bad part is I grew by about 30 pounds. Somebody around this board mentioned they have a shop-vac and might do home-style liposuction. I'll have to find that thread...

[cwydro]

23. Good for you

I remember this insufferable friend of my parents telling me that cheese was going to clog up my arteries. I was eating a piece after having come in from a long run. At the time, she had a martini and a cigarette in her hand. Aaaarrgghh. I was much younger then, so I said nothing, but boy, the things that sprang to mind! I don't smoke, but I do drink (and eat cheese)and I believe everyone can make their own choices in life.