The Way Back Machine takes us back to a time when cigarettes were advertised on television, allowed in pretty much any establishment (even hospitals), were considered a stature symbol (Humphrey Bogart and James Dean look cool doing it; I want to be cool too!) and even our sports heroes were enjoying the habit. Nothing like taking a drag after working so hard to get your body in peak condition.
It was accepted and a different era. My parent's high schools had designated smoking rooms for students to partake. We had an oak tree just off the grounds at my high school that was the designated 'smoking tree.'
My first boss at my current employer when I started back in 1990 was an old school smoker, real old. The kind that can down half a smoke in one puff and not even flinch. He fought the "no smoking inside" rule to the end as our branch was the last to convert. At the very (bitter) end, we had half of the lunchroom established as a smoking area. You could tell where that area was as the white ceiling tires were dirt brown. Post work libations at the time involved going to an establishment at 10 Mile and Telegraph. I didn't notice it at the time but looking back, the place made the smog in Los Angeles look tame with the cloud of smoke present in the air when you entered. They had a pool table in there so I took out my work angst in kicking my co-worker's asses while stinking up my clothes; serious smoke stink.
This is not a C. Everett Koop rant on the pratfalls of smoking as I tried it back in college while attempting to tackle the world of Business Accounting 202. Enough times of your head spinning trying to get your mind wrapped around accrual basis accounting will lead you to the cancer sticks. The habit lasted the semester and that was enough. As the saying goes, I gave it the college try but even the lure of a "really cool" duffel bag (they definitely target the young) with the purchase of three packs of 'Players' cigarettes could get me to stay with it. Marlboro had a whole catalog for smokers to pick "free" merchandise if you earned enough smoking points (i.e. bought lots of cigarettes). A friend of mine earned a good portion of the catalog.
And I got a B in the accounting class.
With the evolution of the world, we learned that cigarettes are bad for you. And stinky clothes are not going to bring the ladies in. Go figure. The television advertisements for cigarettes have been replaced by drug ads for everything from longer erections (get a prettier girlfriend) to depression to hair restoration products. Personally, I liked Mickey Mantle telling me about the joys of a post game drag versus a 30 second drug commercial where 25 seconds cover the side effects. The "may cause suicidal tendencies" is sufficient enough for me to say "no thanks."
Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
Trail Head
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| one of the joys I get surfing the Twitter world are posts like this (no, I don't 'tweet') |
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| bet he couldn't juggle without the smoke |
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| 755 - time to relax |
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| wtf you want? |
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| Sparky contemplating how great Chris Pittaro could have been |
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| dainty smoke |
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| that is a power smoke |
