I bummed a smoke today..... From skraps on 11/18/2007 2:48:53 AM I'm working with a smoker - and a "would-be" smoker. (Or should I say aa "will be" smoker?) You know what a "would-be" smoker I, right? He's the guy who only smokes 3 or 4 cigarettes a day, a smoker with training wheels. He doesn't buy his smokes yet, instead he just "bums" them from the real smokers. (All of us started out this way.) Anyway, I was talking with a "real" smoker this morning. (Let's call her Sue). I was encouraging her to quit. I told her all about how I was able to quit almost nine years ago, after eighteen years of heavy tobacco use. While we're talking, the "would- be" came over and bummed a smoke. Sue happily gave one up. Fast-forward a few hours. Sue and I are still working together and the "would-be" came a bummin'. Sue pulled out her smokes before he even asked. She flipped open the top and held them out. The "would-be" grabbed one. Of course he also bummed a light. At this moment something strange happened. Sue must've noticed that I was looking at the smokes. Smiling warmly, she held the pack towards me. "Can I really have one?" I asked. "Sure," she said. I slid one from the box and held it in my hand. Sue pulled her lighter out and lit her own smoke then she lit the "would-be's." Then she turned to me with the lighter still lit. "No thanks." I said, as I pointed to the floor where my smoke lay at my feet, crumpled beyond repair. Sue stared at me with a look of confusion, horror, and rage (mostly rage.) "What the hell did you do that for?" she demanded. "You gave it to me," I said. "So I figured I could do what I wanted with it." "But..." She looked at the mangled Marlboro again. "...But...I thought you were gonna smoke it." "I told you, Sue, I quit nine years ago." "Then why did you take the cigarette from me?" "'Cause you offered it to me." "But I thought you were gonna smoke it." She held up the still open pack and looked at it mournfully, "I only have 3 left," she whined. "And how many would you have left if I had smoked mine instead of crushing it?" She walked away mumbling. Later in the day I asked her if I could bum another smoke. If looks could kill…. Oh well, some people have no sense (of humor.)