The man from the technical department was a creature of habit.
It was his custom to walk from the office to the park, find himself a bench and have a quiet smoke in the middle of the afternoon. He would have to say this was one of his favourite smoking times. With only a couple of working hours to go in the office, it gave him a chance to sum the day up. He considered his work to be fairly complex and exacting; at least, compared with most jobs, it was. Another reason was to make a complete break and reflect on it. He had only just found an empty bench and settled down, taking out his cigarettes, when a man seemed to come out of nowhere. The stranger sat down beside him.
He had him pegged as a stranger. He knew just about everybody from his workplace. Out of politeness, he held up the cigarette packet.
“Do you mind if…?”
“No. carry on.”
He lit up, puffed and blew smoke.
A couple of minutes passed before the stranger said, “You’re enjoying that, eh?”
The other was taken by surprise with the question, but was happy enough to give his thoughts. He pulled a face. “I’ve been told that one can’t actually enjoy an addiction.” He shrugged. “I’ve never been able to get my head around that.”
The stranger said, “They do say those things can kill you.”
The other thought for a moment, then said, “Personally, I think that’s right. I think there’s a lot of evidence to support that.” He waved his cigarette. “You don’t mind then?”
“Not at all. I guess I’m one of those rare people who actually enjoy the smell of other people’s smoke.”
The smoker went on. “I guess, at the end of the day, I’ve come to terms with the whole thing. Somewhere along the way I must have decided that I was prepared to pay whatever the price was, for smoking.”
At this, the stranger produced his own packet of cigarettes and lit one.
Surprised at this, the other asked, “You smoke?”
“I certainly do,” came the reply.
After a long pause, he turned to face the stranger full on, and looking puzzled, asked, “So… our previous conversation?”
The stranger smiled and said, “Ah!”…