Smokin' Pissed
Apologies for the 3 day hiatus, a torrent of unncessary worries have been swirling around my mind, which I find hard to rid off. But finally I'm back to launch into another acerbic tirade against a group of people: smokers.
Ok, now now, please don't take it personally. I do not feel negatively towards all smokers. In fact, I have quite a number of good friends who smoke and I get along with them just fine. I am also aware quite a sizeable portion of my readers do smoke too. That is precisely why I have to make the clarification that I am not biased towards smokers, nor do I stigmatize them.
The only gripe that I have with smokers is the fact that many of them have rather inconsiderate, undesirable practices, which often get on my nerves. I have a beef mostly with old ah-peks or Bangladesh workers who enter the MRT right after they smoke. Those feelings of annoyance are aggravated when of all people, these group of ah pek and Bangladeshi worker-smokers choose to sit beside me on the MRT. After a hard day's work, when I'm all tired, spent and irrtable ( not all the time though, in case you paint a picture of me as this grouchy old slob), what you want to do is just to have some 'me' time on the bus or the train, doing some self reflection, observing people reading a book, or simply sleeping. The people in mention are a mammoth hinderance to that.
I mean, bloody hell, I can't stand cigarette smoke for nuts. Hangingout with a number of friends who do smoke, I've learnt to be a little more tolerant. You know, I don't want self-righteous people coming up to me and saying that I'm some prudish, xenophobic idiot who thinks he is so high and mighty that mixing with smokers is anathema to him. Now, I actually am pretty cool and chummy with many smokers, I reiterate. I must maintain that it's just their occasional selfishness and inconsiderate acts that irks me.
I'll get to the pint. 2 days ago, I was on the MRT, trying to just stone, relax, being in my own elemnt, cooped up in my own little world. I vaguely remember getting ready to to read a book, something I love to do on trains because I lack the discipline to do so once I reach home. Just then, this Bangladeshi Worker (B.W in short) came in, conveniently plonked down on the seat beside mine, which was weird considering there were a number of vacant seats around too.
I remember the instinctive response was to try to shift a little futher away from him, not because I'm racist, you judgmental pieces of shit. It was because he had just smoked before entering the MRT. The rank of cigarette smoke in his mouth could be smelt all the way from Timbuktu. In fact, it was so damn strong, even the B.O of an African refugee who has never bathed in a million years would probably smell like perfume compared to the rancid smell emanating from the B.W's mouth. The worst thing about smoke to me is, it leaves me with a really clogged nose, which exacerbates my post-book-out irritable state. If the late Pope John Paul II was in my shoes, I think he would have chucked away his role as saint of the cnetury and go "!@#$%^$%! You little piece of s***!" throughout the whole train journey.
I wanted to switch seats, I really did. But like Ms.Beautifuk, I may be a little cynical, a little caustic at times, sharp-tongued and full of acrimonious remarks, and even a little impatient, but I would never just get out of my seat and move to another one. I mean, it's just not me. What would that B.W think? He would think I'm some sort of racist bastard and hence I'd be unwittingly perpetuating the stereotype that most Chinese Gen-Y-ers are bloody intolerant. And also, the unapproving looks of people aorund me are not exactly desirable. Grudgingly, I tolerated the smell till I alighted, which was almost a good 35 minutes later. I think my threshold for pain grows everytime I force myself through such torture. My nose is still sufferring right now.
Also, another pet peeve of mine is when smokers do their little psyche-thing on you. You know, when you're the odd one out in a group witha majority number of smokers, or maybe you're alone with another smoker, and they fish out a cigarette for you. NOw that alone is perfectly fine, perhaps their intention would be to share something they perceive as enjoyable with you. It's what happens after they offer you a cigarette that pisses me off to no end. You know, when you decline their offer kindly, but a few of these dips***s will show their dumbness by asking you why, and you kindly offer an explanation. However, that is seldom enough for them as they occasionally take offence with what they perceive as a blatant form of rejection. Following which, they'll rebutt you with inane comments like 'Aut you're so old le, must try everything la, smoking also scared', or maybe "Aiya try one time won't die one la" or " Why you so square one? Smoke la!" These rebuttals sound familar, don't they?
Doesn't this remind you of some religious people? They love to impose their beliefs and thoughts upon you without respecting your wishes of honouring your own set of beliefs. Perhaps they are doing it out of love, but they are inadvertently causing even more trouble and frustration. Incosiderate fools. Bah. I'm so glad my day quit smoking 10 years ago after smoking for almost 20+ years. It takes strength and determination and great willpower to do so. Now, we can switch on the air conditioner without worrying about a rank of smoke permeating the room when he enters.
**No offence for my smoker readers! Just don't engage in the above mentioned dumb acts! And remember to drop a mint into your mouth after smoking!
Ok, now now, please don't take it personally. I do not feel negatively towards all smokers. In fact, I have quite a number of good friends who smoke and I get along with them just fine. I am also aware quite a sizeable portion of my readers do smoke too. That is precisely why I have to make the clarification that I am not biased towards smokers, nor do I stigmatize them.
The only gripe that I have with smokers is the fact that many of them have rather inconsiderate, undesirable practices, which often get on my nerves. I have a beef mostly with old ah-peks or Bangladesh workers who enter the MRT right after they smoke. Those feelings of annoyance are aggravated when of all people, these group of ah pek and Bangladeshi worker-smokers choose to sit beside me on the MRT. After a hard day's work, when I'm all tired, spent and irrtable ( not all the time though, in case you paint a picture of me as this grouchy old slob), what you want to do is just to have some 'me' time on the bus or the train, doing some self reflection, observing people reading a book, or simply sleeping. The people in mention are a mammoth hinderance to that.
I mean, bloody hell, I can't stand cigarette smoke for nuts. Hangingout with a number of friends who do smoke, I've learnt to be a little more tolerant. You know, I don't want self-righteous people coming up to me and saying that I'm some prudish, xenophobic idiot who thinks he is so high and mighty that mixing with smokers is anathema to him. Now, I actually am pretty cool and chummy with many smokers, I reiterate. I must maintain that it's just their occasional selfishness and inconsiderate acts that irks me.
I'll get to the pint. 2 days ago, I was on the MRT, trying to just stone, relax, being in my own elemnt, cooped up in my own little world. I vaguely remember getting ready to to read a book, something I love to do on trains because I lack the discipline to do so once I reach home. Just then, this Bangladeshi Worker (B.W in short) came in, conveniently plonked down on the seat beside mine, which was weird considering there were a number of vacant seats around too.
I remember the instinctive response was to try to shift a little futher away from him, not because I'm racist, you judgmental pieces of shit. It was because he had just smoked before entering the MRT. The rank of cigarette smoke in his mouth could be smelt all the way from Timbuktu. In fact, it was so damn strong, even the B.O of an African refugee who has never bathed in a million years would probably smell like perfume compared to the rancid smell emanating from the B.W's mouth. The worst thing about smoke to me is, it leaves me with a really clogged nose, which exacerbates my post-book-out irritable state. If the late Pope John Paul II was in my shoes, I think he would have chucked away his role as saint of the cnetury and go "!@#$%^$%! You little piece of s***!" throughout the whole train journey.
I wanted to switch seats, I really did. But like Ms.Beautifuk, I may be a little cynical, a little caustic at times, sharp-tongued and full of acrimonious remarks, and even a little impatient, but I would never just get out of my seat and move to another one. I mean, it's just not me. What would that B.W think? He would think I'm some sort of racist bastard and hence I'd be unwittingly perpetuating the stereotype that most Chinese Gen-Y-ers are bloody intolerant. And also, the unapproving looks of people aorund me are not exactly desirable. Grudgingly, I tolerated the smell till I alighted, which was almost a good 35 minutes later. I think my threshold for pain grows everytime I force myself through such torture. My nose is still sufferring right now.
Also, another pet peeve of mine is when smokers do their little psyche-thing on you. You know, when you're the odd one out in a group witha majority number of smokers, or maybe you're alone with another smoker, and they fish out a cigarette for you. NOw that alone is perfectly fine, perhaps their intention would be to share something they perceive as enjoyable with you. It's what happens after they offer you a cigarette that pisses me off to no end. You know, when you decline their offer kindly, but a few of these dips***s will show their dumbness by asking you why, and you kindly offer an explanation. However, that is seldom enough for them as they occasionally take offence with what they perceive as a blatant form of rejection. Following which, they'll rebutt you with inane comments like 'Aut you're so old le, must try everything la, smoking also scared', or maybe "Aiya try one time won't die one la" or " Why you so square one? Smoke la!" These rebuttals sound familar, don't they?
Doesn't this remind you of some religious people? They love to impose their beliefs and thoughts upon you without respecting your wishes of honouring your own set of beliefs. Perhaps they are doing it out of love, but they are inadvertently causing even more trouble and frustration. Incosiderate fools. Bah. I'm so glad my day quit smoking 10 years ago after smoking for almost 20+ years. It takes strength and determination and great willpower to do so. Now, we can switch on the air conditioner without worrying about a rank of smoke permeating the room when he enters.
**No offence for my smoker readers! Just don't engage in the above mentioned dumb acts! And remember to drop a mint into your mouth after smoking!
