Thursday, November 14, 2013

"after all...we're not in it for their health...!"

...while I waited in line to buy a Milky Way at the local 
liquor store, a young gamer geek hovered over the 
counter, oblivious to those behind him. looked around 
to see he was engrossed in the machinations of what 
was a clarinet-sized e-cigarette. It was colorfully gaudy 
and seemed somewhat complicated. He took a drag off 
of his new toy and paid for it just as his father came in, 
asking if the kid needed ID to prove he was old enough 
to buy it. The owner said "no" and the lad shuffled out 
after his dad, armed and ready to "vape" with a bong-
sized piece of equipment. He was maybe seventeen.

As I got my candy bar, I asked the shopkeeper if that 
contraption was an electronic cigarette.

"Yes, but you know there's no nicotine in those things!" 
He seemed ignorant of the product except for how to 
load it and sell it. "Me, I don't smoke" he said.

"Actually," I said, "most of them have plenty of nicotine 
and they're fruit flavored to get the kids hooked. Makes 
sure the smoking habit stays firmly in place til they get 
bored fooling around with these gadgets and take up 
tobacco- just like their ancestors...!"

The man smiled. "That is why he also bought cigars!"

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