The Other Table
Went out last night with my friend. It was one of those nights where you just had this urge to have a nice persian dinner with a close friend. Well, it was also one of those nights where you'd coincidentally meet quite obnoxious people.
Right place. Bad timing.
Time, I should say played a great deal last night. The place, well, it was a quaint little place where they serve mediterrenean dishes. The food was good. The price? Affordable. So everything was well in place for a good night-out. Add a couple of cig sticks here and there....nope, scratch that. No cigs 'til 9pm. That was the rule of the place.
Now, being a smoker. It wasn't a big problem for me. I could wait. No biggie. After all, with all the anti-smoking campaigns running around the country nowadays, acceptance is truly part of the whole package.
So here goes my semi-rant entry.
We reached the place at 8pm. Went through the usual choosing and ordering of dishes, and the usual conversation. There was a group of let's say...fifty-ish people on the other table, 3 men and 3 women. As I was talking with my friend, she was already checking the clock for the 9pm green light. And lo, magic number 9 came. So my friend asked the waiter if it was ok to smoke. The waiter looked at the other table, mentally measuring the time before they billed out and told us, not yet.
So, we wait.
It was turning out to be a nice night. Two new groups arrived, apparently smokers also. Mind you, the bar was a known resto to have that kind of smoking rule. A rule of compromise for both parties. So we all waited till the older group eventually billed out.
The clock ticked 10pm. The older table were still ordering dessert. It's like prolonging the torture. So ok. Wait. But it was also until that time the waiter already started placing ashtrays on the smoking tables. A signal of permission, as I may call it.
So all the other smokers on that bar connected with fire.
Now, there was this lady on the other table who started using her shawl as an anti-smoking filter. Obviously, showing to all the smokers she's irritated. And top it off, she called the waiter and exclaimed very loudly to cancel all the desserts because the smoke was already getting to her. Also, convincing herself that it was already 10pm and that the smokers were allowed to smoke there. So, for that fact, she already knows the rule of the place. But what irritated me was that she continued to exclaim loudly that she couldn't handle the smoke. Causing a small commotion in her group. They eventually billed-out and took home the dessert.
Hahaha. *evil grin* (buti nga)
I could take the rules, hell, I can even wait. But one thing I hate most is someone who'd rub the issue and cause a commotion, when they themselves know the rules. Sorta like trying to powertrip, but having no power at all.
It was irritating and satisfying. I have nothing against non-smokers. I even respect them for that. But I don't find anything wrong with connecting with my fire element.
As Tom Robbins wrote on his book, roughly said: (not word per word, my memory's not perfect hehe)
--The dragon is one great mythical creature that is in touch with the four elements. Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. Compared to man, man only has earth (land-walkers and we go back to it through death), air (breathing) and water (to be scientific about it, we are 99% [? correct my percentage if you must :)] water). And fire...it's not as "inside" of us as the other 3 elements. So , with smoking we (smokers) connect with it.--
Now some might disagree. But me, I'll just keep it as that. ;P
Right place. Bad timing.
Time, I should say played a great deal last night. The place, well, it was a quaint little place where they serve mediterrenean dishes. The food was good. The price? Affordable. So everything was well in place for a good night-out. Add a couple of cig sticks here and there....nope, scratch that. No cigs 'til 9pm. That was the rule of the place.
Now, being a smoker. It wasn't a big problem for me. I could wait. No biggie. After all, with all the anti-smoking campaigns running around the country nowadays, acceptance is truly part of the whole package.
So here goes my semi-rant entry.
We reached the place at 8pm. Went through the usual choosing and ordering of dishes, and the usual conversation. There was a group of let's say...fifty-ish people on the other table, 3 men and 3 women. As I was talking with my friend, she was already checking the clock for the 9pm green light. And lo, magic number 9 came. So my friend asked the waiter if it was ok to smoke. The waiter looked at the other table, mentally measuring the time before they billed out and told us, not yet.
So, we wait.
It was turning out to be a nice night. Two new groups arrived, apparently smokers also. Mind you, the bar was a known resto to have that kind of smoking rule. A rule of compromise for both parties. So we all waited till the older group eventually billed out.
The clock ticked 10pm. The older table were still ordering dessert. It's like prolonging the torture. So ok. Wait. But it was also until that time the waiter already started placing ashtrays on the smoking tables. A signal of permission, as I may call it.
So all the other smokers on that bar connected with fire.
Now, there was this lady on the other table who started using her shawl as an anti-smoking filter. Obviously, showing to all the smokers she's irritated. And top it off, she called the waiter and exclaimed very loudly to cancel all the desserts because the smoke was already getting to her. Also, convincing herself that it was already 10pm and that the smokers were allowed to smoke there. So, for that fact, she already knows the rule of the place. But what irritated me was that she continued to exclaim loudly that she couldn't handle the smoke. Causing a small commotion in her group. They eventually billed-out and took home the dessert.
Hahaha. *evil grin* (buti nga)
I could take the rules, hell, I can even wait. But one thing I hate most is someone who'd rub the issue and cause a commotion, when they themselves know the rules. Sorta like trying to powertrip, but having no power at all.
It was irritating and satisfying. I have nothing against non-smokers. I even respect them for that. But I don't find anything wrong with connecting with my fire element.
As Tom Robbins wrote on his book, roughly said: (not word per word, my memory's not perfect hehe)
--The dragon is one great mythical creature that is in touch with the four elements. Earth, Water, Fire, and Air. Compared to man, man only has earth (land-walkers and we go back to it through death), air (breathing) and water (to be scientific about it, we are 99% [? correct my percentage if you must :)] water). And fire...it's not as "inside" of us as the other 3 elements. So , with smoking we (smokers) connect with it.--
Now some might disagree. But me, I'll just keep it as that. ;P