Last year, during the first snow storm of the year, I ended up parking on the top floor of the parking garage. After work, I waded through the snow and wind to clean off my car. The very next day, I paid for a reserved spot on the 3rd floor, 1 quick flight of stairs to the entrance to my building.
With the $10/month I pay for my reserved spot, I never have to remember where I parked at the end of the day (if any of you know my short-term memory, you know what an issue this can be). I never have to battle the rain or the snow or the heat. I have the comfort of knowing exactly where I will park each and every day.
I also get something extra with my $10/month. I get a car that reeks of smoke. You see, there is a sign in our parking garage that instructs smokers to smoke on the 3rd floor so that employees do not walk through a cloud of carcinogens to get to their vehicles. That is a great benefit to those who do not park on the 3rd floor. Each evening, if I don't first walk through fresh smoke to get to my car, I get in my car and am assailed by stale cigarette smoke. And, if I plan an appointment for mid-morning or mid-afternoon, I get to maneuver my way through what could only be called a smoker's lounge (since there are too many to fit stay in the designated corner), holding my breath as I quickly walk through, to get to my already smoke-smelling car.
I don't blame the smokers because they are smoking in their designated area. It is completely my fault for taking a spot on the 3rd floor. But, what I do find strange everytime I walk by is how incredibly odd it is that the people who have developed a completely nasty habit can take 3-5 10-minute smoke breaks to read their novel or catch up on the latest gossip while those of us who refrain from smoking a cancer-stick work through those multiple breaks.
I guess smoking must make a person 30-50 minutes more efficient than the rest of us.
(And yes, I do realize that I have now completely lost any readership that currently smokes.)
4 comments:
I am in COMPLETE agreement with you. That's why I don't feel bad leaving a few minutes early. I don't take breaks like all the smokers do.
But I would be very upset that my car smelled like smoke every day. Oh, and something else - don't you love how all the cigarette butts are just haphazardly thrown on the ground, even when there's a designated spot for them?
Oh, I remember those days! I hated being it, especially when I was preggers... I'd always hold my breath and run for the door!! I still think they need to do something about that... It's awful! I didn't realize your car reeked of it, though! Yuck!
-Sarah
Oh, I agree with you! I remember when I worked FT watching the people walk by on their way to smoke breaks...probably at LEAST once an hour, for at LEAST 10 minutes. Now we (non-smokers) need to get that much personal internet time without feeling pressure - right?? :-)
that just reminded me of a time some friends sent us some flowers. we weren't home when they were delivered so they left them at the neighbors. our neighbors smoke, when i went to get the flowers and set them on the table, the rest of their life, they smelled like smoke....
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