share a cigarette and win a friend

Share a cigarette and win a friend

a leading newspaper, I read an article written by a pompous
and opinionated person, a story about cigarettes he didn't
understand since, in his goodness, he has never smoked fags or
danced barefoot in a winter park or been in love at dawn
when I was young, cigarettes were the thing a social life without
a group having a laugh and smoking was unheard of
there were still tobacco shops selling cigarettes individually
buy one if the money is tight and smoke the sigs in the shop
The shop I knew had two ladies having spent a lifetime in tobacco
fume looked like smoked sardines, and they had streaks of yellow
tobacco stain up to their elbows, yet but managed to sound posh
 and like tarts in a bar before closing time at midnight
A day in spring, I bought a packet of ten ciggies running to my aunt's
it was ten o'clock, and she was baking Coco's macrons, warm biscuits,
coffee, and cigarettes, it was heaven
I could not sit too long; she had to make dinner for her husband,
who was sleeping late on Sundays?
I found cigarettes a social tool for winning new friends, sitting on
a park bench sharing a cigarette made for lasting friendship
I have not smoked for years, not since it was criminalized
I do not see myself in a dark corner smoking and shielding
 the glow in my couped  hand.
But I do like chewing tobacco, which I find relaxing and not intrusive
but that pleasure is banned, despite
 the medical people do not
regard this tobacco as seriously unhealthy