Memoirs of a Smoker

My friends call my habit a contradiction to popular wisdom..
I get lot of "Can't you read.. its poison " or " You fools will die soon and leave this beautiful kingdom"

I do not protest.. or justify.. neither make fake promises..
This is the story of a guy who loves his cigarettes and just like the smoke.. he is anonymous. .

I never started because of peer pressure or the girls might find it cool..
Me and my cigarettes were destined to be together.. I believe in this thumb rule..

Broaden your thought base to admire this beautiful relationship..
We know it is a physically intimate bond.. no confusion whether we are in love or still exploring friendship. .

My cigarettes are there for me always.. may this happy bubble never pokes..
There is a reason why the word smoke rhymes with joke, hope and elope..

You can hate me in elevators or sarcastically ask my today smoked up count..
I would stand by my cigarettes.. watch the smoke rise up.. to me it is profound..

I can enjoy my cigarette with tea, me .. for that matter even an ice cream cone..
Damm !! if I had it my way.. I would kill the guy who invented the NO SMOKING ZONE !

Smoke vaporizes all your doubts, griefs and away it sails..
You so gotta try it once.. the divine rhthym of inhale.....    exhale....

The old lady on the escalator

At the mall on this one fine day..
Early for the movies & some friends want to shop.. I have no say..

Watching my friends choose between two identical bags.. I am really bored..
Stepping out of the shop to gaze around.. something more suitable to my molds..

Placed myself near the floor periphery...some places away from a couple looking shady..
It was then when on the level below.. I saw the old lady..

Standing near the escalator footboard to take the ride up..
She is accompanied by a young lad with a couple of shopping bags and a barista cup..

The lady is old though she looks calm and equally fragile..
Cumulative years of experience has told her.. this wretched monster is for the more agile..

She has never seen an escalator before.. it is quite evident..
She looks amazed at the wonders of time.. and is also a bit hesitant

Crowd has queued up.. waiting for her to board..
Good to see no one sulking.. they understand it is a less traveled road..

The young lad juggles the bags, offers her a hand.. has a smile on his face...
The old lady refuses the hand, laughing aloud.. she has decided to match the escalators pace...

She puts a step forward.. pulls back.. her eyes has hints of fear & some curiosity..
To me the lady came across as smart.. she is practically solving a problem of relative velocity..

At last she boards the escalator. .. balances.. laughs and acknowledges the cheering crowd..
She has a pristine sense of satisfaction.. an independence she still values.. she is visibly proud..

The demeanor speaks volumes about a person.. she seems to prefer carrying her own weight..
Brave enough to walk alone.. whatever be her fate..