Thousands come together as one.
A 76-year-old lifelong cigarette smoker united the States of America, days ago, with a sneaky little act of quiet rebellion. Oh but divisive times, these, with those on the right casting distrustful glances to the left, the left casting distrustful glances to the right, Marjorie Taylor Green stuck in the middle with you. Tribes are shrinking and shrinking and shrinking as folk burrow deeper and deeper into echo chambers.
Well, in unlikely times, unlikely heroes rise and let us traverse quickly to New York City and meet Bob Terry. The nattily dressed stage actor had posted an invitation around town to come meet him for a cigarette in Washington Square Park from 2:00 to 2:05 for a little grit break.
Those who RSVP’d were promised “a free cig.”
Over 2,500 people from all walks of life showed up to spark.
Those attending were overjoyed. “I was there. Had my Marlboro box signed by Bob!” a cigarette smoker told The Times of India. “We should do this every Friday,” another added before the entire crowd started chanting “One more cig! One more cig!”
The Dirty Cigarette Becomes Symbol of Unity
“People are pent up these days,” Terry told the New York Post. “All the work and stress. Sometimes, you just gotta get people together and have a smoke. There’s too much crap out there about health. Too much salad and jump rope — everyone’s a nut.”
Terry also gave an impassioned speech to the crowd, declaring, “If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you currently smoke, and have the willpower, quit.“
Reminiscent of the old surfer adage “If you don’t surf, don’t start. If you currently surf, and have the willpower, quit.”
But if you were in New York on Nov. 21, would you have stopped by for a cigarette or gave stinky looks as you passed?
Now, please enjoy a surf contest currently underway in Pismo Beach.
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Smoke em if you got em
Love this! Being a smoker these days is tough, just let me smoke my morning surf check ciggy and coffee in peace without the scolding and shaming of all North County SD Moms. Thx!
Use to love banging a few dji sam sue kretek cigs and a few bintang soldiers before a G land surf.
if I tried that today I’d be fucked.
Funniest thing is the pop-up ad that appeared as I was reading this:
Hawaii Tobacco Quit Line
fricken’ AI.
Camels, personally (at least back before I went cold turkey), but the Marlboro reds were a good time too
I was a camel man as well. Quiting was a bitch.
been a long time but still feel the urge every time I walk in a gas station, ha
if you dont comment start asap… if you currently just comment, & have the willpower, quit the bullshit & upvote ‘n reply on every other comment… MBGA
Utterly revolting habit / adddiction.
I quit smoking ciggies before most kids started.
Cigars yes, cigs nooooooo and what’s with the Eurotrash habit of mixing weed and tobacco in their joints? That’s gross.
To be fair, it’s far more social and chatty as people ain’t so totaled.
It’s a way to enjoy it – think of it as vodka + tonic vs vodka on the rocks. Both have their place in the leisure ladder.
It’s my own damn problem I’m a nicotine weeny I can’t handle much at all, a co worker offered me one of his Zyn nicotine pouches and my head was spinning and severely nauseous about a minute in!
Ahhh… the old hand a man 6mg Zynnny trick and watch him spin as you chuckle inside. Seen it more than once. A trick as old as time.
It’s a very toxic substance.
The revenge of the Red man.
It does have many medicinal benefits in Native American culture but the mega doses that you can take these days is definitely toxic, at least to me!
I would have taken my own ‘cigarette’, purchased from one of NY city’s recreational dispensaries…
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I,m hanging with you Mr Beef !