It was in Sydney, Australia, during a short-term business trip.
I got out of that building of the company, lit up a cigarette. No smoking is allowed in any building. "Fortunately we have tea break, or we can not smoke for all day long." said my colleague. At this time, many people were hastily walking along the street, among them, some pigeon walked slowly, trying to find some bread people left, not at all fear of people.
Suddenly I found someone was looking at me, and walk straight to me. He was tall and strong, with a light smile on his face. "Hi" he said casually, "could you me a cigarette?" "What?" I was kind of confused, and thinking: "is something wrong?" "Cigarette." he repeated. "Oh, cigarette," I quickly found out my pack of cigarette, and before I have time to say anything, he quickly took one cigarette out of the pack, lit it up, and "phu..." he blow out a cloud of smoke, "thank you" then…he walked away! "What the hell is going on? Why should I give him cigarette?" "Yes, why?" my colleague laughed. "Damn," I said. Apparently he was not a beggar, because his shoe was shining and he was wearing suit and tie. So could they just ask for cigarette like that? Maybe, after all, we are not in China now.
That afternoon, also during tea break, I came out alone to smoke. While I took out a cigarette and was searching for the lighter, "pu" a lighter was lit up before me, which is hold in a strong hand, and the hand belong to a fat man with a smile on his face. "Thank you," I said while lit my cigarette. "Thank you" I said again, while I realized he was not leaving. Oh my god, I suddenly understood, and quickly took out my cigarette pack: "here, try some Chinese cigarette." "Thank you." this time, he quickly went away.
"Damn..." I really don't know what to say. I am not that mean but…they are just strangers! And I really didn't bring many cigarettes with me. Should I hide in some place when I am smoking? I found that area was highly dangerous. In the following two days, I had been “robbed” for six times. Finally, I was out of cigarette.
You may have no idea how painful for a smoker to be out of cigarette. So, I went to a store. Australia cigarette would not be my taste, but, it’s still cigarettes, isn’t it? But when I see the label on it, I almost scare to death. “Do you think that is too expensive?” “It may be expensive compare with China.” Said my colleague, “because smoking is bad for health, cigarette production is limited by the government, and tax for selling cigarette is really high.” “Damn,” I said, “It’s almost ten times the price compare with my favorite cigarette in China.” But… waiting, do I have to BUY cigarette? You can just ASK for it here! Hehehehe (Evil laughter) when I came to this idea, I almost failed to conceal my laughter.
So, out I went, to seek the target. Oh, there, target No. 1, a man with long hair, thick mustache, wearing leather jacket and jeans, came across the street, sat right on the floor, leaning on to the wall. He opened his paper bag, took out a hamburger, and cigarette, began to enjoy sunshine. Hehehe, my first victim… I quickly walk to his side, look at his eyes, and said loudly: “Could you give me a cigarette?” with smile on my face, but inside, I almost burst into laughers. “You wanna cigarette? Ok, hold on.” he looked at me, and took out a box from his pocket, and gave me a piece of … PAPER! Can you believe it? He gave me, a piece of, paper! “Hold it,” then, he took out some tobacco from the box, put it on the paper, which is held in my trembling hand, and said: “roll it.” He winked to me: “You know how to roll it, don’t you?” “Yeah, yeah, of cause,” I pretended to be very familiar to this, I wet the paper with my lip, crushed the tobacco and rolled the paper awkwardly into a cigarette (if you call it cigarette). “Are you sure?” he said. “Yeah, yeah, it’s good, thank you.” I said and lit up the cigarette or paper roll, whatever, whiff deeply. He smiled to me. I couldn't tell what kind of smile was that, but I noticed he was also smoking paper roll. (that roll is apparent different from my roll) so, I thanked him again, pretended to enjoy the paper roll, and walked away, I could feel my colleague was really having a good laughing.
After lunch at Mcdanlord, I found target No.2. Target No.1 must be a poor guy, but this one, hehehehe, suit and tie, cola and hamburger on the table, and the most important, he was smoking a REAL cigarette! I quickly finished my cola, stood up, and looked at his eyes, claimed loudly: “Could you give me a cigarette?” hehehe, come on. “Cigarette? Sure,” he patted his pocket “oops, I am out of cigarette, is tobacco ok to you?” “Tobacco?” my heart sunk, “yeah, yeah, it’s ok, whatever.” Once again, I was given a piece of paper with a tiny pile of tobacco on it. “Aha,” I said, rolling more quickly this time, and lit it up. “phu,” blew out a cloud of smoke. “It’s great. Thank you.” “You are welcome.” He said with simile. Once again, I couldn’t tell what kind of simile was that. Turned the corner, I threw that paper roll into dustbin, it tasted really bad.
Finally, I gave up the idea of asking for cigarette, because I really hate those paper rolls. Not any more, I ‘ve had enough. Sometimes I think, maybe, each Australia smoker would bring both a pack of cigarette, a box of tobacco, and some paper with them, and I can never get any cigarette from them.
That is a real story that happened to me. Actually, I am not such a heavy smoker, but…just for fun.
