If I have to, I'll have a coffee inside, but I’m not gonna be very happy. For me, coffee and cigarettes go hand in hand, or one in each hand to be precise. Whenever the weather allows it, I’ll suggest we stay outside if I’m at a coffee shop or restaurant. Even in winter, I’d go to a place with those outdoor heaters, or at least a blanket to wrap around yourself. I guess this answer's this week's prompt here at the Cinnamon Coffee Cup! (By the way, I put a bit of cinnamon in every cup of coffee I make. I might skip it sometime in the morning when I really want a cup and cannot waste like two seconds on that!)
Last week, for instance, I went out to have a cup of coffee with a good friend of mine. A few months back she decided to quit smoking, but luckily that didn’t last long, so there was no question whether we’re sitting outside or inside. There are many coffee shops which are cozy inside, but if there’s a garden I find it easier to ignore the comings and goings of other customers and focus on your conversation. If there’s a bit of sun to enjoy, even better. Actually, the garden was full as people were desperately trying to enjoy the last sunny days around here.
I’m not going to complain about the hard life of smokers these days. I am old enough to remember better days for us smokers, but that was long ago. It is what it is.
I’m even old enough to remember the days one could smoke on airplanes, which I’m sure sounds quite weird to those of the younger generation. I also remember my youth in a newsroom where we survived on coffee and cigarettes. There were six or seven of us in one room, but since we all smoked there were no complaints. The cleaning ladies didn’t complain either when they had to empty the overflowing ashtrays we left behind. Going back even further in time when I was working in a small company as a secretary, I have a fond memory of the morning ritual there. We had a fancy espresso machine so I’d make two strong coffees, sit down with the boss and read the newspapers. That was in the early 90s when here in Romania we had just discovered what we believed to be the ‘free press’ so getting all the morning newspapers was a must. But then again the few employees there were all smokers. When the lady who owned the business showed up, I'd make fresh coffee and we'd sit down for a chat, just us girls. I do remember doing some typing from time to time, but mostly I was paid to have coffee and cigarettes with whoever needed some company!
Later on, when we adopted these non-smoking European policies, my kind was still allowed to smoke in the room where we had the coffee machines. I don’t know how things stand today in the office world but back then they’d give us free coins for the coffee machine. Not that we’d survive on one measly espresso. So we kept our pot going all day. We did smoke less, but the breaks we took became longer and longer. If there’s still a bit of coffee left, why leave it? I think there’s a scene in "Friends" when Rachel starts smoking just so she can be around the boss during the cigarette break. The same thing happened in our cigarette room, where non-smokers would join us just to be part of the general conversation.
The photos in this post are not from last week as we didn’t take any. I took these photos earlier this year during our family trip to Scotland and Ireland. The handsome teddy in the picture hails from Dublin and he very generously allowed me to use his flower for a few pics. It was a small town by the sea, the beach was rather cold and windy and we were just dying for a coffee when we found this little place. And, as luck would have it, just this morning I discovered the flower in a book we bought during that trip. A memento of that great trip, of a beautiful day spent with my family, and, to be perfectly honest, of the happy days spent traveling with my new teddy in my arms! 
Thanks for reading!
