What's the law where you work, SINSULL? Here in California, it's illegal to smoke in almost all public buildings and workplaces, and it's getting hard to remember what it was like when smoking at work was legal. I have a 50-yr-old Selective Service System file cabinet I received when our office closed, and it still has a grimy smoke film on it that's almost impossible to remove. When I was working, I was constantly trying to give up smoking, but a heavy smoker sat at the desk next to me and was always offering me cigarettes. I finally quit in February 1993, about the time he retired. Was his retirement the reason for my quitting - or was it the pretty brunette who said my love life would improve if I quit smoking?

I loved cigarettes, but I always tried to be polite about my smoking. Still, I smoked in the office because nobody seemed to mind and it was allowed. Now I can't imagine smoking inside, although I do bum a cigarette from somebody about once a year.

-Joe Offer, whose love life HAS improved-
(but not with THAT brunette)