Connecting the dots...
I have a gas station that I frequent and, yes, it was a chief supplier of all my chew. They still get alot of money from me but... minus the death weed. I avoided this place for awhile but have recently started going again. Fear of caving was the first motivator. Now? I'm quit. I don't worry about it. It's an opportunity to thumb my nose at big tobacco every other day or so.
Anyway... I stopped in today to fill both our vehicles up. I know all these guys pretty well. We shoot the breeze and I know about their lives in general. Remember... these cats saw me EVERY freakin' day for years! The manager, Joe, is a pretty young guy and the perfect kinda guy to run this place... very amiable and easy to chat with. As I was filling the last car, we got to chatting and it comes out that his granddad passed away Thursday.
Damn. Sorry man.
With lovely affection he starts to talk about his grandpa and his fight for his health. As this conversation rolls along I learn that his gramps passed from cancer... and his mom... and his aunt... and an uncle. Cancer is a real presence in his family. As this conversation rolls along further I learn that his aunt, uncle, and grandpa are tobacco users of various forms. Damn. Even worse because, obviously, that really hits home with me. With tears in his eyes, Joe talks about all this, with HEAVY emotion... while the biggest wad of Kodiak I have ever seen is filling his lip. I can smell it. I can practically taste it.
AJ shakes his head
The incongruities of life blow my mind sometimes. This guy hasn't connected the dots yet. Tobacco is death.
264 days quit today.
FU big tobacco.
I connected the dots and I see the big picture.
Quit. Free.
This is awesome. Strength to keep pounding ODAAT. Thanks for the tale AJ
I used to nag my dad about quitting smoking as my ninja a$$ dipped away. Man was I lost and a total hypocrite. Damn glad to be quit.
It's genocide plain and simple at this point. Not sure what to think about all the nic replacement products and their role.
Suicide on the instalment plan... Big tobacco execs have a special place in hell reserved for them.
Never again Apple.
Funny, 453 days later, I'm yet to go into the gas station that I bought 95% of my dip from. Part of me wants to go in just to see if the guy asks "1 or 2 cans today?". I'd like to video his reaction when I tell him I'm quit. I don't think he would be skeptical or angry that I caused a huge decline in their sales (gas and dip). He always looked at me in astonishment that I dipped so much. He would ask how long I had been doing it for, almost as if he was shocked that I was alive.
I did have a norm local station to buy from a few years back. A local station that also does repairs in a small town just outside Chattanooga. The owner is well known and loved. He has been there for over thirty years. We would all stop in early every morning before work get our caffeine, breakfast, and our nicotine. Until one morning when we all rolled in and wow.......
Me; Dwayne where did you move the Copenhagen, and the rest of the smokes and dip???
Dwayne; yep,,,,,, I moved it out!
Me; (confused) ??what??
Dwayne; I love you guys too much to continue to make money off your deaths.
Me; that's just stupid we will just get it elsewhere
Dwayne; well then at least I didn't sell it to you so when at your funeral I won't feel responsible.
Me; ok whatever.
That was almost two years ago. I have since moved to the other side of town to north GA but still know Dwayne, yea....... I am gonna send him a text tonight and thank him for what he did, while it seamed so stupid to me then now it is huge! I hadn't thought of this event until I read your post apple. Your a bad ass! Erussell at 252 days just behind the bad ass apple!
