A cigarette takes 5 minutes off your life

One of the old hags from the 3rd floor sits there, with a fag hanging out of her mouth. God, I hate the smoking room, but it beats walking down another flight of stairs, just to stand outside with the rest of the plebs... When did I become so lazy?

No, this tiny smoke filled shithole's for me, me and that hag. Margaret, I think her name is, not that I really care, nobody cares too much about the misfits down on 3rd.

I stare at that old emaciated face, wondering how many years she's got left. That's gonna be me one of these days, wrinkled and frail, barely able to draw breath without coughing. I turn and look at my refection in the window. It's funny, the longer you stare at yourself, the less like you, you become... Who are you... Why are you judging me?

She turns and gazes over at me. "Beautiful day isn't it dear, aside from that lightening we had earlier."

I turn my head towards her, take another pull of my cigarette, smile then look away. God, I hate the smoking room, but it beats walking down another flight of stairs, just to stand outside with the rest of the plebs...

'The memoirs of Daniel Scott'