Smokers Lose Again

It seems that nonsmokers want to have it all their way. Twice, within one week, my friend and I--both smokers--went to lunch and had to put in our names to wait for a table in the smoking section.

When we were told there was a 10-minute wait, I commented that I didn’t know there were still that many smokers around. The hostess told me, “Oh, there are nonsmokers who will sit in either section.”

I told her that I felt the same say and that I’d sit in either section, too. Of course, that didn’t work. Why are nonsmokers able to sit in smoking areas while smokers cannot sit in nonsmoking areas, particularly when they are the most vocal about “second-hand smoke”?

My third incident of the week occurred in another restaurant where the smoking section is in the back of the cocktail lounge. One of the two men who were sitting in a back booth commented to me, “I suppose you’re going to light up a cigarette now, huh?” I answered that it was the smoking section and he then told me, sarcastically, to wait until his food was delivered and then light up.

LESLIE TURNER

Costa Mesa