From The Past: May 10, 2004

Kevin took me to a restaurant in Lexington yesterday for lunch for Mother’s Day. We had an excellent meal, but the thing that I really enjoyed was not having to deal with smoking or non-smoking.

A few weeks ago, Lexington passed a smoking ban in all bars and restaurants. There was a debate about this for some time, but the ban finally passed after going to the Supreme Court. I believe that the media has had a great time playing this up like tons of people will no longer go to bars or restaurants. However, in the past few weeks, the restaurants have been just as full as they’ve always been. I don’t know about the bars, but I would say that this has been the case for them also. I’m glad that the ban passed though because it never mattered whether I sat in the non-smoking section or not; I could still smell the smoke.

Several weeks ago, we ate at Applebee’s in Winchester. I asked for non-smoking. Once we were seated in the non-smoking section, I realized that the only thing keeping me from the bar and the smoking section was a three-foot half-wall that was open at the top. Since it was a table for two, our table was right up against this wall. Right on the other side was another table with two smokers. I couldn’t believe it! Why even have smoking sections if it’s going to be like this? To answer any questions; no, we didn’t say anything. We were hungry and it was late and we just wanted to eat and get out of there.

I wish so much that they would pass the smoking ban in Winchester. You can’t even go to Wal-Mart without having to deal with it. In the back of Wal-Mart, they have a small cafe/grill area where people are allowed to smoke as they eat their food. The milk, eggs, butter, and all kinds of other dairy products are in this same area of the store. I hate going back there to get my milk because I know that I’m going to be bombarded with foul cigarette smells. I don’t want it in my hair, on my clothes or anywhere else. It’s been almost two years since I quit and I can’t handle the smell any more. When someone walks up to me, I can immediately tell whether or not they smoke. I can smell it a mile away. It doesn’t matter how much perfume or cologne you put on, how many sticks of gum or mints you put in your mouth; if you smoke, you smell like smoke. It’s embedded in your skin, hair, clothes – everything.

And let me just say this to you smokers. When you walk into a room, like a doctor’s office for example, the smoke smell floods in with you. The non-smokers are thinking about how much you reek. This goes for church also. If you think you blend in with everyone else then you’re wrong. We smell it.

I’m not saying that I’m a better person than smokers; after all, I did smoke for 15 years. All I’m trying to point out is that it does affect others and if you’re trying to hide it, you can’t. It’s a nasty habit and I’m glad that I broke it before it broke me. Now, I wonder how we could get that ban passed here.

Currently (2020): The smoking ban did pass in Clark County although there are some small businesses where smoking does occur. I don’t visit those places, so it makes no difference to me. As a matter of fact, I previously mentioned Applebee’s, however I cannot say when the last time was that we ate in Applebee’s. Heck, it could have been back in 2004!

It won’t surprise me if that post doesn’t offend some people. All I can say is that there was a time that I didn’t care who I offended. I simply wanted to speak my truth. These days, if the situation was the same, I would give details, but not dwell so much on the odors that people who smoke carry with them.