It was -7°C when I came to work, a man selling newspaper (put together by the homeless) outside the supermarket. An automatic glass door separates the over-consumers and the man sleeping under a bridge. He saw the costumers complaining about the out of stock champagne and organic potatoes, and me scanning the products with an artificial smile. Around 8:30pm, he came in for a few beers. He said that he'd keep him warm, I said nothing. I understood but I didn't agree. A woman behind him asked me if the organic lemons she had in hand were really organic from Spain or this company just used the green label to advertise. I didn't know. Then she asked for cigarettes -- whole shopping cart of organic food with cigarettes. "Do you happened to know which brand contains the lowest nicotine?". "No, madame, I don't smoke." Even when I did, I did not care how much nicotine I inhaled. I have never been a health nut. I wanted to say that we did not have any organic cigarettes but they did not pay me for talking to customers.
It all comes down to nicotine and ethanol. From time to time we have a security guard at the store, because someone had stolen something. Most of them stole tobacco related products and liquor. They said that they didn't have much money or under age. I don't see how tobacco or whisky would help them become rich or older. Maybe older. Highlight of the store: artfully arranged cigarette wall, vivid colors reflecting to the bright energy-saving light. How could anyone resist to such beauty? Sometimes people come in smelling like the basement of a local bar out of sawdust. I should not complain, basements are useful places. I lived in a basement once, but I never drank enough to forget how to shower. I turned in my 2 weeks' notice last week, counting the days to turn the calender page to March.
