Chillin'

Sometimes I get into some great conversations at Starbucks, sometimes I just sit and read the paper. Often as not I come to relax, enjoy a cup of coffee, a have a smoke. Just lean back, enjoy the flavors, let my mind wander wherever it wants. That's why they have the outside patio area, to give us smokers a place to indulge our habit. The law says no smoking inside. No dogs, no smoking.

I always had the impression that at least amongst the younger, better educated segments of our society smoking was largely a thing of the past. So why is a coffee shop that largely caters to an upscale college crowd forced to provide more seating outside than inside? Why are so many of these future doctors, lawyers, business executives and such, leaving the area campuses to congregate here, and light up with their coffee?

Is smoking becoming fashionable again? Could it have something to do with the demographics found here? People largely from other countries where smoking is still not considered such a big deal? Perhaps just that we have a mild climate and a roof to at least keep the rain off our heads?