Taboo

There are times when you know that what you are considering is not always the best action in life. I am thinking back to a life changing moment in my life. I was at a boy scout camp, so I would be around about 14years of age.  At this age I tried hard to do all the usual boys things like football and gangs etc.  The trouble was that I preferred being on my own most of the time, I enjoyed solitude. 

So here I was at a scout camp participating in all of the activities and in fact being in charge of a group of lads living in one tent and cooking all our meals on an open fire. Organising the collection and choosing of wood, the cooking of meals, and all that goes with camping.

But I craved a bit of silence. So one evening when there was nothing much happening I  wandered off alone for a walk along the riverbank. About a mile from the camp I spotted one of the scout leaders sitting propped against a tree having a smoke at his pipe. This was a scene that stuck in my mind. I wanted some of that. 

So immediately I got home from the camp I went out and purchased a pipe and an ounce of tobacco. My first experience was terrible I ended up sick. Not to be deterred I persevered. Soon I was an expert at managing the art of pipe smoking, at the age of 15.

Big mistake. For the next 25 years I became an ardent pipe smoker. Not a single shirt did I own that was not burned, and my first thought every day was an ounce of tobacco and a box of matches. This continued until my 40th birthday the day I stopped smoking and took up running.  Even now all those years later the smell of a pipe reaches an inner recess that makes me long for just a puff or two. 

There are just some things you ought not start. 

While shopping in a food store, two nuns happened to pass by the beer counter. 

One nun said to the other, "Wouldn't a nice cool beer or two taste wonderful on a hot summer evening?"

The second nun answered "Indeed it would Sister, but I wouldn't feel comfortable buying beer as I am certain that it would cause a scene at the check-out counter."

"I can handle that without a problem" she replied as she picked up a six-pack and headed for the check-out.

The cashier had a surprised look on his face when the two nuns arrived with a six-pack of beer.

"We use beer for washing our hair" the nun said, "A shampoo, of sorts, if you will."

Without blinking an eye, the cashier reached under the counter, pulled out a package of pretzel sticks and placed them in the bag with the beer. He then looked the nun straight in the eye, smiled and said, "The curlers are on the house."

I wonder if they enjoyed that moment of indulgence and if they did did it lead to further moments of  little white lies or even worse.

How easy a stolen moment can become a stolen life. Turn on the tv and we are bombarded with the temptations, today the most prominent is to have a gamble and a few free plays. There is no such thing as a free meal.

Have a good day and oh remember the pretzels.