The only problem was that you had to leave and re-enter Malaysia every three months if you wanted to stay for, say, a year. Mind you, it was better than India where the limit was 180 days, even if you were married to the prime minister’s daughter. One day over, and you were for it!

So in Georgetown, Penang, Harry put up with the go-and-come ritual four times a year so that he could live in a modest Malaysian middle-class style, relishing the succulent low-priced street dishes, and quite comfortable in his roomy flat. The only thing missing was, (to quote Lee Kwan Yew of Singapore), “green lungs”. Mostly it needed a long bus ride to reach any of them, and if by chance you happened, (as he did), to be a Squash player, it required an hour to get there; and when you did, it was impossibly expensive!

So, one day, having finally found the Botanical Gardens where he was off for a good long ramble, he was astonished to see notices at the main entrance to the area, expressly forbidding smoking. For him, one of the great pleasures while strolling in forests or by the sea, was puffing at his pipe. Was it even credible that SMOKING IN THE OPEN AIR was banned?! Had it actually come to that?

On his last day in Penang, his landlord had invited him for a ‘farewell meal', and answered his question: “Ah. It is because of the many barefoot runners who have burned their feet on unextinguished cigarette stubs.”

He had got it quite wrong then. The New World Order had not arrived at that point…...yet!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

But it is getting there.
No smoking in restaurants, coffeeshops and food courts now.
Or within 10 feet of one!
Business is already declining in some!!

True.
Happily there are still marvels such as Mingle2 to cheer things up!!

It might be worth a thought (for those who haven't yet), that if PROPER air-conditioning...[expensive, true]...had been installed closer to the beginning of all the 'smoking hysteria', the closures, sackings, resentment, aggression, etc., relating to the issue, would not have reached such ridiculous levels. I don't like smoke up my nose when eating, but had CORRECT air-conditioning been given first consideration, I wouldn't even have noticed it!

Also, I invite anyone to make a list of 'things toxic to the human', in the order of "most dangerous to", (including everything the creature consumes), and see how very low down in it TOBACCO is.

Before the UK ban on smoking in pubs I used to return home after an evening out and not only had to shower but I also had to put ALL my clothes in the wash because of the stink which makes me feel ill. So for me, smoking is at the top of the list of most dangerous toxins.

Sorry to be a spoilsport, but I have only once had a friendship with a smoker, a girlfriend when in my teens and I had to say to her it's me or the cigs. OK, I lost out but I was young and found other girls later on.

With apologies to the long queue of attractive ladies waiting to meet me, cigarette in hand. Sorry to all you, no deal!