Chivalry...

Australian style

Sitting at the bus stop waiting for the bus that would take one home... not fast enough might one add... the lungs started to do their cleansing ritual. That is to say they tried to leave the body forcibly. Sitting next to me was a mountain of a man who turned and said they don't care who they upset do they? It was then that one realised why the lungs were playing merry hell. Someone further down the line had lit up.

As a small side bar in this country smoking is banned in public places. In fact it is banned in any sheltered area. These days smokers are expected to stand in the middle of the road to ply their craft if they are going to be compliant with the distance required from awnings and the like. Needless to say most are true to their ancestors and thumb their nose at the legislation unless someone is around to enforce it. As yet we do not have bus stop monitors.

Nodding weakly one agreed with this huge man. He glanced at one again taking in the abject state as the cough persisted. The coughing is that bad when it starts up. Turning the other way he said oi! You! Smoker! The other man's head lifted up like a bird dogs. Move further away. Your smoke is bothering people. The much smaller man looked at this would be knight, who looked as rough as guts as the locals are wont to do, and calculated his body mass before moving swiftly and without comment as far away as he could

Heart you so hard one croaked out between coughs. The man beamed with pleasure. And they say chivalry is dead. It can be found in the most unexpected places sometimes.