“Smoking” in Florence

“*Psst* … you wan’na go out for a smoke ?”  Scruffy asked.

He was eyeing my cig box laying on the bed … sure why not I answered and went out for a smoke in the cold with scruffy. While I light up he proceeded to roll a cig to my fascination. I observed the tedious process of paper, filter, tobacco, rolling, licking, sticking and finally lighting it up for smoking. You need to teach me that before we part I said. Plus point also since it was way much cheaper rolling then buying box cig. I saw a saving point without compromising anything …

Puff Puff … as we stand outside the front door observing the newly arrived backpackers at night all girls with huge luggage (or maybe we only paid attention to the girls, I dunnu) and see their sigh of relieve in finally locating the hard to find hostel. A quiet smoke as the usual formalities had been exchanged.

“Do you smoke ?”, Scruffy asked.

Yea … I am smoking right now … I replied thinking something was wrong with him in the head.

“No I mean do you smoke, smoke !!”, Scruffy asked again.

“Huh ???”, My blur face being the reply …

“Weed ….”, he said uncomfortable of not knowing how I would react.

Eying him I finally smiled and replied

“Not yet, but I plan to once I reach Amsterdam. Heard you can get it there legally.” I replied

“You wanna try it now ?”, he asked

Scruffy was more comfortable now I guess seeing how open I was on the topic. Not the super conservative Asian stereotype.

“Sure …. But you will have to teach me everything … it will be my first time”, I said

I was excited … I did not even thought of trying it till I reach Amsterdam and also at that point I would have to somehow self educate myself on the topic. A bit of worry too since I would be backpacking alone and I don’t know how the narcotics was going to affect me. Scruffy seamed a bit more excited or even more excited than me to my surprise. He never thought he would be in Florence teaching someone to *smoke* for the first time as well. Well … he thought more than just me after a few nights in Florence :)

This is a pipe … and here there is a hole you cover with your thumb … proceed to insert *product* into fill area … I listen and observed not knowing what to expect. Scruffy made sure I inhaled enough to give me a continuous cough for five minutes and then said …

“Yep …. Now you got it …”, Scruffy smiling and me choking feeling nothing. 

Apparently my body didn’t reject it which was good but I could feel nothing as well. Scruffy said maybe it’s because it’s my first time. Diff people reacts differently and throughout Florence thou I smoked with him most of the time, I didn’t feel any effect. It did however conditioned me for Amsterdam and by the time I reach there I would have fine tuned the process and learn the just right quantity to consume.

“If you ever come visit me in Malaysia or Singapore for that matter …. You need to quit smoking”, I told scruffy.

“Why?”, Scruffy asked.

“It’s a death sentence there for *smoking*”, I told him seriously ….

“Oh …. Not so soon then”, Scruffy replied.