78. The Cigarette

He poured some soda into a glass. The bubbles rose in the glass. He looked at the bubbles. He listened to the bubbles. He dropped a couple of ice cubes into the glass. The ice cubes floated to the top. He waited until the ice cubes got a little smaller. He took a sip of the soda. It was nice and cold. He put the glass on the table. He put an ashtray on the table. He took a cigarette out of the Marlboro box. He tapped the cigarette a couple of times. He put the cigarette in his mouth. He tore a match out of the matchbook. He closed the matchbook. He lit the match. He moved the match to the end of the cigarette. He inhaled. Smoke entered his mouth. He inhaled more. Smoke went into his lungs. He took the cigarette out of his mouth. He exhaled. A big cloud of smoke filled the dining room. He watched the smoke disappear. He put the cigarette in his mouth again, and inhaled. It felt so good. He felt so relaxed. His wife came out of the bathroom. “Open the windows,” she yelled. “You’re stinking up the whole house!”