Confined to Barracks

The most unfortunate aspect of my having been addicted to the nicotine weed for so many years from the age of 12 is that, although I and so many others, thought we were the "dogs bollocks" with a cigarette hanging from our pubescent lips. This was a mirage!

Not withstanding the barrage of advertising by of all people, the medical establishment (albeit American) the price of cigarettes was uncommonly cheap! In the U.K. we could get a packet of 4 "Domino" cigarettes in a sort of flimsy paper/pseudo cardboard packet for 6d (the equivalent of 2.5p nowadays).

Even cheaper was the fact that you could buy a single fag for 1d which in reality meant that you could ostensibly have 240 cigarettes for £1.00. I well remember using an old Café in Glasgow Street in Ardrossan owned by an archaic woman whom it was alleged came from Russia who'd be happy to oblige with the "single fag", I'm sure her name was something like "Izzie".

Where am I going with this meander down memory lane? 

The point is that this history of sucking nicotine on a daily basis has now landed me and some of my close friends with C.O.P.D. or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; and this means that we are collectively "confined to barracks/house" for a total of 12 weeks. The only consolation is that I have a very comfortable barracks and the most wonderful OIC of the barracks in Wilma.

Stay safe my friends and never, ever smoke !!