The Conjurer

ONE. SMOKING.

I was sitting in a coffee shop and this herd of
people sat down at a table to my right and
started talking about the time.

I took out a cigarette to mark it.

A girl from the group approached me and
politely asked if I would not smoke because it
makes her nauseous in such close quarters.

I told her that before she put another one in
the meter that she should move.

"I can't ask all my friends to move, " she
mouthed, "Besides, there's only one of you."

So I looked around, saw a chair that was just
recently vacated, and told her that she was
right. I picked up my smokes and notebooks,
took a long drag of my cigarette, took a few
steps, and threw myself down at her table,
exhaling low and slow, fogging the confused
flock of the Misguided Shepherdess.