Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Perhaps alarmed by the recent WHO survey about the lethality of tobacco, a German reportedly used a fire-extinguisher to stub out his girlfriend’s cigarette. Overkill, did you say? But diehard smokers better do some introspection before it’s too late.
But talk to them of introspection and the first thing they do is light up.
So here are some alternative ruminating aids .
The thing that comes to mind instantly is carrot. Carrots were to Karamchand, our desi detective, what the pipe was to Sherlock Holmes. Mercifully, they are easier on one’s purse and are now available almost all the year round. Carrots are also the perfect antidote to jaded thinking, for they are a rich source of beta carotene, the best antioxidant.
But munching carrots is not a great idea after a full meal when the urge to smoke is the strongest. So the thing that can come in handy is the toothpick. It helps concentrate and repels unwanted intruders . That it ensures dental hygiene is of course a bonus.
That brings us to the good old chewing gum, the thinking aid of all sporting personalities. Arguably it was the secret behind the strategic thinking that made Steve Waugh a great captain. Talking of cricket captains, how can one forget Sourav Ganguly? Think of him and the image that comes to mind is Maharaj sitting in the pavilion wearing a weary expression and biting, ahem, his nails — a unique thinking aid if one is not so hung up on hygiene.
Twirling the end of one’s moustache used to be a time-tested pondering device once when handlebars were in vogue. Unfortunately, moustaches of any size are out of fashion these days. But hey, so is smoking.
Or you could take a cue from yours truly who can focus by stirring sugar in his coffee cup endlessly. It does leave the brew a tad lukewarm but it’s a lot healthier to measure out one’s life with coffee spoons like the protagonist of ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’, than making short work of it with cigarette butts.
