Jeffrey and I went to the Waukesha County Fair yesterday to see REO in concert. It's pretty much a summer tradition with us, seeing REO in concert. They put on a good show, and we really enjoy it, except I do wish they had played more songs from the Find Your Own Way Home CD. The trouble with these outdoor concerts is that I always end up surrounded by smokers. I guess I should know better and just stay home. Only smokers are allowed to have fun, and that's just the way it is. It doesn't occur to a single one of them that there are people in the world who actually need to breathe, who might not want to breathe their disgusting smoke. We had smokers behind us, smokers beside us, and then after the concert started more smokers right in front of/beside us - basically on top of me - and of course, that one couldn't go five seconds without lighting up, practically in my face the whole time. And then her fat friend came and stood directly in front of me - and when I moved in front of her so I could see and take a picture, she shoved me and said that I was rude.
Besides the burning eyes, sore throat, and all the other adverse reactions, I think what really bothers me about the whole thing is that smokers can come up and force me to breathe their smoke. They don't ask if I mind (I do!) They think they have the right to smoke, any time, anywhere, as often as they want. I thought I had the right to breathe, but I can't do it any time, anywhere, as often as I want. I can't walk up to a group of smokers and force them to breathe smoke-free air. Nope. I don't have a nasty habit, therefore I have no rights. They can assault me, and I'm just supposed to take it.
I always try to find other non-smokers to sit by, and I guess the smokers do too, because they always seem to find me. Seriously, why can't smokers look for other smokers to sit by? Congregate together - downwind. How hard is that? But no, they spread themselves throughout the whole crowd, making it completely impossible to avoid them. Even better - they could NOT SMOKE. It seems obvious to me that the people with the nasty habit should be the ones to give something up when they're out in public. I know for a fact that they can make it through a concert and even have a good time without smoking, because I've seen them do it. So why are they regularly allowed to ruin it for the rest of us? Why?
