Smoking. I can chose to have none of it, right?

Today I entered a magazine store to buy Sol, my favorite newspaper nowadays. I stayed longer as I was trying to spend some more money (I wanted to use the ATM card, and 2€ seems too cheap to do it. Some stores even forbid it, even though I'm pretty sure that's illegal. But I digress.) I picked the newspaper up, put it on the counter and told the lady I was still looking for something more. Suddenly this guy walked in the store, smoking a cigarette. I didn't like it. It was a small store, and even though I wasn't immediately annoyed by the smoke, I would much prefer it if no smoke at all was present. I'm definitely not used to smoking being allowed in stores, particularly inside shopping centers like this one (Centro Comercial Acqua Roma), and I asked the gentleman "Excuse me, do you think it's ok to smoke here?". He didn't say a thing, just stood there looking at me. Funny, if he though it was ok, why didn't he just say it? After all I was just asking, in the most polite way I could. The lady behind the counter then said something like "just trying to create a fuss", directed to the gentleman (but about me) I suppose. She then talked to me to say "Why shouldn't he smoke, we sell tobacco and there's an ashtray just there". So I asked "So you (as in 'The store') are OK with him smoking here?" "Yes". "Ah, I won't be taking that newspaper then" and I proceeded to leave the store. I could still hear her commenting "just trying to create a fuss"...

Well I don't like smoke. It annoys me and it's bad for my health. I mean, really bad for my health... I lose my ability to breath normally after a very short period of time of inhaling smoke. And so I'm not OK with people smoking around me. I know a lot of people feel the same way, and that's why I asked the gentleman my question. In the absence of his reply, the lady informed me that the shop had no problem with it... and I chose to take my (small, but still...) business elsewhere. I was merely getting informed, funny how that equals "trying to start a fuss" in her mind...

So many people act this way, though. It's like we can't be honest, you're more likely a psycho who has an evil agenda...

Hehe It's great to be able to feel I'm above it though. Live on!