I love the calm before the storm. It still scares the *piss* out of me but I thoroughly enjoy it.

I don't believe i have recorded the story of *the gas station attendant who gave me a cigar smoking lesson*

So now I will.

So, a little while ago, Erin and I (yes, the one who snorts and we are always together almost) decided to take a little drive up to Cleveland. Because we were/are bored out of our minds with Canton and Youngstown, respectively. So, I meander on over to the greater Canton area, and as I am nearing that which many know as Mal-one, Sab popped in to my mind. So, I called him (what's with me using "So," so much?). And upon my calling him, I discovered that he was in fact, doing nothing, and would be free for a day of frolicking in the Cleveland area.

Thusly, I went to pick him up at E. Hisey's place of residence. And upon my arrival there, I was *delighted* to see her! However, her day was planned around doing absolutely nothing and enjoying every moment of it, so Adam made him self pretty and we headed out the door to pick up Erin. We trekked (did I spell that right?) to Cleveland and romped around Tower City for a while, and then went to see Mean Girls (hey, New York Minute is pretty darn good too, so I hear...). And dinner at Hard Rock. And then a quick jaunt over to a land just East of the greater Cleveland area for Ice Cream *mmmmmmmmm* with B-rian.

So, (there I go again) after a semi-full day of adventures, we start heading back. Only, five minutes on the road and I discover this insatiable *urge* to smoke a cigar. Now, I've never smoked a cigar before in my life...the junior high and high school days of hiding behind buildings and smoking cigarettes grossed me out enough that I have not wanted to smoke anything *ever* again since. But that night, I wanted a cigar.

Adam was, of course, more than a bit excited at this. So, we pull in to the BP station right before the entrance to 90 and head in for my new cigar stirrings. Erin meanders off to find Starbursts and other *random* cravings, and Adam and I stand before the cigar stand, with me pondering which one I want to try. The attendant behind the counter takes notice of this, and starts asking questions.

"Have you ever smoked a cigar before?"

"No," I answer.

"Well, you need to try (and then he started sounding like adults do on the Peanuts comic)..."

"Well, I don't even know how to smoke one!" I giggle.

"Oh, well, all you have to do is breathe this and that way and then puff this and that way and then push it through your nose and do a little rain dance."

Okay, he didn't say the last part. But I had no idea what he meant, so I was looking at him like he did say it.

"Hold on, hold on!"

"Okay?"

He runs off and Adam and I kind of look at each other in confusion. (Can you be "in" confusion? Hmmm...). He reappears, cigar in mouth, and starts puffing away and shooting streams of cigar smoke out at me through his nostrils.

I, of course, was forever grateful that he showed me. Or at least, I acted like I was. I was more in disbelief that the BP attendant decided to hop out from behind the counter and demonstrate the how-to's of smoking a cigar for me. Adam showed me how to anyhow.

So, (okay, I think I need to start abstaining from this word) there goes the story of How Kristy Smoked Her First Cigar. Jolly good times.

Oh, and for Andrew Rudd...from a few posts ago (of yours)...hop is only one letter away from hope. So are bunny rabbits and toads closer to having a salvation experience then say, snails?