Lordess of The Cigarette Smokers

For those who’ve never lived in the third world or who have been raised in the last 20 years of smoke free public places in much of the Western world – Here’s a perspective for you.   Step into most public places in Indonesia and cigarette smoke is a factor you have to deal with.    From the crowded public ferries and transport ships, to the waiting area’s in airports, to restaurants, the the open air markets – Many people smoke.    Often when I have to wait for an airplane I feel as if I’ve smoked a pack or two.   This past Sunday morning I had to wait on a flight to go home from Wamena to Jayapura.    At one point I could not find a man who wasn’t smoking who wasn’t an Adventist.  Nearly naked native men wearing only a gourd came begging cigarettes and were offended when I told them I had none.   ( After all I’m white and I’m suppose to carry all things in my pockets – Mary Poppins style.)   When I told them, “Papa, Saya tidak rokok.”   (“Sir, I don’t smoke.”)   They just kept begging.   Finally, I added, “I don’t smoke,   I’m an Adventist Pastor”    That was the ticket that they understood.   They must have some Adventist friends who also don’t smoke because they respected that.  

A few weeks ago I saw a creative employee at one of the airports I was at.    The smoke was especially thick with many men smoking in an area that clearly said,  “No Smoking”.   So this Papuan woman walked from behind the counter to the nearest AC unit with a large can of roach spray.   She proceeded to empty half the can letting the AC blow the contents over all those smoking men.   Soon they began to move to the far end of the room because the spray was causing them to have watery eyes and constricted throats.   When one of the offenders complained to her about her action she said, “I was just doing to to you as you have been doing to me.”   She then pointed out that there was a designated smoking area.  If he wanted to smoke in the non smoking section “Go right ahead” but she’d fumigated him again until he was sitting in his correct place.   The last time I went through this same airport I smelled the same roach spray smell.   I looked around and sure enough the same  “Lordess of the smokers”  stood smugly behind her counter keeping over her smoking offenders.   All smokers were in there proper designated smoking area.   Three cheers to the “Lordess of the Smokers” in the Sorong airport – Way to Go!