I am in the open air on a roof terrace at the hotel Adonis here in Athens. I always choose to stay here as the view of the Acropolis is spectacular and I can tap away at my PC and smoke at the same time. There is an ash tray on my table and I grab a fag getting ready to light up. At the next table a Frenchman says “do you mind not smoking”. I rely “yes I do" and light up defiantly.
He says “but there are children here”. I counter: “This is in the open air and the passive smoke from my one cigarette is not going to kill your kids.” The froggie says “I am not a policeman but this is about how you treat your neighbours”. I respond “It is not illegal, no you are not a policeman, this is about my liberty to do as I wish with my body”. The Austrian at the table on the other side of me smirks which rather encourages me to continue to stand my ground.
The froggie knows full well that I am not going to kill his kids with passive smoke in an open air space from one cigarette. He just does not like smoking. I might counter that a nation with an aversion to soap and deodorant can see its people infringe on my personal space in a similar way. But I am a diplomat – as you know well.
There are ever fewer spaces where one can smoke and ever more places where you cannot smoke. This is a smoking allowed open air space and the froggie is quite simply a fascist and a bully. Just to show him, and encouraged by more friendly smirks from the Austrian next door and inane grins from his kids all of whom speak good English, I decide to have a second cigarette.