Designated Smoking
Smoking in non-smoking facilities can be an interesting proposition. It varies widely from location to location. Here in Albuquerque, if a facility is non-smoking, there is no designated area for lighting up a cigarette (or cigar, or whatever).
In the fall I traveled to West Texas on a personal matter. I visited a relative in a hospital, a designated non-smoking facility, but with designated areas right outside the main entrance where people could light up..
The hotel where I stayed had this “Designated Smoking Area” right outside the front door.
In the morning, it was not uncommon to see people, dressed in their nightclothes, enjoying a cigarette or two at this bench before dressing for breakfast. It was very interesting to me because it was so different from what is seen in Albuquerque.
I really liked the appearance of the bench, with the Star of Texas (repeated on the handrails), against the weathered fence. I also found the ash container (I cannot quite call that an ash tray) fascinating. I guess it does not have to be emptied too often!
Designated areas were found everywhere, it seems, at non-smoking facilities. This one, to me, was one of the more interesting ones and one that fit its locale perfectly.
