just as the german sadomasochists have safewords (eg. MARCHE, BRUSCHETTA, SCHWARZENEGGER) to indicate an end to their bondage experiences, i too, as a smoker working in a hospital setting, have mine. my colleagues directly translate 'i'm going for a 13-minute break' into 'oh, he's going to smoke again'.

so off i run to my favourite smoking spot which basically overlooks a majority of the city and a certain popular tourist destination. there's plenty of privacy, a good view, a certain amount of silence, and plenty of cool air coming from an air-conditioning ventilator. and believe me, it's not easy to look for a spot to smoke in the hospital. since day one of employment, i have scoured the hospital for smoking spots. this is the best so far. because no one else smokes here, judging from the lack of cigarette butts.

but i really like smoking on the roof. it's takes the mind away from the hustle and bustle of nursing. plus there's artificial grass planted on the roof. on really cooling nights, i just lie on the grass and puff away while watching the purple and lavender thing we call a nightsky. and the best thing? it takes 4 minutes to walk there, 5 minutes to puff, and another 4 to walk back to my ward. before you know it, i'm back in the ward. my colleagues use their own safeword here: 'hey jon, what fragrance are you using today ah?'

it's green and it begins with the letter M.

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