Sat 4th October 2025

The afternoon was going well, down the pub "for just the one", with someone from my block of flats and three people I didn't know, running a good bagatelle of conversation on pints of Lancaster Black. I couldn't help myself. "That beer -- that's from my home town" I told an uninterested man, like some irritating grandad.

Then one of those shiny rays of middle-aged womanhood turned up, with her son; all blonde and brightening, she sat next to me, and I became open to the most stupid, harmful suggestion.

She was giving away something in colourful little packets. I thought it was some sort of men's sexual health outreach thing -- catch the males in their natural habitat and give them free condoms. It was actually what I've always called "snuss" -- little wads of stuff you stick up your gum to give you a big nicotine hit. I've never any used any kind of nicotine since I was a teenager.

Within minutes I was felled, sweating all over, nauseous and hot; incapable of movement or speech, with my head on the table. I did a little sick, which I managed to dribble through the slats of the table onto the pavement.

My mate from the block walked me home. He didn't seem to want me leaning on him so we did this weird walk holding hands, held safely away from each others' sides; I thought we looked like two elderly poofs who were uncertain how the date had gone.

Still hardly able to speak, with a dose of cowardice thrown in, I gave him the phone and asked him to ring Mel, who had cooked us our tea. She wanted to speak to me. It was a very short call.

I went to bed and slept restlessly, trying to calm the nausea, which ground on all night. The following day improved slowly, after my nicotine sentence was topped off with a few hours of an unpleasant dissociated feeling. What a poleaxe nicotine is, for those not used to it.

4 comments »

4 comments

Comment from: 63mago [Visitor]

Caramba !
Sorry to learn that it smashed you so.
I never have used this “snuss” stuff, I am just rolling my ciggies, two go with a “Halbe” (half a liter of beer).
I am always astounded how non-descript the modern pre-fab cigarettes are - what is nowadays a Marlboro would have been seen as a pregnancy cigarette forty years ago. And you can not buy real Gitanes or any black tabaccoed stuff anymore, forget the ones without filter.

I like the “shiny ray of middle-aged womanhood", a nice picture. Sorry to learn that she was “Frau Welt", tossing out poison on one side, while warm-tender-lively on the other side - tah !

Sun 5th October 2025 @ 01:51 Reply to this comment

Comment from: looby [Visitor]

I am a feather-weight when it comes to nicotine and after Friday’s disaster I am never touching it again. The other men at the table were happily talking away, while I was going through my hot, nauseous misery.

The woman though, was lovely. She used to run a pub, and you could tell – she had that mixture of flirtiness and distance which is very attractive.

Enjoy your Halbe! I am off the drink until 1st November, but I will raise a glass in a Franconian direction that day.

Mon 6th October 2025 @ 17:53 Reply to this comment

Comment from: kono [Visitor]

The latest stupid decision… could be the story of our lives lol!

Seems the kids all love those little pouches which seem to me most vile but big tobacco has to hook the kids somehow right?

I’ve often told the boyos to steer clear of the old lady known as nicotine… granted i’ve smoke my fair share but kicked it a long time ago (exept of course the occasional ciggy when tripping at concerts ;) but you have to watch, good old Nic will make you spin right round if you ain’t used to it… never a dull moment with you good sir..

Wed 8th October 2025 @ 13:54 Reply to this comment

Comment from: looby [Visitor]

Yeah, the packets are all colourful and make it look like it’s all groovy and cute. Obviously aimed at the yoof.

The odd carrot at a concert is an exception of course…

Thu 9th October 2025 @ 08:45 You are currently replying to this comment

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looby, n.; pl. loobies. A lout; an awkward, stupid, clownish person

M / 61 / Bristol, "the most beautiful, interesting and distinguished city in England" -- John Betjeman [1961, source eludes me].

"Looby is a left-wing intellectual who is obsessed with a) women's clothes and b) tits." -- Joy of Bex.

WLTM literate woman, 40-65. Must have nice tits, a PhD, and an mdma factory in the shed, although the first on its own will do in the short term.

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The latest stupid decision

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looby, n.; pl. loobies. A lout; an awkward, stupid, clownish person

Rummage in my drawers

The Comfort of Strangers

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