After a horribly stressful shift as a firefighter captain. Donald Treshman decided to stop at a local convenience store and purchase a pack cigarettes for the first time in 17 years.
He did not open the pack of cigarettes fearing the smoke would destroy the fresh mint smell in his car. So he decided to wait until he arrived home.
When he parked inside the garage, he left the garage door open, and he quickly exited to sit on the stool in front of his work bench and smoke his cigarette.
He was looking for an ashtray when Melissa his wife pulled into the garage, and he quickly hid the unopen pack in his front pants pocket.
Donald noticed Mellisa wasn’t wearing her usual professional business attire, but, dressed in a tracksuit with the name of the middle school where she is the principal.
As she exits the car, she states aloud. “I’m so tired and stressed, “I need a stare down,” how was your day honey, as she kisses him on the lips?
Donald, explains it was stressful, but, what happened to your business clothes.
Melissa, reaching below the work bench, explaining how her clothes were ripped off during a fight between three girls over a boy.
Donald asked, was, anyone hurt?
Oh, yes, my new my Liz Claiborne pants suit were ripped in several places, hence the reason for the tracksuit.
The girls were fighting over a boy who’s mother is in the military and will be transferring in two weeks with her son in tow, breaking three hearts at once.
When Mellisa stands up, she asks. “Now, what did you put in your pocket as I drove up?”
The question embarrassed Donald, but he was shocked when she stood up with an unopen pack of cigarettes, placing them on the workbench and sat on a second stool next to his.
Donald reaches into his front pants pocket to reveal his unopen pack of cigarettes, saying he is sorry.
Mellissa, tells Donald, don’t apologize unless you were going to smoke one. I bought my pack two years ago when I became principal and whenever I have a horribly stressful day.
I come home stare at the pack to remind myself of how bad smoking is and how stressful It would be trying to hide it.
Donald pulls up his stool, and they stare at their unopen packs of cigarettes for several minutes when Donald asks. Does this help?.
Mellisa, says oh yes, but, now we need to go for a run.
Donald agrees.
So, began the way a happily married couple coped with stress after work and also raise three children into becoming successful adults while enjoying their jobs for over thirty years.
As time passed over the decades, the two spent many days after work staring at their packs of cigarettes then going for a run or walk.
After they both had retired and decided move to Florida, they came across the two old packs of cigarettes under the workbench when moving. They stood looking at the old dusty packs and decided to leave the two packs on the work bench with a note for the new homeowners.
To the future homeowners;
We the former owners for over thirty years have used these two packs of cigarettes as a source for destressing our day by staring at the cigarette packs for a while and considering the stressors caused by smoking a cigarette.
We realized it was better to go for a run, walk, or just cook dinner.
Good luck and enjoy your new home.
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