Life in Prague

There is an area right outside the cafeteria where everyone from my building goes to smoke. It's supposed to be part of the parking lot, but it is in fact strewen with large ash trays and office workers in search of something more interesting than the minutae of their lives - namely chatter and highly addictive carcinogens. My office, afflicted with both severe boredom and many italians, provides a large number of the idle laborers. In fact, almost all the senior management spends a nice chunk of time hanging out there. I, of course, am not a smoker but instead a drinker of beer, a liquid whose side effects include both numerous health benefits intermingled with copious application of fat to the stomach. It is normal in Prague to occasionally take a beer with lunch (by occasionally I mean every day) and I do partake. But today I saw something that even I have not done. As Matthieu and I returned from the pub we saw some of our coworkers milling about the smoking area. Matthieu was the first to notice that they had cans of beer. 'They must be taking them to the park' I responded. As we walked up they mentioned they were planning on going to the park with their beer and sandwiches. And then, inexplicably, they started drinking their beers. During luch, right outside the building, in the smoking area where all our managers hang around. I'm still somewhat amazed by their nonchalance. But, as you might imagine, I think it's great. I mean, smokers get to take countless breaks to suck their cancer sticks. Why shouldn't I have 2 or 3 beer breaks during the day? I think I've been in this country too long...