Spring Crocus/Krokus’

Below us in our flat in Dobrinje live two doctors and their daughters. They all seem to be nice enough people. For some reason their career choice and assumed level of eduction led me to expect certain things. Prejudice on my part? Absolutely.

So the winter snows have quickly disappeared in the last few days. Including on the small patch of grass to the back of our building. With the melting of the snow in March often comes the grim reality of how dirty muddy march can be in Sarajevo. And I'm not talking about mud. It's all the hidden garbage that reappears after months in hibernation.

So as I gazed on the white confetti littering the lawn I called Sabina over and asked her to ‘have a look at that!’ She did. And she thought they were the onset of spring krokus’ that can – I guess – slightly resemble the butt of a cigarette. Then again, she can't see a thing without her glasses.

In a slightly annoyed tone I informed her that they were the winter ciggies of our neighbors – the doctors. NNNNNOOOOOOO!!!!!! She replied. They can't be. More denial.

So the spring krokus’ literally turned out to be somewhere in the neighbourhood of 200-300 cigarette butts. All from one balcony. All from two educated people dedicated to the health of our communities.

Yes, its the Amer whining about cigarettes again. And I will most likely continue to do so until I'm an  old and bitter man, hopefully not dying from the secondary smoke that was forced upon me all these years. But I'm not writing to complain about the billows of cigarette smoke that pour into our living room when the weather is nice from down below. It's more about chucking them off the balcony into the clear white snow. Now we have nicotine krokus’ growing in the backyard.

I find it offensive. It just ain't right. I expected more.

So much for expectations, huh?