Someone from my hometown wants to make it easier for bar patrons to take unlimited smoking breaks while keeping claim to their seats. From the Malden Observer:
Once a business purchases [the] cards, the idea is that they will be stacked on the bar, like cocktail napkins, for patrons to pick up and use when leaving beverages unattended to alert other patrons and staff that the owner of the drink intends on returning.
This reminds me of the South Boston tradition of putting out a lawn chair to claim a shoveled-out parking spot, even after almost all the snow has melted.
I have had the delightful experience of finding a seat at a drinking establishment, not noticing the glass with about a quarter-inch of beer parked on the bar, then chatting with friends for about 20 minutes before some guy with nicotine breath orders me off my perch. I don't think he's protecting his beverage; I think he likes being able to stroll around and chat up people without sacrificing his seat.
If these "out smoking" cards become legit, may I suggest some others to level the playing field? How about "outside until Billy Joel song is over"? Or "taking a break because I've heard my friend's story 500 times already"?
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