Mutually Exclusive?

It's 0645. Sunlight begins to breach the concrete step just four feet from my front door. In my left hand, a fresh cup of coffee in my favorite mug; a Marlboro Light in my right. I sit alone, as I am the earliest riser of the household, but I will soon be joined by another, and we will sit, coffee in one hand, a cigarette in the other--all of us begin the day, together.

As the pirouetting smoke slowly dissipates, we sit in silence, this morning--a comfortable silence. Each morning is different--some times, between sips of coffee and drags from our cigarettes, the air is complimented by conversation. But, this morning, we sit in silence.

What is the point of this? I don't know, but I think I'm suggesting something along the lines of how these stimulants compliment our lives, enforce esoteric connections, even in their deadliness. The film Coffee and Cigarettes, to me, seems to highlight how these two products not only compliment one another, but the idea of their universal enjoyment--coffee and cigarettes are two products that are not reserved for specific social classes, but are enjoyed by the rich, the poor, and all those some where in between. Whether you're a mechanic or a CEO, a marionette or a line supervisor for an electric company, you'll see coffee cups and cigarettes in soft or seasoned hands. 

Everyone has their unique perception and way in which they engage the world, so interpret as you will, if any one actually reads this, but my intention here is not to advocate, but to illustrate an abstract idea regarding little things used throughout the day to fill the gaps and to exemplify our need for connection with other people. Obviously these are merely examples of why we smoke and drink--stimulants release dopamine, which helps with depression, anxiety, etc, caffeine gives us a charge. Sometimes, it is merely an excuse to go outside. Other times, for two people to abscond to their little world at the front of the house, just to be in the company of one another. Some times, it is merely an excuse.