Cigarettes

At the restaurant, after lunch, I smoked a cigarette and threw it away to the street when finished. A kid, dressed in gray rags, came and pick it up.

"Kid, drop it," I said.

"But I need it."

I shrugged. Whatever, let him have it, I thought.

"Sir, I need a long one."

"I won't give you more. That's enough, kid."

"But look, I need it."

He showed me a box, opened the top, and inside there were three figurines made out of cigarette tails.

"See, I need a long one. The father is missing his arm," he said.