Buddy, can I bum a smoke? A week of freeloading in Beijing
But it's my last one! (That's doubtful.)
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They say nothing in life is free but for one week cigarettes were for me. For seven days, I randomly asked people in Beijing to give me a smoke and nary one said no, even though more than half of them did not know me.
A sign of generosity in our city? That cigarettes are dirt cheap? Or that they hoped by giving me one I would go away?
I will leave such analysis up to the think tanks For now, here is the raw data, broken down by date, place of acquisition, profession and nationality of supplier, and brand.
Next mission: Buddy, can I bum some gum.
(Note: Do not, I repeat, do not try this at home. I mean, unless a lot of strangers wander into your apartment, who would you bum the smokes from?)
| Sunday | |||
| Sports stadium | Patron | Chinese | Hong He |
| Sports stadium | Patron | Chinese | Bai Sha |
| Sports stadium | Ticket scalper | Chinese | ? |
| D Lounge | Importer | American | Marlboro Red |
| D Lounge | Manager | Australian | Zhongnanhai .5 |
| Monday | |||
| Union | Chef | American | Bai Sha |
| Bookworm | Manager | S. Africa | 555 |
| Bookworm | Journalist | American | Zhongnanhai .5 |
| Bookworm | Editor | English | Zhongnanhai .8 |
| Worker Stadium | Taxi driver | Chinese | Hong He |
| Tuesday | |||
| The Den | ? | American | Marlboro Red |
| Union | Waiter | Chinese | ? |
| Q Bar | Tourism rep | Austria | Hong He |
| Q Bar | Wine seller | German | 555 Mandarin |
| Wednesday | |||
| The Den | Marketer | Australian | Zhongnanhai .5 |
| Nola | Beer seller | Australia | Zhongnanhai .8 |
| Salud | Manager | French | ? Zhongnanhai .8 |
| Thursday | |||
| Le Petit Gourmand | Manager | French | Zhongnanhai .8 herbal |
| Le Petit Gourmand | F&B guy | American | Zhongnanhai .8 |
| Paddy O’Shea’s | Manager | Irish | Benson & Hedges |
| Paddy O’Shea’s | Patron | Hand-rolled | English |
| D Lounge | Music promoter | Swedish | Zhongnanhai .5? |
| Friday | |||
| None | |||
| Saturday | |||
| Union | Chef | American | Bai sha |
| Union | Patron | Australian | Zhongnanhai .8 |
| Union | Factory builder | German | Winston, snuff |
7 Comments so far
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Interesting to note the only hand-roller was English, like myself. Also that American and other foreigners like to stick to brands they know, though Zhongnahai seems to have won favour with some. I have found many Chinese uninhibited about asking to ‘bum a smoke’. They seem confused if one only has roll-ups and tend to decline the offer. Having recently obtained my next six months supply of Drum rolling tobacco, I will probably be giving away far fewer cigarettes! While Marlboros may be cheap at around 15 RMB a packet, they can be a bit much all the time. And I’m a little concerned at the fake cigarettes that appear to be more commonplace especially after some rather nasty Camels sold to me recently. I smoked one and the rest remain un-smoked. On closer inspection it was obvious. The packet displayed several typos including “DVTY FREE” and “AVTHORITY”!
That’s pretty cool. For your next experiment, you should go to lots of noodle shops and “hole in the wall” places in the Sanlitun-area for a week and file nightlife reports from there (interview bosses, comment on the service, prices, etc.)
Like the same thing you do now, but with the local folk.
You go out 6 nights a week? Sick life.
@ tvnewswatch,
Yep, people have qualms about bumming a smoke here and I think the main reason is they are so cheap. Hand-rolled? Well, that’s less common and, how should I put it, a bit more tactile…
Here you on the fake smokes…
Cheers, Boyce
@ Pete,
That sounds like work!
Cheers, Boyce
@ nonsmoker,
Unfortunately – or maybe fortunately – only two of those were nights out.
Cheers, Boyce
import smokes almost always seem to be poor quality- either they are recycled packs that are past their sell by date or they are shanzhai. the zhongnanhai’s seem to be the most consistent, bit like going to mcdonalds, important as I’m a pick & stick guy.