Section 280E of the Federal Income Tax Code says that drug dealers can’t deduct any expenses related to the drug trade from their tax returns. Well, that doesn’t apply to the cost of the drugs though, you get to sort of make back that investment.
It was almost painful reading that on Monday. Monday. Marathon Monday. 4/20 Monday.
I should have expected it, too, the inevitable IM from a college friend. Something along the lines of “can’t wait to get out of work…sad for you if you’re not celebrating.” I sighed, wishing that sigh was an exhalation of sweet, powdery, swirls of smoke, snaking out of my lungs and throat, ending with the rattled cough and the declaration, “wow…wow…”
I haven’t done that in too long, and that may be for the best. Even if only for financial reasons, I couldn’t afford such a habit. That’s not to say I’m not fighting an internal battle against carcinogens these days. It happens the last few weeks of every semester when too many hours in the library, not enough riding, and guilt for not working hard enough combine and my brain tells me that something’s gotta give.
And when that happens, I make up some excuse to get outside, get grabbed by a good friend I haven’t spoken to in weeks, and find a cigarette in my hand, smoke between my lips. Inhale. Exhale. I’ll feel like shit later, and that’s when I’ll crave another.
I thought about it last night as I passed the Store24. I had a few bucks in my pocket, a lighter at home. Add coffee to that and it would be my college breakfast all over again. I sighed, thinking, “maybe, maybe.”
Instead I stretched, laid out on my floor, and looked up at a bike built to go fast. It looked like it wanted to pounce and break out of my bare apartment under a pair of strong legs and a set of reasonably workable lungs.
“Okay,” I said, defeated, feeling even more guilty, “I won’t. Not tonight.”
And hopefully, not tonight either.
Tags: 4/20 · bicycle · dolan pre cursa · guilt · sigh · smoke · stress10 Comments
10 responses so far ↓
If you want do a training ride I’m going to start doing 40 milers at 6am soon. I did a 30 miler today tried to stay over 20mph the entire time the last 10 miles I dropped to 15mph I was exhausted. Endurance I got, speed I don’t. I’m just learning when to switch gears and drafting and what have you.
Smoking = bad times in Lung Town. The only exception to this rule is if you’re a skinny Italian riding in any of the grand tours prior to the invention of color photography. Then you are required to smoke cigarrettes at “rest breaks” or while riding so as to ensure your sport a storied and romanticized past that is useful to future salespeople.
Example: “Well, if Ricardo Villanozo could climb the Croix de Angry Bees in under 2 hours on a 13.6 kilo bike with only 2 speeds, while smoking and without any water for 3 days, you should certainly be able to use this fine Sora-equipped road bike on your next 15 mile charity ride, Mr. Wealthy Do-Gooder”
“…wow, you sure know a lot about bikes and their storied past, I’ll buy it!”
“sweeet.”
Also, Dan, seriously? Why don’t you do the less awful, more reasonable thing, and shoot for a solid 18/19 mph until your body adjusts to longer distances? It’ll make your whole experience much, much more pleasant, I promise. No need to burn out before june rolls around, you’ve got plenty o’ time ahead of you.
I have found it is almost impossible to quit in the cycling world. It’s quite ironic in ways, but when you work on bikes more than you ride them, those 5 minute breaks happen quite a bit more.
you guys… shame. smoking is for mccain voters and west virginians.
dan — but i don’t have gears (yet)! and i spin out around 17mph. but if you want to do some slower rides, i’m def in.
erich — i’ll keep telling myself that, lacking an italian heritage, i should stay away.
pete! — ughhh don’t tempt meeeeeee.
huffypuffy — and hipsters. don’t forget the hipsters.
Did you just call me a hipster?
cigarette smoking aside, blazing trees has absolutely no negative repercussions. certainly not on speed; see Michael Phelps, Michael Vick, among others probably not named Michael.
pete! — um you went to art school, hipster.
neal — maybe if you have a vaporizer. coke, though, that’s a different animal. i hear it makes you go up hills. really fast.
if mariokart has taught me anything, mushrooms make you the fastest