Sunday, June 3, 2012

Phillip Morris Calling

I seldom answer the phone unless I know who is calling, but Susan, my wife, answers it in between. Yesterday she took a phone call from someone opposed to California's proposition 29 (which raises the tax on cigarettes). "Who are you?" my wife asked, curious to find out what sort of organization would campaign for cheaper smokes and the spread of lung cancer.  "I represent Phillip Morris," the caller explained.

A truthful answer?  Susan was astonished, and I don't know what to make of this unexpected candor. I've had a day to consider the matter, and maybe I've found a solution. What if the caller actually represented a different major cigarette company? What if the real goal was to make Phillip Morris look bad? (I hope this is true.)


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