Mecanizado

Smoking or non-smoking.
A. Good evening, sir/madam.
B. Er, yes. Hallo, good evening.
A. Table for one, sir/madam?
B. No, one for two please. I think I’mexpecting someone.
A. You think? Very well. Smoking or non-smoking?
B. Could it be half-and-half?
A. Half-and-half?
B. Yes. Smoking on one side,non-smoking on the other?
A. Well, um, normally, they are either one or the other.
B. Oh, well that’s a bit inconvenient.
A. Why would that be sir/madam?
B. Well,what if one of us smokes and the other doesn’t?
A. In that case, either the smoker has to refrain from smoking or the non-smoker has to put up with the other’s smoke.B. Hmmmm. That doesn’t seem very fair, really. Um…
A. Yes?
B. Well, I’m wondering. What about outside?
A. Outside is smoking, sir/madam.
B. But, whatif I don’t smoke?
A. Well, there’s no obligation.
B. Ah, why’s that?
A. Well, no one is going to oblige you to smoke.
B. I see. But if I am a smoker, and Igo into a non-smoking section, I’m obliged not to smoke.
A. Yes, that’s correct.
B. In that case…, are you following me?
A. I’m not really sure where you’regoing.
B. Well, look. Supposing I am a non-smoker.
A. Yes.
B. And I go into a smoking section.
A. Yes?
B. Then, logically, I should be obliged tosmoke.
A. How’s that?
B. Well, if a smoker is obliged not to smoke in a non-smoking section, then it follows that the converse should also apply, in that a non-smokerin a smoking section should be obliged to smoke.
A. Excuse me asking, but you aren’t Irish are, you, by any chance?
B. No, I’m a philosophy teacher.

256 words.