On a quiet, gray afternoon with a steady drizzle falling from the sky, two elderly women sat together at a bus stop, enjoying a relaxed conversation while casually smoking cigarettes. The chilly air didn’t seem to bother them one bit as they chatted about the changing weather and passed the time. As the light drizzle turned into a more persistent rain, something quite unexpected happened.
One of the women, completely unfazed by the weather, reached into her handbag, pulled out what appeared to be a small plastic sleeve, snipped off one end with a tiny pair of scissors, and gently slid it over the end of her cigarette. She then resumed smoking, her cigarette dry and perfectly protected from the rain, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. The second woman blinked in amazement, clearly caught off guard by what she’d just seen. “That’s brilliant!” she exclaimed, eyes wide with admiration. “What in the world is that thing?” The first woman gave her a casual smile and replied matter-of-factly, “Oh, it’s just a condom. Keeps the cigarette dry. You can get a box at any pharmacy.”
There was no embarrassment in her voice, no hesitation—just a clever solution delivered with the confidence of someone who had clearly done this before. The second woman was visibly impressed and nodded slowly, her curiosity now replaced by determination. “Well,” she said with a grin, “I’ll make sure to pick some up when I head to the pharmacy for my blood pressure pills this week.” A few days later, true to her word, the second woman marched into her neighborhood pharmacy. She was dressed neatly, her hair curled just right, and she walked up to the counter with purpose. Standing across from her was a young pharmacist who looked up and smiled in a friendly, if somewhat distracted, way.
She leaned in just a little and said cheerfully, “Hello there. I’d like to buy some condoms, please.” The young man paused, clearly caught off guard. It wasn’t every day that a sweet older woman asked for condoms, and it took him a second to process what he’d just heard. Still, he did his best to remain professional. “Uh… okay! Good for you!” he said with a smile that was a mix of surprise and amusement. “That’s definitely not a request I get often. Do you, um… have a particular size in mind?” She tilted her head and gave it a moment’s thought before replying completely seriously, “Whichever size fits over a camel’s nose.” For a split second, the pharmacist just stared at her, unsure if she was joking or entirely serious.
But the expression on her face was so earnest and sincere that it left no doubt—she genuinely meant what she said. He fought hard to maintain a straight face as the image hit him. The humor of the situation, combined with the woman’s complete lack of self-consciousness, made the moment unforgettable. What she didn’t know was that her clever trick—learned from a friend in the rain—would become the talk of the town. The story spread like wildfire among the locals, with laughter following wherever it was shared. It wasn’t just funny—it was heartwarming.
It reminded people that wisdom can come in the most unexpected ways, and that even in old age, there’s always room to learn a new trick or laugh at a surprising misunderstanding. The young pharmacist probably told the story dozens of times after that, chuckling every time he remembered her face and the way she’d said “camel’s nose” without missing a beat. It was a simple tale of resourcefulness, innocence, and the kind of humor that bridges generations, all sparked by a rainy day, a clever solution, and one unforgettable trip to the pharmacy.
