Boots Stetson hat jeans shirt a denim jacket and a small duffel bag strolled across the airport lounge. Not a worry but where he was going to park for the next forty five minutes before boarding. Plenty of seating was free. He chose to sit looking out the window beside the boarding entrance.

From his breast pocket he pulled our a short tube and held it at the side of his mouth, dangling loosely as he went through his bag. Retrieving a book he sat and read. From time to time he would look up at the people arriving.

Soon enough time to board came.

Finding his seat and storing his carry under the seat in front. Just in the case he needed to get something, There would be no need to disturb anyone.

Book on his lap, his tube dangling from the side of his mouth, he dozed off to sleep.

The plane filled with the rest of the passengers and took flight ass he slept. Beside him sat a woman of elder age. She was waiting for him to wake. She was half tempted to nudge him to wake him up, she didn't.

She had noticed the tube hanging from his mouth when she had sat down first. She did not think much about it. Peering past him on take off. She had noticed there was writing on the tube. She put her glasses on to read.

"?????? are the biggest winners" She could not make out the first word. It was on part of the tube visible. Checking to be sure no flight attendant was coming, (even though she was doing no wrong". She undone her seat belt and stood to read what the first word was.

"Quitters are the biggest winners".

This made no sense to her. Is the saying not "Winners never quit". The other way around?

The cowboy woke up on que as the flight attendant arrived to serve refreshment.

Elder lady. No drinks for me sweetheart. I only drink my water. gesturing to her raised water bottle. I wouldn't mind one of those pretzel snacks to take to the grandson. If that's okay?

The fright attendant passed a small handful of five or six packets.

Cowboy. "Three coffee's black please ma'am".

Elder lady. Finding it hard to stay awake son?

Cowboy. Removed his hat and placed it on his lap. Sorry Miss?

Elder lady. The three coffee's.

Cowboy. Oh, said wearing a smile. You need three of those tiny cups to make a single coffee.

A nod of agreement came back and a short giggle from the attendant.

Being the cowboy he is. Taking the introduction through the enquiry of the coffee as the lady might like some company. He enquired after her travels. Where she had come from. How her journey had been so far.
The interest was genuine. Everyone had a story to tell and more often no one to tell it to. For the next ninety minutes. Cowboy heard about life from a different time. A time he could only experience now through books.

Elder lady. I have been meaning to ask you. That thing you keep putting in your mouth. Quitters are the biggest winners. What does that mean?

Cowboy. There is a bit of a story there. My friend thinks smoking is bad for people. So he made this tube. If it helps people quit. He will make it available as cheap as possible through kits.

Elder lady. Oh you are trying to stop smoking, fair play to you son.

Cowboy. Oh I am not a smoker. I have never smoked. I am just testing this product for a friend. Seeing how long it is before it stops working.
You see inside this tube. There is a dozen little fans that turn when you inhale through the tube. As they spin they generate some energy that heats up the air and feels like you have inhaled something. There is no chemical exhale, Just the same air you normally would breath out.

Elder Lady. Oh now that clever, and very nice of you to help your friend out like that. Even though you do not smoke.

Over the intercom came a voice Please fasten your seatbelts. We are about to make our approach to landing.