Do you feel satisfaction when your point is proven?

About a year ago, right after I’d started my new job, I posted this Question.
Long story short, the discussion segued off into fundamentalist anti-smokers insisting that all smokers stink. All smokers reek, and if we think we don’t we’re just being delusional. I tried to offer up some examples in my own life where I believed that the fact that I was a smoker (and a pretty heavy smoker at that) wasn’t detected, and basically I was told that the people who didn’t say anything “were just being polite,” even though the situations I mentioned had a vested interest in me not smelling like smoke. Basically, they were insulting and rude, which makes vindication all the sweeter.

Well, the other day I found myself in an email conversation with my co-worker, Susan. With her permission it is copied and pasted here, with no additions or deletions in the conversation, and only a few adjustments for privacy’s sake:

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Me: “Rick managed to smoke up the house bad last night with the fire place. My eyes are still burning and I smell like a campfire!”

Susan: “You definitely can’t smell as bad as [student] did when he walked in here. He smelled like he had been hot boxing it in his car chain smoking. (Is that the right term?? LOL)”

Me: “LOL!! Well….that’s a LOT of smoking! It’s usually one or the other but…gross anyway you look at it!”

Susan: “Point is, he smelled REALLY nasty. I KNOW people can be smokers and not smell bad. You don’t smell bad!”

Me: “Well…um…um, um…why, that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me! (I think…. : ) I try very hard not to because it is nasty. But some folks don’t care and they smoke in their homes and stuff. That’s when it gets bad because it gets all in their clothes and stuff. And stuff. Stuff like that.”

Susan: “LOL Well, I know you smoke some but I’ve never noticed the smell on you. Lol But some people it’s just overwhelming.”

Me: “I think I just won a bet.” (Referring to the old discussion linked here.)

Then we had a verbal communication, because…actually, we’re in the same room…! and I asked her to go ahead and email what she had just said, so I could post it here if it was OK with her.

Me: “Hey! You need to put the Rest of the Story on here, and if it’s OK with you, I’ll clean it up (get rid of identifying stuffs) and post in on Fluther.”

Susan: “What, the rest of the story about how I never knew you smoked until about 3 months in to working together? LOL
I tell you, what cracked me up even more, once I found out, was that [Previous co-worker] smoked, but she hid it from me for the longest time too as her husband didn’t know about it. LOL”

Me: “Yeah, that part of the rest of the story!
That about [Previous co-worker] ….I’d hate to have to hide something like that from someone who was kissin me and stuff! Too much work.”

Coworker: “LOL I know! Finally she told me so if she was out back smoking and [her husband] came in, I could cover for her. She never smelled either.
Anywho, Val, it was the longest time you worked here before I knew you smoked. Just thought you liked to take the trash out to get fresh air! It WAS nice weather! Then about 3 months or so later, I actually SAW you with a ciggie, then I knew it was all a ruse… “

Me: “A ruse! Yes a RUSE I tell you! But….the trash didn’t pile up did it!”

Susan: “LOL No it didn’t. :)”
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And no, Susan’s husband does not smoke, and she certainly doesn’t. Also, I’d like to add that Susan found out she was pregnant the day after I hired in and pregnancy sharpens one’s sense of smell considerably!

Sigh. Vindication!