Why Do You Smoke?

 After WW2, my father met with an old friend who had been a participant in the war.

Dad notice that he now smoked - a habit he had not had earlier in their friendship.

When asked how he happened to start smoking, he replied that it helped mask the stench of burning flesh.

Dad said he did not pursue the topic, but presumed there were two possible scenarios:  He encountered persons who had died while in the presence of fire - or - he encountered persons who were being encouraged to provide information by being burned.