THE Florida Attorney Generals decision to sue the tobacco companies could be a big bonanza for lawyers. Everyone who ever smoked a cigarette will be joining the "class action."

I was in Palm Beach the other day when I overhead the conversation of two people standing outside Saks Fifth Avenue.

The man lit up two cigarettes and then handed one to his companion.

"Who is you lawyer?" he asked the woman.

She inhaled deeply and replied. "Arnold and Porter. I tried to get Mayer. Brown and Platt, but they had a conflict because they were representing the tobacco auctioneers of America. Who's yours?"

The man puffed nervously, "kaye. Scholer. I showed them an X-ray of my chest, and they said they'd take me on contingency. Although 1 do have to pay expenses "

"Are you going to go for a jury trial?" the woman asked.

The man said. "'My lawyer, feels that it's the only way to go. providing we can get 12 jurors who are nonsmokers.'

"I have a friepd who sued Philip Morris and had F Lee Bailey as counsel. He won $10 million, but the judge threw it out. "

"How come?" the man asked.

"Apparently one of the jurors had sold his horse to the

Marlboro Man. Have we got time for one more?"

They lit up two more cigarettes. "I'm requesting compensation for pain and suffering. People treat you like a leper if you start puffing on a cigarette in their presence.’

The woman agreed. "You can say that again. Half the eligible men in this town won't go out with me because 1 smoke."

The man started to blow smoke rings in the air.

"It'S gotten so bad that every time I light a cigarette after making love to my wife she makes me go outside."

The woman said. "That's awful."

"It's worse than that. Our apartment is on the 34th floor?"

The woman asked. Do you think that they’ll let us smoke in the courtroom?"

The man replied. "My lawyer told me that even if they did. he didn't think it would make h good impression on the jury."

By arrangement with Los Angeles Times Syndicate and UNB

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