It is so rare in this country to find any airport facilities that cater to smokers, so I have to take a moment to tip my hat to Houston, where I discovered this civilized smoking lounge the other day in Terminal E at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The way the light cut through the buildings, created a perfect rectangle of sunlight, like a stage. Just out of view, two women – as if preparing an unwilling prop for their entrance – were struggling with an overstuffed suitcase that would not close despite extensive rearranging of its contents. Eventually as one of the women sat down on the case and lit up a cigarette, the other managed to snap the luggage locks into place. It made for an an entertaining little smoke break on an otherwise arduous day of layovers. Thank you, Houston.