I remember reading a story in high school about an image-conscious cathedral in 19th century London who let a janitor go because he couldn't read or write. Despondent, he's walking down the empty street contemplating his bleak future when he realizes there's no place to buy a cigarette in the area...starts a small smoke stand, expands to other locations, becomes terribly rich, etc. Goes to the bank to open an account, can't read the forms or sign his name...bank officer declares, "My God, man, what you could've been if you could only read!" A janitor in a church. Same story, different era.
I think the reason I remember the story was the archaic language which had the man saying something along the lines of "a man could die for the want of a good fag on this street."
Needless to say, in high school this was uproariously funny in those pre-PC days...
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