Archie had only recently moved to the area. He didn't know many people yet, so one evening he decided to get out of his new apartment and explore the neighbourhood.
As he wandered along the unfamiliar streets, Archie passed a small bar and noticed a muscular man standing outside. The man was dressed almost entirely in black leather, casually smoking a cigarette as he watched the world go by. He looked intimidating at first, but when the lad glanced towards him, the stranger smiled and struck up a conversation.
Before long they were inside the bar with glasses of whiskey in front of them. The leather man turned out to be friendly and entertaining, telling story after story about motorbikes, nights out and the various characters he'd met over the years. Archie relaxed, enjoying having someone to talk to in a place where he hardly knew anybody.
Archie thought the man in leather was so cool, and after a while the man ended up passing him his leather jacket, telling him he would look great. Archie tried it on and loved it.
Later, they stepped outside. The man lit another cigarette, then held his pack towards the lad. Archie hesitated, but eventually accepted one. The leather man, named Vince, lit it for him, smiling as Archie took his first uncertain drag.
That chance encounter quickly developed into a friendship. They rode through the city together on the man's Ducati and spent that evening at the Vince's apartment.
It wasn't long before Vince was smoking and he offered Archie another cigarette. Feeling confident in the mans presence, he accepted.
They enjoyed the rest of the evening, talking over whiskey and cigarettes. Vince then gave Archie a black leather jacket. Archie was excited and wore it straight away.
The next day after the Archie was given the leather jacket, he woke up with a strange feeling. He put the jacket on to go for a walk.
On his way out of the apartment, Archie found a pack of cigarettes and a lighter in the jacket pocket. He couldn't help himself and sparked up a cigarette.
He decided to walk to the bar where he met Vince, hoping to thank him and give the cigarettes back. When he got to the bar, Vince told Archie to keep them as he looked great smoking. They spent the evening in the back room of the bar where they continued to smoke.
Archie was invited to Vince's apartment the next evening and he was then given a pair of leather trousers to match his jacket. Archive was so thankful.
Archie put them on straight away and they both spent the rest of the evening together, chatting, drinking and smoking.
Before Archie left, he was passed a pack of cigarettes. Initially hesitant, Archie eventually thanked the man who was now his idol.
The lad found himself changing. The ordinary clothes he'd worn when he first arrived disappeared into the back of his wardrobe. Before long he was confidently walking around in full black leather, looking remarkably at home beside his new friend.
The cigarettes changed from something he only did with Vince into an everyday habit too. Soon he was lighting up when he left his apartment, while walking through town and while relaxing at home. One night he lay back across his bed, still dressed in leather, and exhaled a cloud of smoke towards the ceiling. It was strange to think how different everything had been when he'd first arrived.
Archie always found himself back with Vince, the two of them sitting side by side, smoking and laughing together like old friends. Archie who had once wandered those streets simply hoping to learn his way around now strode through them confidently in his leather clothes, cigarette in hand,and Vince was only too keen to help Archie on his way to becoming a fully addicted leather smoker.
