Back during the Nixon administration, Henry Kissinger set up a meeting with Pope Paul VI. Kissinger tried to keep Melvin Laird from attending a meeting, but Laird showed up anyway, smoking a cigar. Kissinger was furious but contented himself by saying “Well, Mel, at least extinguish the cigar.” Laird stubbed out his cigar and put it in his pocket.
The party went in to meet the Pope and were seated in two rows. Kissinger was in the back row next to Laird. A couple of minutes into the Pope’s remarks, Kissinger heard this little patting sound, and he looked over, and there was a wisp of smoke coming out of Laird’s pocket. The Secretary of State thought nothing of it. A couple of more minutes went by and the secretary heard this patting sound, slapping going on, and he looked over and smoke was billowing out of Laird’s pocket. The Secretary of Defense was on fire.
DB2