As a small child, smoke did make me ill, so I always had a general aversion to it, despite the fact that I grew up in a family of smokers, in a time when it was practically the norm, and many of my friends in HS were smokers. I was never tempted until one evening a bunch of us were out at a bowling party. I was 14 or 15. The cigs were doing the rounds and I took a puff. I didn't say anything at that point, but what I thought was, "What are you turkeys wasting your allowance on???" and didn't take another puff.
I am grateful that it is now recognized that second hand smoke is harmful, and that for the most part I am not obliged to be in a smoking environment. I still have a couple of friends who smoke, and my brother does, but another thing I'm grateful for is that if they want a smoke, they go outside without being asked.
My dad was a fairly heavy smoker, and rolled his own for years. He quit in late 1969. He'd had a cold and couldn't smoke without coughing himself silly, just after he'd rolled a whole bunch of cigs. My brother and his family were visiting, and he and Dad were in the kitchen chewing the fat. Dad offered Pete a cig, cautioning him that they might be dry, because they'd been sitting for a couple of weeks. Just as he was telling the story, Number One Granddaughter, who was 9 at the time, passed by and overheard the conversation. She said, "Grampa, please don't start again. It could kill you." Thinking to make light of the situation, he flipped back with a laugh, "Aw, good riddance to bad rubbish..." Amid tears, granddaughter wailed, "Oh, NOOO, Grampa!! I love you!" Well, that was the end of the cigs. He asked her if he could have the odd cigar, but that petered out pretty quickly. Great what the right inspiration will do!
I am grateful that it is now recognized that second hand smoke is harmful, and that for the most part I am not obliged to be in a smoking environment. I still have a couple of friends who smoke, and my brother does, but another thing I'm grateful for is that if they want a smoke, they go outside without being asked.
My dad was a fairly heavy smoker, and rolled his own for years. He quit in late 1969. He'd had a cold and couldn't smoke without coughing himself silly, just after he'd rolled a whole bunch of cigs. My brother and his family were visiting, and he and Dad were in the kitchen chewing the fat. Dad offered Pete a cig, cautioning him that they might be dry, because they'd been sitting for a couple of weeks. Just as he was telling the story, Number One Granddaughter, who was 9 at the time, passed by and overheard the conversation. She said, "Grampa, please don't start again. It could kill you." Thinking to make light of the situation, he flipped back with a laugh, "Aw, good riddance to bad rubbish..." Amid tears, granddaughter wailed, "Oh, NOOO, Grampa!! I love you!" Well, that was the end of the cigs. He asked her if he could have the odd cigar, but that petered out pretty quickly. Great what the right inspiration will do!
