Daddy smoked. He smoked Lucky Strikes, Pall Malls, Marlboros, Kents, etc. Since Raleigh put a coupon on the back of their pack, he smoked them most often. Daddy redeemed several items from these coupons. Whenever he didn't have a store bought cigarette, he would roll his own with cigarette papers and a can of Prince Albert. As amazing as it was to watch him roll cigarettes at lightning speed, it was even more incredible to see the "smoke rings" he could produce with tiny puffs from his lips.
One evening Daddy finished one of his many cigarettes from the day. After taking the final draw, he flipped the tiny butt that was left into the yard and went into the house. I watched where it landed. There was a stream of smoke ascending from the grass. It was my lucky day! Daddy normally crushed out his cigarettes before disposing of them. This one was still lit! I took the tiny butt between my fingers and ran behind the house to smoke! I had never smoked (except all of the second-hand smoke I had inhaled over the years) , but I had seen Daddy do it thousands of times. It would be simple, put my lips on the end of the butt and suck!
As the smoke entered my pure, pink lungs an unbearable burning filled my chest! I threw the cigarette to the ground and ran to the outside water faucet. There was always a garden hose pipe hooked to it. I turned on the water and thrust the end of the hose pipe into my mouth. To my dismay the water did not seem to go to the spot of the burning! No matter how much water I consumed, I could not get relief!
When the pain finally subsided I decided, then and there, that I would never smoke again! I could not see why Daddy would even do such a thing! I suppose King David was right when he said in Psalm 119:71 "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes."
One evening Daddy finished one of his many cigarettes from the day. After taking the final draw, he flipped the tiny butt that was left into the yard and went into the house. I watched where it landed. There was a stream of smoke ascending from the grass. It was my lucky day! Daddy normally crushed out his cigarettes before disposing of them. This one was still lit! I took the tiny butt between my fingers and ran behind the house to smoke! I had never smoked (except all of the second-hand smoke I had inhaled over the years) , but I had seen Daddy do it thousands of times. It would be simple, put my lips on the end of the butt and suck!
As the smoke entered my pure, pink lungs an unbearable burning filled my chest! I threw the cigarette to the ground and ran to the outside water faucet. There was always a garden hose pipe hooked to it. I turned on the water and thrust the end of the hose pipe into my mouth. To my dismay the water did not seem to go to the spot of the burning! No matter how much water I consumed, I could not get relief!
When the pain finally subsided I decided, then and there, that I would never smoke again! I could not see why Daddy would even do such a thing! I suppose King David was right when he said in Psalm 119:71 "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes."