Back To The Smoking/ Quitting Thing Part I

You know, I smoked for almost 37 years. I smoked for more years than I didn't.

As a kid I hated smoking. Both my parents smoked and I always hated the way it smelled in the house.

Way back then it was no big deal to smoke. Everyone did, or so it seemed.

I remember my mom sending me to the drug store in town to get her a couple of packs of cigarettes for her. No problem, she just sent a note with me asking for her brand and to let me buy them for her. She was ahead of her time in that she sent me with a note. She gave me something like .50 cents for the two packs of cigarettes.

Do any of you remember the candy cigarettes we bought as kids? Cool huh?

I was always a tomboy and athletic. Not the best at anything by far, but a rough and tumble girl that loved playing outside.

Then, when the hormones hit, OMG, I was so into the boyfriend thing.

My first love was a guy that ended up smoking. I ranted, I raged, I gave ultimatums. Quit, or I'll start. "True Love." Ya bullpoopies. I was so naive I thought that "True Love" would win. (As an aside do any of you remember what line that movie is from??) Its one of my favorites.

He didn't quit. I hated the way the kisses tasted. So I started.

My God. Smoking for me was like a fish to water. I could focus. I could calm myself down when psyched out. Smoking became, for me, like breathing. I am so ADD.

So I smoked.

And ended up giving up sports because I smoked. (They even let us smoke in school.)

(To be continued.)