Your first cigarette

It was likely summer break between 6th-7th grade, so we were age 11/12. My friend took cigarettes from his parents...both were smokers, but he had stern warnings to not smoke. Tell many an adolescent not to do something and it is almost like having a challenge asking 'why.'

There was a remote area away from the house so we felt safe to light up. It was not a big urge for me but my friend posed the challenge and what boy at that age wouldn't 'cave-in' to a peer's suggestion. We never found out how we were discovered...was it by accident?...a neighbor observe us and call?...a curl of smoke or a hack cough that gave us away?--but we were discovered.

We snuffed out...probably a good thing since I doubt either of us enjoyed really that first experiment...when his mom caught us. He was instructed to go to the house and I was sent home. Two boys experimenting that resulted in two boys experiencing a 'tough lesson' learned.

Maybe it was that summer day or maybe just growing up wiser, but fortunately I never developed a strong urge to smoke and develop a habit into my adulthood. Yes, there were other times during high school and into college...there a pipe did seem so 'proper' to smoke.