I Used to Smoke
I was at my regular afternoon dance a couple of weeks ago, when a fellow walked in that I recognized. I recalled seeing him at an evening dance a few years ago. When I spoke to him at that time, he told me that he didn’t need a seat at a table. He said that he would be on his feet all evening anyway. Sure enough, he danced every dance. I was quite impressed with him. I couldn’t do that. I would dance for one and then rest for the next one. I have a bit more stamina now, but I still have to sit one out after dancing two of them.
This time he did need a seat. He could only make it through half a dance before he was gasping for breath. He said “my doctor told me I have COPD in my lungs”. He was angry with himself. He was bitter. He said “I quit smoking 20 years ago”. “Not soon enough”, I thought. I knew that Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a loss of lung capacity, caused by smoking. I associate it with oxygen bottles and oxygen masks. I suppose that’s what you have to use for the rest of your life, in severe cases of COPD.
I used to smoke too. It was back when everybody did, although it was really only about half the people. I remember when I started. It was in the University cafeteria. I was sitting around one of the long tables drinking coffee with my classmates. Some of them were smoking. I got up, went over to one of the cigarette machines, and dropped my 35 cents in. I came back with a package of cigarettes and a free pack of matches. As I was opening the package, one of the others said to me “I didn’t know that you smoked”. “I’ve been smoking for several years”, said I. Then I lit one up, took one drag, and started coughing. After that, I smoked regularly. I didn’t cough anymore, though. I was just like other people. That’s what I wanted.
It was only about a year later that I quit. I remember that too. I had a summer job helping with scientific research. I was sitting at a desk, immersed in some scientific papers. An older fellow, probably only 40 years old, approached me. He asked me if I was aware that I was lighting up one cigarette after another. I had no idea I was doing that. I stopped smoking cigarettes immediately. I didn’t stop smoking entirely, though. I switched to little cigars for a few months. Then I quit completely.
It’s been 50 years since I quit smoking. I only smoked for a couple of years. I know that’s unusual. Quitting was relatively easy for me. I know that’s unusual too. I’ve seen how difficult it is for other people to quit. I don’t understand the difficulty. However, I don’t offer advice on how to quit to other people. Maybe I at least serve as a good example for them. It seems that nobody smokes now, but I understand that about a quarter of the population still does. I’m assuming that the smoking I did all those years ago has not harmed my lungs. I’ve been fortunate. I was distressed to see that other fellow suffering and being angry with himself.