Fist bumps and snaps all around to the Iowa Legislature. One year after the smoking ban went into effect, there are 2% fewer Iowa smokers. Better yet, I (and all my non-smoking buddies) get to enjoy drinks and dining smoke free!
Now if we could just get the rest of those pesky smokers to give it up. Some of them are so dirty with their habit - dropping butts wherever they are. Cigarette packs too. You'd think they'd want to save them since they cost so much these days! I think it's more than $6 per pack now. That's a lot of $$.
I really only smoked one cigarette in my life. It was the summer after my freshman year of college. I went the whole year watching 2 of my roomies smoke whenever they drank. But after growing up with two addicted smokers, I had no desire to do it.
I was a lifeguard that summer, working noon to 9 PM, 6 of 7 days a week. We partied pretty much every night. I worked with a super group of women. My friend Sally Rodgers, Marci and Cindy Merrick (mgr of the pool), Cathy Hjortshoj (you might recognize that name - Harry was her uncle), Kim Waters - a Massena girl who had interned for the job by starting as the clothes basket/office girl, Cindy Something - it escapes me right now, Pat Allen, Todd Pellett and Ted Simpson. My friend Julia Hoilien helped her mom run the snack shack. They had the best popcorn old maids!
The old Sunnyside Pool - built in the 1920's I think - by the Conservation Corps, had a loft above the office. It was damn hot, but we napped up there between shifts. Yeah, being a lifeguard is a tough job! Some night's we'd start drinking beer in the loft once the pool was closed. Once, when I was a little tipsy, I finally had enough (liquid courage) to do a flip off the diving board. Prolly not too safe, but fun. We all go along great! We did a lot of running around to other towns to party. Exira, Audubon, Oakland and parties in cornfields. It's amazing we didn't end up road side statistics.
So it was during this time, after watching many of the other guards smoke, I decided I wanted to know how to blow smoke rings. I was at our home at 202 Crombie in Atown. Mom had retired to bed to read. Dad, of course, was out peddling panties somewhere in Iowa. Mom's Virginia Slims were sitting there begging to be smoked. So I lit one up and gave it a try. I think they ended up more like smoke ovals. But I did it, and then put the cancer stick out. Then Mom remembered she didn't have her smokes and she came out to get them. "Leslie, you aren't smoking!" she blurted out. And I had to fess up.
Since that time, Mom of course succumbed from cancer. And both Sal and Cindy Merrick have battled breast cancer. I'm glad I stayed away from the things, but wonder what effects all that second hand smoke might have. I hope the smoking bans continues to discourage people from starting that nasty habit!
Now if we could just get the rest of those pesky smokers to give it up. Some of them are so dirty with their habit - dropping butts wherever they are. Cigarette packs too. You'd think they'd want to save them since they cost so much these days! I think it's more than $6 per pack now. That's a lot of $$.
I really only smoked one cigarette in my life. It was the summer after my freshman year of college. I went the whole year watching 2 of my roomies smoke whenever they drank. But after growing up with two addicted smokers, I had no desire to do it.
I was a lifeguard that summer, working noon to 9 PM, 6 of 7 days a week. We partied pretty much every night. I worked with a super group of women. My friend Sally Rodgers, Marci and Cindy Merrick (mgr of the pool), Cathy Hjortshoj (you might recognize that name - Harry was her uncle), Kim Waters - a Massena girl who had interned for the job by starting as the clothes basket/office girl, Cindy Something - it escapes me right now, Pat Allen, Todd Pellett and Ted Simpson. My friend Julia Hoilien helped her mom run the snack shack. They had the best popcorn old maids!
The old Sunnyside Pool - built in the 1920's I think - by the Conservation Corps, had a loft above the office. It was damn hot, but we napped up there between shifts. Yeah, being a lifeguard is a tough job! Some night's we'd start drinking beer in the loft once the pool was closed. Once, when I was a little tipsy, I finally had enough (liquid courage) to do a flip off the diving board. Prolly not too safe, but fun. We all go along great! We did a lot of running around to other towns to party. Exira, Audubon, Oakland and parties in cornfields. It's amazing we didn't end up road side statistics.
So it was during this time, after watching many of the other guards smoke, I decided I wanted to know how to blow smoke rings. I was at our home at 202 Crombie in Atown. Mom had retired to bed to read. Dad, of course, was out peddling panties somewhere in Iowa. Mom's Virginia Slims were sitting there begging to be smoked. So I lit one up and gave it a try. I think they ended up more like smoke ovals. But I did it, and then put the cancer stick out. Then Mom remembered she didn't have her smokes and she came out to get them. "Leslie, you aren't smoking!" she blurted out. And I had to fess up.
Since that time, Mom of course succumbed from cancer. And both Sal and Cindy Merrick have battled breast cancer. I'm glad I stayed away from the things, but wonder what effects all that second hand smoke might have. I hope the smoking bans continues to discourage people from starting that nasty habit!
1 comment:
Did you know I smoked from age 18 to 35? gag! Never again.
I can't believe only 2% more have quit.
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