Summer Smokers Camp by Judy St. Claire
I was 15 years old when I realized that I wanted to smoke cigarettes. A lot of the women I admired in my life were smokers. Aunt Sally, Grandma Jean, cousin Terry and Mom. By the time I was 15 I felt ready and daring enough to get started. I also felt grown up enough to make this adult move in my life.
The last few weeks of 10th grade seemed like they would never pass into summer vacation. As the warm temperatures came back to Topeka in late March I noticed that I was staring intently at the high school girls who smoked as we all walked home from school. They always waited until they were just past the one block marker of the school property before they pulled their Marlboro’s and Virginia Slims from their purses. I watched each of them as they slid a cigarette from the pack and placed it between their lips and touched the flame to tobacco end. Cynthia St. John was one of these smokers. She is a beautiful girl with long, curly red hair and a shape that turned the head of all the boys at school. She smoked everyday as she walked home from school. She was 17 and in my estimation she was the best smoker of the after school walking smokers club. After all, she started when she was 15 and after two years she knew what she was doing.
The Wednesday before school was out for the summer I made an excuse to walk with her. I told Cynthia I was going to visit a classmate on her block. After we passed the one block line from the school, she stopped for a minute and pulled a Marlboro Light 100 from a box of cigarettes in her purse. She put it between her lips and then flicked a Bic lighter she had removed from her purse. As the flame touched the cigarette I watched her draw on the filter and noticed the glow at the fiery end of the cigarette. As she pulled the cigarette away from her mouth the smoke went down her throat and into her lungs. She held it there for a short time then gently blew a medium sized plume of smoke from between her lips. She noticed I was watching and she asked me if I wanted a cigarette.
“Ah, no, ah, not me Cynthia. I don’t smoke,” I answered her with a nervous stammer trying to get the words out of my mouth. Yes, I want one but I am too chicken to try it.
“I know you don’t silly, but if you’re interested in trying it there is no time like the present. It is such a wonderful habit.”
By the excitement in Cynthia’s voice I could tell she was very comfortable as a smoker who truly enjoyed the habit. She took another draw on the cigarette. This time more than the first and she held it in longer. As she exhaled I watched the white smoke lift into the gentle spring air. I decided that now was a good time to get some questions answered about smoking.
“If you don’t mind, can I ask you a few questions about smoking?”
“Sure Judy. Ask anything at all.” She tapped the ash from the cigarette in her left hand and placed it between her lips, this time she took a long draw and held the smoke in for a very short time. The exhale was very white and long. I watched in aw.
“OK, ask your questions, we only have five more blocks before we get to my block and I want to smoke another cigarette before I get home. My Mom is fine with me smoking. Heck, she buys them for me. But Dad is from the old school and says I have to wait until I’m 18. He’s usually home when I get home so I want to make sure I’m not carrying a cigarette in my hand when we turn on my block just in case Dad is working in the yard.”
“Well here goes. So how do you know what brand to buy?”
“Well Hon, you can’t start with a real strong cigarette. Smoking is something you need to do with a little practice. You should start with a light or ultra light brand until your body gets used to the nicotine.” Cynthia took another deep draw on the Marlboro Light 100 and exhaled through her nose and then her mouth. She smiled at me.
“Ok, lights or ultra lights. What about Menthol or regular?” I was remembering every syllable she was telling me because before this week was through I was determined I would learn how to smoke. And besides, my best friend Emily said she wanted to learn to smoke too.
“You should probably start with regular, so you can get a taste for the smoke. I like menthol now and then. Sometimes I like them a lot. I’ll probably change to menthol when I go to college. I know I’ll smoke more then and menthol is easier on the throat after you smoke a couple packs in a day.” She took another draw on her cigarette and threw the finished butt of the Marlboro Light 100 into the street. As the beautiful plum lifted from her mouth she immediately pulled another cigarette from the box. I liked the idea of cigarettes in a box because they all are long and straight when they come out of the box. I noticed that some of the girls buy their cigarettes in soft packs and they have special cases to keep them in. The look is nice, especially if the case matches their outfit. I also have noticed that some of the other girls don’t use a case and when they pull their cigarettes from a soft pack they are all crooked. Gross!
I looked over at Cynthia as she touched the fire to the tobacco end of the fresh cigarette and this time she drew very hard on the filter making a small sucking sound with her lip. She pulled the cigarette away from her mouth and some smoke pulled out with it. In an instant the smoke went into her nose as she let the smoke from in her mouth go into her nose. She kept the smoke deep in her lungs for at least five seconds. When she blew the smoke out between her lips the smoke coming out was thinner than before. It looked like it was absorbed into her body. Geez she’s good I thought.
“Does it taste good? It looks like you enjoy the taste so much when you smoke. I have been watching you as you smoke and I like the way you do it.” I liked it so much I found myself getting a little warm inside now that I was so close to her. I liked being beside Cynthia as she walked and smoked.
“I know you’ve been watching me. I think it’s flattering, really. Watching someone smoke helps you learn the fundamentals.” She seemed pleased to tell me she knew she was setting an example for me as a smoker. Maybe proud would better describe the tone in her voice.
She said, “At first the smoke will not taste very good. I have to be honest with you Judy it will taste pretty awful. But, the taste gets better and better each cigarette you smoke after the first one. The first couple packs won’t taste as good as the 15th or 20th pack. But the way you feel when the smoke first goes into your lungs takes your mind off the taste until you get used to it and develop a taste for the tobacco. And you’ll get a little light headed or dizzy the first time or two. I mean one or two cigarettes will probably be all you can stand. Between the way you’ll feel and the not-so-good taste, two cigarettes could be enough on the first day.” She took another large draw on her cigarette and then a second. She held the smoke for a couple seconds before she exhaled a huge plume of white smoke.
“Wow, what was that?” I asked in amazement.
“Something you won’t be able to do for awhile,” she took another draw and as she spoke the smoke filled her words. “You won’t be able to talk through the smoke at first either. You have to be patient and build into it.” She took another drag and held it for seven seconds. Almost nothing came out this time as she exhaled.
“Why did you hold the smoke in your lungs so long?”
“I love the feeling it gives me. After you’ve smoked awhile, you’ll be able to hold the smoke longer and longer too. OK, enough of this talk. What are you waiting for? Why don’t you smoke a cigarette now? Let’s stop there under that big tree.” We were only a half block away from the turn to Cynthia’s house.
I thought to myself, now, it’s going to be now. What about Emily? What would she do? We promised each other we’d do this together Friday night, but…
She saw the smile on my face as I answered, “I promised Emily that tomorrow night we would learn to smoke. I wonder what she would do… Sure, but I won’t be any good at this.” I started to tremble before I could finish the sentence thinking that I was actually going to smoke, right here, right now!
“If Emily is a good friend she will understand the opportunity that has presented itself. OK, so if you’ve been paying attention to me you know you’ll have to take this slow.”
Since her cigarette was about half gone Cynthia took a fresh Marlboro Light 100 from the pack in her purse and put it in her mouth. She put the fiery end of the partially smoked cigarette up to the tobacco end of the cigarette in her mouth and drew in. The new cigarette lit and she took a second drag to make sure before she said, “Now take this cigarette from between my fingers and put it between yours like this.” She held the cigarette up and showed me what she expected me to do. I was ready.
As the long, white Marlboro Light 100 got passed over to me I put it between my index and middle finger on my right hand. Oh, it felt right. It was burning and it looked natural.
“Now make sure your lips are dry. Listen to me before you do what I have to explain. First put the filter between your lips. Don’t start to suck in yet. Just let it sit there a minute.”
As we stood there under a huge Maple tree with low hanging branches Cynthia was very patient as I put the filter between my lips. She was watching my every move.
“I know this is a big step. In a few weeks you’ll be so glad you did this. OK, so you have to do this all at the same time. Gently draw on the filter, like sucking on a straw. Just take a little smoke in your mouth. After you draw a little smoke in, open your mouth and draw the smoke down into your lungs and remove the cigarette from between your lips. Don’t worry if you mess up.”
OH My God! It was happening. The lit cigarette was already between my lips and I touched the filter with my tongue ever so fast. The taste was, ah, unique.
For months I had been watching lots of different woman smoke including Cynthia. I saw that some of them looked so stupid as they smoked, inhaling but never exhaling those, long, white plumes like the elegant woman. I was determined to look elegant when I smoked, even on my first cigarette.
Something Cynthia didn’t know was I had been practicing with a real cigarette at home. No, I didn’t smoke it I was too chicken. I practiced holding a white Virginia Slim between my index and middle finger in my room for sometime now. I took it from Mom’s pack last month when I decided I wanted to learn to smoke. I have been standing in front of the mirror on my dresser practicing each day since then. I even practiced inhaling. Of course the taste from the unlit Virginia Slim didn’t do anything for me and yes, I was tempted to light it more than once but I wanted my first cigarette to be with my best friend Emily. I didn’t expect this to happen today. When I told Emily I wanted to learn to smoke that night on the phone she was so excited. She said she had been thinking the same thing and was going to say something about learning to smoke to me but was chicken. Sounds like we’re both chickens, huh. Be honest, this is a big decision and we understand it will become a habit. Anyhow, a day or two later Emily took a couple cigarettes from her Mom’s pack of Misty 100’s Menthol and was practicing too. The last time she was at my house we stood there practicing smoking and making sure we held the cigarettes correctly so we wouldn’t look like geeks. When Emily let me practice inhaling on the Misty Menthol 100 of her Moms I liked the hint of menthol that filled my mouth. I was pretty sure I would like menthol cigarettes better than regulars. We made a pact that on the last day of school this year, tomorrow night, Emily would come over to spend the night and we would camp out in the back yard in the tent and we would stay up all night if we had to and learn to smoke cigarettes.
So here I was with a lit Marlboro Light 100 cigarette in my mouth and I was going to smoke. Right here without my best friend. I hoped she would be happy for me when I called her later and told her every detail.
I followed Cynthia’s directions and drew on the lit cigarette between my lips. I felt the warm smoke come into my mouth. She was right; the taste was pretty awful but not that awful. After a second or two I stopped sucking on the cigarette and pulled it from my mouth. And like she said, at the same moment I inhaled the smoke into my lungs. The smoke felt almost hot as it entered my lungs and immediately I felt a little light headed.
“Don’t hold it long Hon,” Cynthia was talking with smoke coming out of her mouth, “Now blow it out, not real hard, but blow it out.”
The smoke was down there for maybe a second but it felt like a minute. As I had practiced in my room with the unlit cigarette I blew the smoke out between my lips. The smoke plume I watched coming from my mouth was beautiful.
Almost before I blew all the smoke out I said, “Oh this is so cool. I did it and I didn’t cough or anything.” I was so excited.
“Have you done this before you little poop? You are a natural.” Cynthia said as she looked at me with smile. I could tell she was so pleased I did the whole process right. “Go on, you can take another draw. It’s ok. You did very well on the first draw.” She was smiling from ear to ear.
“I’ve been practicing with an un-lit Virginia Slim I took from my Mom. I am determined to look good when I smoke Cynthia. God, I really want to do this. I love this.”
“How did you have a cigarette in your hand and not light it.” She shook her head but she wasn’t mad. “OK, I get it. You were chicken. That’s ok. It took me a few weeks before I touched my first cigarette too Judy. Go on take another drag. I want a few more before that butt runs out. It’ll be a couple hours before I can catch a smoke. I’ll have to wait until later tonight after Dad leaves for bowling.”
I tapped the ash from the cigarette as I had watched Cynthia do and again placed the cigarette between my lips and drew in the warm moist smoke. This time I took a little more than before. As with the first inhale, I pulled the cigarette away from my mouth and at the same time pulled the smoke into my lungs. Again I felt that sensation and a little light headed. The feeling was wonderful.
“That’s it, very nice. Don’t hold it too long, exhale before you choke.”
I held it another second and exhaled. The smoke coming out of my mouth this time was less dense as the first time. I felt dizzy.
“I’m dizzy Cynthia. Did I hold it in too long?”
“That’s natural Judy when you hold the smoke a little longer. Sometimes I will hold it for seven or eight seconds. It’s wonderful you now.” I could tell she was so pleased she got to share this experience with me.
“You’re right, the taste isn’t that great but the feeling when the smoke goes into my lungs is unbelievable. Oh God, I’ve got to buy a pack of cigarettes right now.”
“Slow down Hon, you don’t look like you’re eighteen so they won’t sell them to you. You’ll have to dress to look older or get someone to buy them for you. It’s tougher than when I started smoking to buy cigarettes, they didn’t ask for ID back then. I told you, Mom buys mine when she buy’s hers. Do you have any money on you?”
“I have ten dollars from baby sitting last night. I want to get a pack for Emily too. Remember, I told you she is going to start smoking too. I can’t wait to tell her about this. Can I take another drag?”
“Of course, but remember what I said about not doing to much to fast. I know what you are feeling. Unless you actually have decided you want to smoke and do it, nobody can imagine how you feel unless they’ve done the very thing you are doing right now.”
I realized I had switched the cigarette to my left hand while we were talking and it looked just as natural there as it did in my right hand.
Again I tapped the ash and place the Marlboro between my lips. I paused for a second and again touched the filter with my tongue. It was soft and warm. I took my hand away and drew in on the cigarette. I felt my cheeks pull in a little and drew the smoke in a little longer. As I removed the cigarette from my mouth I sucked the smoke back hard into my lungs. Instant dizzy, real dizzy. Wow what a feeling. After a couple seconds I blew the smoke out from between my lips. It was whiter than before and the smoke plum was much longer.
“Darn girl. That is beautiful. Are you sure you haven’t smoked before?” I could tell Cynthia was both proud and amazed.
“Really, this is the first time. I want it so bad Cynthia. I have dreamed about this moment and I can’t wait to get really good at it like you.” I was very pleased with my self but so dizzy.
“You know, the more smoke you can stand in your body when you first start the faster you’ll get used to it and be so very comfortable with the habit. The day after I started I smoked a half pack. Of course I was pretty dizzy but I didn’t care. I love to smoke.”
“I know how you must have felt now that I am here, smoking for the very first time. Do you want a drag from MY cigarette?” I laughed as I held it up to her and she took it from between my fingers. I watched as she took one drag, then a second, then a third and drew the smoke deep into her body. She handed the cigarette back to me and said, “You see Judy, that was triple hit. The smoke coming out right now as I am talking to you is very rich and white. It took me several months to work up to a triple hit but you won’t believe how it makes you feel. You said something earlier about getting some cigarettes and your friend wants to learn to smoke too?”
I explained about the pact that Emily and I made and about tomorrow night.
“Great, it’s so much more fun to share smoking with a girlfriend, especially when you’re first starting. Unless you have a cool Mom like mine who leaves lit cigarettes in the bathroom in the morning when I’m getting ready for school. Dad doesn’t have a clue she leaves a cigarette for me while I’m taking my bath. Anyhow, I can get you four packs or just one for you and one for Emily and bring you the change.”
“Please, get the four packs. I know I’ll enjoy them even if Emily doesn’t.”
“I will get four different brands so you can try them. No menthol yet. Learn to smoke regular cigarettes first like we talked.”
“I think I want one pack of menthol Cynthia, please. Will you make each pack 100’s though? I don’t want to smoke short cigarettes like the boys do.” I was determined I would be a stylish smoker and so would Emily.
“Fine Judy. I’ll have Mom go to the store when Dad goes bowling. I’ll have them for you tomorrow after school.”
“You’re great Cynthia and so is your Mom. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.” I thought to myself, imagine her taking all this time with me, an underclassman.
“No need to pay me money. We can share a cigarette on the way home from school tomorrow. One of your cigarettes.”
The next day we did share that cigarette together on our way home from school. After Cynthia handed me the plastic bag of containing four packs of cigarettes, I opened the box of Marlboro Light 100’s. I was shaking as I took out the first cigarette from my own pack. Cynthia took the second and held the lighter up so I could get mine going.
She took a long, deep, drag and held it in for what seemed like an eternity. I took a lot less remembering yesterday and Cynthia’s advice. The taste was better and the sensation of the smoke filling my lungs was again wonderful.
As we walked home from school I realized the taste got stronger as I smoked the cigarette down. I took eight or nine drags from that cigarette and by the time I threw into the street I was a little dizzy.
“I can’t believe how much I like to smoke Cynthia! I am a little dizzy, but not as bad as yesterday.”
Cynthia laughed, “It is such a normal, fun habit and Mom told me I would enjoy helping new smokers like yourself get started. Not everyone has a Mom like mine who taught me how to smoke.” Cynthia lit another Marlboro Light 100 from her own pack.
“She taught you how to smoke? How cool is that?” I couldn’t believe what I heard. I don’t think my Mom would teach me. She would probably tell me I was too young, I should wait; it’s not good for me. Something like that I’m sure.
“You can smoke another too you know. Go on, unless you’re chicken.” She laughed while she watched me take another cigarette from my box of Marlboro Light 100’s. “One day when I was 14 my Mom left a cigarette burning in an ash tray in the kitchen when a salesman came to the door. We were the only ones home that day and I had been sitting at the table watching her as she smoked her cigarette while she read Mademoiselle Magazine. I didn’t realize until later that she knew I was watching her smoke and she was hoping I would take up the habit. She started when she was 15.”
I took a longer drag on my cigarette and held the smoke deep in my lungs. I expected to get really dizzy but didn’t. The plume of smoke was thin as I exhaled. The taste was different than yesterday. It still wasn’t pleasurable but it was better.
“So there I was, staring at a half smoked Benson and Hedges burning in the ash tray on the kitchen table and Mom was at the front door talking to this sales guy. I reached over to the ashtray and picked up the cigarette. It felt so good in my hand. I looked at it as the smoke curled off the end. I put it between my index finger and middle finger and waved my arm around trying to get up enough nerve to take a drag. I listened close to see if the conversation was still going on at the front door and I brought the cigarette to my mouth, placed it between my lips and took a very long drag. “
“Oh my God Cynthia! Did you die with all that smoke in your lungs? Didn’t you know to take it slow?” In just two days of smoking I understood what she meant by taking it a little slow. I took another easy drag from my Marlboro Light 100. Wow this is pretty good!
“I didn’t have a Cynthia to help me Judy. I didn’t know. But it wasn’t as bad as you think. Sure, I hated the taste but the sensation of all that smoke in my body was fantastic. I didn’t leave it down there very long. As I blew the smoke out I got wet with excitement seeing the large plume flowing from my mouth. I knew then and there I wanted to. What I didn’t know was the salesman had left and Mom was standing behind me, smiling as I blew the smoke between my lips. I didn’t realize she was there until I tapped the ash and took a second drag, not as big as the first and exhaled it toward the ceiling. As my head rolled back I saw her looking down at me and I thought I was busted.”
“Oh my God Cynthia. What did she do?” I wondered what my Mom would do in the same situation.
“I sat straight up in the chair and said, I guess I’m busted, Huh Mom? I was pretty sure she would ground me for a week or two.”
My Mom said, “Cynthia, its time we had a little talk. I realize you’re a young lady now and I also realize that you have been watching me more intently as I smoke for a few months now.”
“My face got red Judy. She busted me again. I was watching her because she smokes so beautifully and she looks so sexy when she smokes. My Dad can be ranting and raving about something because he had a bad day at work and when she lights a cigarette in front of him and blows the smoke at him, he calms right down.” Cynthia stopped to gather her thoughts and took a long, drag from her cigarette.
“Mom asked me if I wanted to learn to smoke. I told her I was thinking about it but figured she would want me to wait until I was 18. She said she wondered if I wanted to learn and she told me she understood my desire because when she was 15 she had the same desire. She said she had to experiment on her own because her Dad didn’t like women who smoked. He said they were all whores or something. She said that back then a 15 year old could walk into any corner drug store and buy a pack of Winston’s for a quarter and they would hand you a book of matches with the pack of cigarettes.”
Cynthia stopped for a second to take another drag from her Marlboro and started to talk again as she exhaled.
“Anyhow, Mom offered to teach me how to smoke that day. She showed me what I have shown you and we went to the store and she bought me my first pack and a Bic lighter. Here, I got this for you when we got your cigarettes last night.”
Cynthia handed me my own Bic lighter. It was hot pink.
“Thank you Cynthia. This is very nice of you.” I couldn’t believe her kindness and how she was spending all this time with me.
“It’s something Mom taught me. When you help someone learn how to smoke and you feel comfortable with them, as I do with you, give them a lighter to go with their first pack of cigarettes. I guess it’s kind of a tradition now.” Cynthia smiled at me as she took another deep, long drag from her cigarette. Man, she is so good.
“If Dad would just think a little more modern I could smoke anytime at home, but he is still old fashioned. When he goes bowling or to the store Mom looks at me and I go to my room and get a cigarette and we sit and talk and smoke until he gets back. He doesn’t notice there’s a little more smoke in the house when he comes home. Mom bought one of those clean air machines and it works pretty well. Anyhow, he enjoys watching her smoke. I can see it on his face. He really loves her you know. And, I know he loves me too but he’s just a little old fashioned when it comes to his only daughter smoking.”
“I’m not sure what my Mom will say. She is a smoker and so is Dad. I guess I never talked to either one of them about it. Chicken you know?” I stood there wondering if my Mom would be as cool as Cynthia’s Mom if I would say something to her.
“Well Hon, I got to get home. Call me and we’ll meet someplace and smoke together this summer. I will be working at McDonalds to try and save enough money for my car insurance but I will always have time to smoke with a friend.”
Cynthia hugged me as she started to walk down the block to make the turn to her house.
I took the last drag from my cigarette, the second one today, and threw it into the street. I realized I had made a new friend and at the same time smoked enough to not be dizzy. I thought Oh how I like to smoke.
My book bag was a good cover for the four packs of cigarettes and my new lighter. I looked in the plastic bag and saw my friend Cynthia bought the Marlboro Light 100’s I have been smoking, Benson and Hedges Light 100’s, Virginia Slims Lights and a box of Marlboro Light 100 Menthol. I saw there was another lighter in the bag with a note that’s read, “for your friend Emily.” I walked briskly so I could make sure everything would be right for our camp out.
Mom was on the back patio getting the grille ready when I rounded the corner by the driveway. “Hi Mom. Schools out for the summer. I am so excited.”
She answered, “Come here babe. Let me give you a end of the school year hug.”
I wondered if she would smell the smoke on my clothes as she put her arms around me and kissed me on the cheek.
“Judy, I know this summer is going to be very special. This summer you will learn so much and grow so much as a young woman. I want you to know I am here for you. If you need anything at all, I mean anything, please talk to me.” She hugged me hard and for what seemed like a very long time. I hugged her back and wondered if she knew.
“I got to get the tent ready for our camp out. Emily will be here around 6 pm.” I still had my book bag on my shoulder and walked to the end of the garage where the tent was set up.
“Daddy and I are going to Aunt Sally’s after supper. We figured you and Emily would be busy tonight anyway. After all, you’re both almost young lady’s now.”
She knows, I thought. Naw, she can’t. I didn’t smoke here at the house yet. That would be later. Cynthia and I smoked on the way to her house, not on the way to mine. I don’t know any of the people who live over that way. No, she doesn’t know but maybe she wants to teach me like Cynthia’s Mom taught her. God, it’s too late. I am a smoker. I love to smoke. I even look pretty good doing it. I guess I’ll just have to take Mom up on that offer to talk. Not tonight though, tonight Emily will learn what I have learned these last two days.
By now Judy was in the tent and she was so glad she dragged all the stuff out of the house last night. It was a pretty big tent that the whole family used on camping trips. Judy placed two cots with a small table between them and a battery-operated lantern on the table. The cots were made up with blankets and pillows and the extension cord would power her boom box so they could play the tunes. Of course they wouldn’t play the tunes to loud so they could hear Dad’s car when he and Mom come home later from Aunt Sally’s. Thinking ahead, Judy also placed a couple old ashtrays from the garage under the cots. Judy wanted to cover all the bases and didn’t want any chance of fire. She took the plastic bag with the cigarettes from her book bag and put it under he cot. She wanted to take a few minutes and light another cigarette right there but knew she would be taking a chance of Mom busting her if she did. Or would she?
Judy and Emily have been friends since grade school. Their Moms were friends ever since they were in high school together and the friendship continues today. Judy and Emily are similar in size but not in color. Judy was a 5’ 4” tall, blonde, shoulder length hair and blue eye. Emily was 5’ 5” with dark brown hair that hung to her waste and green eyes. They both had cute shapes and the boy’s have been chasing them this last school year. Neither of them had a steady boy friend but could have if they wanted. Judy and Emily did well in school and already had plans to go to K State together in a couple years. Their Moms called them right lung-left lung because they spent so much time together. The girls liked the fact that their Mom’s were friends too.
Judy’s Dad burnt his usual number of hamburgers on the grille and the girls laughed at his stories about the guys he works with while they ate at the picnic table on the patio. Mom made baked beans and potato salad to celebrate the last day of school and she had a cooler full of diet Pepsi for the girls camp out later.
After everyone was pretty much done eating, Judy’s Dad excused his self and went into the house. Her Mom lit a Virginia Slim Light 100 and both girls watched as she drew the smoke into her body. She held it there for about 5 seconds and exhaled a white plum of smoke into the early evening air. She looked at both girls and slowly moved the cigarette back to her mouth, placed the filter between her lips and took a longer drag. Her cheeks hollowed in as she pulled the smoke into her body. She made eye contact with Judy and smiled as she blew the smoke into the air. She said, “I remember the summer between my sophomore and junior year. It was a wonderful summer. Emily, that was when I met your Mom. We became instant friends when we realized we both wanted to learn to smoke.”
Both girls’ mouths fell wide open.
“We learned so much together and became young woman that summer. I will never forget the hours we spent together smoking Winston’s. Oh what an awful cigarette. Anyhow, I imagine you’re bored hearing about this, both of you being non-smokers and all. Help me clear the table. I’m sure your Dad will want to get going pretty soon Judy.”
“Mom, ah, you don’t have to stop. I, ah, we like hearing stories about you and Emily’s Mom.”
“OK, I’ll make you a deal. When your Dad goes to play golf tomorrow we’ll sit down and talk. Emily will still be here, right.” She took another deep, long drag on her cigarette and laid it into the ashtray as she got up from the table and grabbed a tray full of condiments and walked into the house.
“Judy, look. She left it burning in the ashtray like the story you told me about Cynthia’s Mom. I would like to just pick it up and take a big drag and …” Emily stopped in mid sentence when she realized that Judy’s Mom was back from the kitchen and listening to her every word.
“Smoking is a big choice Emily. You have to really want to do it so you can learn to smoke the right way. You have to be sure you want it because you’ll never want to give it up.” Judy’s Mom was smiling as the words filled the air.
“Have you thought about learning to smoke Emily?” Judy couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mother’s mouth. “What about you Judy?”
Neither girl knew what to say. They looked at each other and Emily spoke first.
“Yes Mrs. Simms. I have given it a lot of thought. Judy and…ah, I am sure I want to learn.” Emily couldn’t believe she admitted to her Mom’s best friend something as important as the decision to learn how to smoke.
“Mom, I have thought a lot about it too. There I said it. Oh, that feels better. I wanted to talk to you about smoking but I wasn’t sure how you would feel.” Judy was relieved and exhilarated.
Her Mom picked the cigarette out of the ashtray and took a drag. She blew the smoke over Judy’s head and said, “Honey, I know you are learning how to smoke. I wish I had talked to you in the early spring when I noticed you watching me. I could have been the one to give you your first lesson. Here baby, want a drag of this?” She handed the half smoked Virginia Slim to Judy and Judy took a medium length drag and held the smoke for a couple seconds. As she exhaled she tapped the cigarette on the side of the ashtray and handed it to Emily.
“Is it OK MOM?”
“Yes baby. But does she know what to do?”
“I told her everything on the phone last night after I learned from Cynthia yesterday. Emily, just take in a little and do like you have been practicing on the un-lit Misty Slim.”
Emily took the cigarette from her best friends hand and placed it between her index and middle finger on her left hand. She is left-handed.
“Now Emily, don’t draw to hard and remember after the smoke comes into your mouth it will be a little warm and will taste bad.” Judy’s Mom told Emily the exact same thing Cynthia told her yesterday.
“I have been watching you and Mom for several months Mrs. Simms. OK, here goes.”
Emily placed the filter between her lips and drew the smoke into her body. Unlike Judy who took a pretty sizeable amount of smoke, Emily took a smaller amount. She pulled the cigarette out of her mouth and drew the smoke into her lungs. The sensation was amazing. She immediately got dizzy. She held the smoke for only a second and blew it out between her lips. A small, white plume filled the air in front of her face.
“Oh my God! Is that cool or what?” Judy said in excitement. Her Mom was smiling from ear to ear as she watched her best friends daughter take her first drag on a cigarette. Her cigarette.
Emily handed the cigarette back to Mrs. Simms and she took a double hit. She blew the smoke from her lungs and crushed the cigarette out in the ashtray.
Judy spoke next. “Mom, how did you know? Did you smell the smoke on me yesterday?”
“A couple months ago Cheryl (Emily’s Mom) and I were having coffee and were talking about you two. She remarked how Emily seemed to be staring a lot every time she lit a cigarette. She said she hoped that if Emily was going to learn to smoke soon she would learn with you honey, like I did with her many years ago.” She gathered the rest of the stuff on the picnic table.
“Dang, ah I mean darn Mrs. Simms. I didn’t think I was so obvious. I wish she would have said something.” Emily was thinking as she spoke. “Of course I guess I should have said something about wanting to learn to smoke to Mom too.”
“Now Emily, I didn’t say anything to Judy and I knew too. I knew she was watching me and I noticed her watching Aunt Sally and your Mom every chance she got. I could see her studying the way I smoke. How to properly light the cigarette. How to place a cigarette between my lips. How I hold it and tap it in the ashtray. I was sure you would ask questions Judy.”
Finally Judy spoke, “I was chicken Mom. I’m 15 and under age and I figured you would have a lecture for me if I said anything about my decision to want to learn to smoke.”
“I understand honey. It’s hard to talk about this with your MOM! Grandma never did talk to me about smoking or boys or sex. NO SEX you two. Please wait on that one.” Mrs. Simms was laughing, as she looked each girl in the eye.
In unison they said, “Yes MOM!”
Gloria Simms loved it when both girls called her MOM.
“So my Mom knows. I wish she were here right now. This is so cool that you two are ok with us smoking.” Emily was happy about the news but sad she wasn’t sharing it with her Mom.
“I’ll call her later Emily. She told me if she couldn’t give you your first drag on a cigarette she hoped it would be me. I only wish the same was true for Judy and I.” Gloria was a little saddened by the outcome of yesterdays lesson with Cynthia. Judy still didn’t know how her Mom found out.
“Judy, I hope we’ll have many special hours together this summer as you learn how to smoke. I know you’re prepared for your camp out and have plenty of cigarettes to experiment with. Just be very careful smoking in the tent.”
“Mom, how did you know?” Judy was surprised to hear that her Mom knew about the cigarettes she had Cynthia and her Mom…that’s it, her Mom must have called my Mom she thought.
“I told you about that summer Cheryl and I decided to learn to smoke. One of the reasons we wanted to learn was a pretty red head a couple years older than us from the other side of town we used to watch smoke as she walked home from school.”
Judy thought about Cynthia’s Mom and the beautiful red hair she has hanging below her shoulders.
“Cynthia’s Mom called you.” Judy said with a smile on her face as she realized how this all seemed to tie together.
“Cynthia and her Mom have the same kind of relationship I thought you and I and Emily and Cheryl have. Cynthia told her Mom all about you taking your first drags yesterday and how you loved it so much and wanted to buy cigarettes. She told her she offered to buy your cigarettes for you and she would give them to you after school today. I heard the whole story when I went to the store last night while you were on the phone with Emily. I told the story to Cheryl this morning while we drank coffee and smoked cigarettes in her kitchen.” Gloria lit a Virginia Slim Light and slid the pack across the table to Judy and Emily.
“What about Dad? Won’t he lecture me and holler or something?” Judy said in a worried voice.
“Your Dad knows Judy. Why do you think he went in the house? He knew what I was up to and he needed to leave so you two would feel comfortable enough to smoke in front of me. Go on, have one of mine, unless you want to get yours from the tent.” Gloria took a deep, long drag on her cigarette and blew a long, white plume into the air.
“We’ll smoke those later. Here Emily.” Judy offered her best friend her first full cigarette from her Moms pack. “Remember, not too deep the first few cigarettes. You’ll have to work into it.” Judy took her own Virginia Slim Light from the pack and reached into her jeans for her own Bic Lighter.
“Gift from Cynthia?” Gloria asked.
“Yes. I have one from Emily in the tent.”
“I know. I bought it for Cynthia to give to you to give to Emily so the tradition would continue,” Gloria said with a pleasing look on her face while she watched her daughter.
Judy flicked the Bic and held it toward Emily who had placed the filter in her mouth. This was a moment she had practiced time and time again and she had no problem getting the Virginia Slim lit. She drew the smoke into her body and carefully pulled the cigarette from her mouth. A little bit of smoke came out with the cigarette but most of it went into her lungs as she looked at Judy and smiled. She held it there for several seconds and realized she needed to exhale. As she blew the smoke out of her mouth she noticed there was less smoke than the first drag she took a few minutes ago on Mrs. Simms cigarette.
“Why wasn’t there as much smoke this time Mrs. Simms?” Emily asked as she held the long, slim light 100 between her fingers on her left hand.
“You held it in a little to long honey. If you want very white plumes, don’t hold it in very long. If you want the sensation from the cigarette, hold it longer. It’s hard when you’re first learning to hold the smoke in very long. The taste isn’t real good is it?” Gloria remembered how those Winston’s tasted that summer with Cheryl.
In the meantime Judy was taking another drag on her Virginia Slim. The first two were pretty good and the smoke looked nice in front of her face. The taste was getting better and the dizziness wasn’t near what it was yesterday. Without realizing she hadn’t exhaled, Judy started to talk as the smoke poured out from her lungs, “I think I…cough, cough, cough.” Smoke hung from her mouth and she looked at her Mom who was laughing.
“You forgot to exhale. Judy, you have to work into being able to talk through the smoke. See what happens.” Gloria laughed a little harder.
Emily was in the middle of her second exhale when Judy choked on the smoke. She started to laugh and she coughed too.
“Yep, right lung-left lung are learning to smoke. Film at eleven.” Gloria was ready to roll on the floor laughing.
“You ain’t laying’ you good looking’ woman. I have it all on film. Something you three will laugh about in years to come.” Judy’s Dad was in the dining room window with the camcorder and no one noticed. He was laughing too.
Judy stuck her tongue out at her Dad at the very same time Emily did too. They looked at each other and laughed.
“Mom, this is so cool. I can’t tell you how happy you have made me feel.” Judy was elated with the outcome of her last day of school for the summer.
“Well baby, you’re not near as happy as I am. Come on Jack, let’s go to Sallies so the girls can go to smoking camp.” Gloria got up from the table, took her pack of cigarettes with her and laid a huge kiss on her husband when he came out of the house. “We’ll be home about 11 girls. Have fun and don’t make yourselves sick by smoking too much tonight.”
Gloria and Jack got into their car and left.
“ Do you believe this?” Judy said as she put the Virginia Slim in her mouth and took a sizeable drag. She only held it a second or two and blew a very white plume of smoke into the air. “Emily, I love to smoke.”
The girls finished their Virginia Slim 100’s and laughed and talked about how neat it was that their Mom’s were so cool about them learning how to smoke. They realized it was getting to be dusk and they needed to get the rest of the stuff gathered they needed for their camp out. They carried the cooler with the Diet Pepsi to the tent and got Judy’s boom box from her room. After they each went to the bathroom Emily grabbed the cordless phone and called her Mom.
“Mom. I just thought I would check in and let you know we’re taking the cordless to the tent. Mrs. Simms potato salad is the best. What a meal and Mr. Simms is so funny.” Emily sounded like she was very happy as she told her Mom about the evening to this point.
Judy watched, as her friend got quiet while she listened to her Mom on the other end of the line.
Emily didn’t speak for the longest time and then said, “She called you from the car. She couldn’t wait to call you tomorrow. Really, you are fine with this? Oh God, you are so cool Mom. What? You bought me a pack of Misty Slim 100 of my own? Thank you Mom. Sure, I’ll see you in the morning. Love you. Bye!”
“So she bought you a pack of cigarettes?” Judy asked with a smile on her face.
“Yeah, and she is coming for coffee with your Mom and you and me tomorrow while your Dad plays golf. How cool is that?” Emily was exuberant.
The girls closed the big garage door and went through the side door and around back to their smoker’s camp tent. The evening was turning into night and they decided to get a couple lawn chairs and sit outside the tent and watch the sun set as they tried another cigarette.
Judy went inside the tent and brought out the plastic bag with the various boxes of cigarettes and handed Emily her Bic lighter, it was fire engine red.
“Here’s the Marlboro Light 100’s and the Benson and Hedges Light 100’s. Uh huh, and the Virginia Slim Lights and the Marlboro Light 100 Menthol. Cynthia says to wait to smoke the menthol so we can get a taste for the tobacco.” Judy placed the packs on the patio table between them.
“God there is a lot of choices.” Emily looked puzzled as she spoke. “I want to try a Marlboro Light 100 so I can know what they are like since that has been mostly all you have smoked so far Judy.”
Judy handed her the open pack and watched as her friend pulled a long, white 100 from the box.
“I like the box thingy Judy. The cigarettes are all so nice and white and long.” Emily looked like she was getting a little excited. “Are you going to join me?”
“In a minute Emily. I want to watch you. This is so cool.” Judy was getting a little excited watching her friend.
Emily’s long, dark hair was pulled to one side in a single ponytail and the dim light from the lantern showed her high cheekbone featured face. Emily had naturally large lips and the white filter looked very natural as she placed the cigarette between her lips. She let it dangle a little while she fumbled with the Bic and got it to make a flame. She put the flame to the cigarette and drew the smoke into her mouth. Just as she was about to open her mouth she put the cigarette between her index and middle finger and gently removed it from between her lips while she inhaled the smoke. She let the smoke touch the bottom of her lungs and blew the smoke into the open air. The plume was medium sized and beautiful. Emily taped the cigarette on the ashtray and smile at Judy.
“Did I do it right? It felt right Judy. Did it look nice? I want to look nice when I smoke you know.” Emily asked the question in one breath.
Judy answered, “Emily, you are a natural. Don’t you love the way the smoke looks when it comes out of your mouth? It looks nice from here too.”
“I do like the way it looks coming out of my mouth. I like the way my body feels. I’m a little light headed but the tingling in my toes is so cool.” Emily took another drag on her Marlboro Light 100 and gently blew the smoke back out. The plume was small, but very nice.
By now Judy had the Benson and Hedges Lights opened. She pulled the middle cigarette in the front row out first. She noticed her Mom always pulled that same position cigarette out of a new pack and thought she would continue that tradition too. She looked at the cigarette before she placed the filter between her lips. She looked at the lettering on the filter and the color of the lettering and noticed there were tiny little holes punched in the side of the filter all the way around the filter about a 1/2 inch from the tip. She wondered what they were for. She put the cigarette between her lips and flicked her Bic. As she put the fire to the end of her cigarette she drew in on the filter and the smoke came into her mouth. Since it had been almost an hour since she last smoked, she drew in a little more smoke. She held it about the same amount of time as before and exhaled a beautiful very white plume of smoke into the air. She watched as the smoke came out of her mouth and into the air and before it was all out she put the cigarette back between her lips and took another drag. Again she held it a short time and blew the smoke out and again the plume was extra white.
“Geez Judy. You haven’t smoked your first pack yet and you can do that. Wow, you rock!” Emily was so pleased with her friend’s progress learning to smoke. “I know, hold it less the whiter the plum, hold it longer the bigger the sensation on the body.”
Emily took another drag on her Marlboro Light 100 and blew the smoke into the air. Nice look, easy on the body and oh, so much fun she thought.
“I think I like Marlboro Light 100’s better than Benson and Hedges. This isn’t bad though.” Judy said as she took a drag and held it a little longer and exhaled a little less smoke.
“I really want to try the menthol but Cynthia said to wait. Daddy smokes Marlboro Greens and he said he doesn’t know how Mom smokes those girly cigarettes that are non-menthol.” Judy touched the pack of Marlboro Light 100 Menthol. “I guess I’ll wait until later or tomorrow.”
As Emily exhaled another nice plume of smoke she said, “Well we do have all summer Judy. But I have to be honest; I don’t want to stop at just one or two cigarettes on my first day of smoking. I really like to do this and I’m not that dizzy. Sure, the taste isn’t real good but I bet if we can smoke more than Cynthia said.” Emily looked so natural putting the cigarette between her lips and drawing in a nice amount of smoke. She held it and then blew it out in a neat plume.
“I think part of it is how much you really want to smoke Emily. I know we were chicken to light up the first time and I’m not sure that either one of us would be smoking tonight if Cynthia hadn’t offered me a chance to smoke yesterday. But I do know that this is something I really, we really want to do and I think we’ll know when we’ve smoked enough the first day.” Judy tapped the cigarette into the ashtray and put the filter between her lips. She let the lit cigarette dangle there for almost a minute, not drawing any smoke into her mouth, just letting the cigarette dangle there to see what it felt like. After all, she is at smoking camp tonight isn’t she?
After the minute passed, she pulled in on the cigarette and drew a sizeable amount of smoke into her body. As the smoke went down her throat she decided she would keep it in for five seconds. She held her wrist up and watched the second hand on her watch and realized maybe part of what Cynthia said was true. You have to work into taking larger amounts of smoke into your lungs. By the time three seconds passed she blew the smoke out, fast and hard and quick. ”That was almost a mistake. I took too much and tried to hold it too long. At least I didn’t cough.” Judy laughed as she placed the cigarette in the ashtray and realized she was really dizzy.
“Are you ok Judy?" Emily put her cigarette in the ashtray and moved in front of Judy and reached over and touched her face. She smiled and Emily bent down and kissed Judy on the cheek. She whispered in her ear, “You are my best friend Judy Simms. We share almost everything and I hate for you to have a bad experience.” She pulled back and said in her regular voice, “Now dummy, you’re still learning to smoke, take it easy!”
Both girls laughed as they picked up their cigarettes from the ashtray and drew smoke at the same time.
email me wiht your comments: judy_st__claire@hotmail.com
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