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Two Beginnings

Mike.n.Atlanta
5 9 120

Beginning One

14 year old Lungs: Cough!...Cough!...Cough!...hack hack aaarrrgh! What the hell was that?!!

Brain: It's just a little sumthin I'm trying out. Mike's gotta be cool at school & all the cool people do this.

Lungs: Well what is it.

Brain: It's called smoking. We're smoking a cigarette.

Lungs: Well cut it out, I can't breath that crap.

Brain: We'll get used to it, you'll see.

Lungs: I don't wanna get used to it. It getting me all sticky & gunky in here.

Heart: What the hells goin on in here?!!! I'm workin overtime all of a sudden!

Lungs: Einstein up there has decided to be cool & start smoking.

Heart: Smoking...what's that?

Brain: Look, I just wanna hang around with the cool kids in school. This is what they do so this is what I'm gonna do. We just inhale a little smoke from this lit cigarette, hold it in for a moment & then blow it out. It's completely harmless. Look, you two can fuss all you want but I'm doin it anyway.

Heart: If he wants to smoke why don't he just set his pants on fire.

Brain: That would not be cool.

Lungs: Oh all of a sudden you're the expert on what's cool.

Brain: Actually I am. I see what people like to do & the friends they have while they do it. People like to smoke.

Heart: Okay but I'm doing this under protest.

Lungs: Me too.

Some Time Later-

Lungs: Hey Heart, I think were wrong about this smoking thing. I like the way it warms me up. As much as I hate to admit it I think Brain was right.

Heart: Yeah & it gives me a little boost when I need one. Keeps me going all day. Good call Brain.

Brain: What can I say...Are we cool or what.

Beginning Two

33 years later-

Heart: Oh man I gotta do something, I'm starting to get really tired when we do anything. It's all I can do to keep the blood flowin.

Lung: I know what you mean. When we took Lulu for a walk this afternoon I could hardly catch my breath & this coughing thing is killin me. Ya know Heart, I think it's these cigarettes we've been smoking all this time.

Heart: I think you're right Lungs. I seem to get a little stronger while Brain is sleeping. Going those few hours without smoke helps out a lot. If we don't do something about the smoking I don't think we'll last another year.

Lungs: Yeah, this smokin is gonna shut us all down. 35 years is just too long

Brain: I hear you two down there. Smoking doesn't kill people, cancer kills people & we don't have cancer.

Heart: Don't you see what's happening brain. We can't function normally. You're killing us. They lied to you about smoking.

Brain: They wouldn't lie to me, they're my friends.

Lungs: Where's your friend Willard? He smoked most of his life. Didn't you see what happened to him. He withered to nothing.

Brain: That wasn't smoking, that was lung cancer.

Lungs: How do you think he got lung cancer?! Look, I can see what it's doing to me & it ain't pretty. I've got this black stuff all over the inside of me where it used to be all pretty & pink.

Heart: It's putting a huge strain on me too Brain. I was hoping it wouldn't come to this but if you don't stop smoking we're shuttin down. All business will come to a halt.

Brain: But I can't survive without you guys. I need you.

Lungs: That's right. But we need you too. And we need you to quit smoking.

Brain: I guess I could try it for a while but I'm scared. They've been such a good friend for a long time how do we say goodbye?.

Heart: You say goodbye you remorseless killer. They were never our friend Brain don't you see. They tricked us into believing that they were harmless.

Brain: I'm gonna need some help with this. I can't do it alone. I saw some sites on the internet. I think I'll try em.

Lungs: Do what you have to do. There will be no more warnings.

Some Years Later

Brain: Good call guys. I'm so sorry I picked up that nasty habit & did so much damage to you. I know I'll never be able to make it up, I'm so ashamed.

Heart: You can make it up to us by never taking another puff.

Lungs: Don't beat yourself up Brain. We're getting better every day & will keep it up as long as you remember NOPE. Not One Puff Ever.

Brain: That's a good idea fellas & thanks for stayin with me. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to do it without the support of my on-line friends though. What a big help they are. They all knew where I was comin from & where I was goin. They had all been there. I'll never forget em. I can't believe it's been 15 years, 2 months, 1 week, two days, 10 hours, 8 minutes and 18 seconds since my last cigarette.

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About the Author
I began this quit journey on October 1, 2004. I'm not doing it for my wife or children nor in memory of the many family members or friends I have lost due to this addiction. I'm doing it for Mike. "The only real threat to your quit is between your ears" ~ Me "A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor" ~ English proverb "A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trial" ~ Chinese proverb I'd rather be a non-smoker who thinks about smoking once in awhile, than a smoker who's always thinking about quitting" ~ Anonymous ~