This was a first for me since I am not around smokers anymore. The neighbors next door had a get together for their 2- year-old's birthday on Saturday and ask us to come by and have tacos and beer, which all 2-year-olds love. They also had the cake, large bouncy house and all the rest. They invited the couple from across the street, age 56 and 60. They both smoke like chimneys. None of the people at the party smoked. They were all in their late 20', early 30's. So I studied these people from the time they arrived until they left.
Only one person sat near them, probably because nobody knew them well. My first thought was, could it be people were put off by the lingering odor? I was never aware of how bad I smelled until after I quit and then I was so embarrassed and apologized to my friends and family.
I knew they wouldn't smoke there even though the party was outdoors. I watched as they ate the delicious tacos. beans, rice, tortilla chips and salsa and drank a couple of beers. They seemed to eat slowly and go back for seconds and thirds just so they didn't have to get that after dinner craving that , for me, was the worst of the day. After they finished dinner they decided to have a third beer. I could just imagine, remembering my past, how that craving was getting stronger having the alcohol. I know what was constantly on their mind, same as what was on mine before I quit. "We don't want to offend and smoke around non smokers but we don't want to be rude and leave early. Well let's just pretend to be interested in other people's conversations when all we really can think about is I WANT A CIGARETTE and when should we leave." I could see the fidgeting and pretending they were having fun. Suddenly they were gone!
It brought back so many memories and what I went through as a smoker and it makes me soooo grateful today that I quit. I NEVER thought I could enjoy tacos and beer again once I quit but they are even more enjoyable now as I don't have that nagging craving anymore.
