Dana, Part 3

Dana   Part 3								
									
	I knew the time would have to come when I finally told Mom and 
Dad about starting to smoke cigarettes.  Should I wait until Christmas 
break when I would be home and possibly spoil the mood of the holidays, 
or should I let them know sooner?  Maybe a letter to them with a picture 
of me smoking would be the best, but I felt that was to impersonal for 
such an important decision.  So I decided to call Mom late one evening 
for a long talk.  After exchanging small talk for a few minutes I said 
"Mom, the reason I called you tonight was to tell you something very 
important that has happened in my life."  I thought I heard Mom's voice 
quiver after several seconds of silence "Oh, Dana, what is it?"  "Mom, 
I've started smoking cigarettes.  I really, really enjoy it and I plan 
to continue.  It was entirely my own decision to start and I would hope 
that you and Dad accept me.  I want to smoke at home when I come for 
Christmas, so I thought by telling you now, that you would have time to 
be ready for it when I do come home."  I imagined a stunned silence for 
what seemed like forever.  Finally Mom spoke.  "We love you very much, 
Dana.  You are a grown woman now and I respect you immensely for telling 
me this.  Don't ever feel that your decisions in life will make us feel 
any differently about you.  We will be ready to accept you when you come 
home."  I felt wonderful when she had said that and lit a VS 120 
inhaling deeply and then exhaling slowly and peacefully.  There had been 
no confrontation.  "Mom, I love you and Dad.  Thank you so much for 
accepting.  Would you please do me a favor?  Don't tell anybody else 
about this.  I want to tell Kathleen myself when I see her at 
Christmas."  Kathleen was my best friend for many years.  We went on 
double dates together, were cheerleaders together, were school leaders 
together.  We shared our hopes and dreams together, but I had never told 
her about wanting to smoke.  I wondered with great anticipation what her 
reaction toward me would be.  Losing her friendship over my decision 
would be unbearable.  Mom and I talked for about another 10 minutes as I 
smoked the rest of my cigarette.  "You know, Dana, I can tell that 
you're smoking right now and you sound so delighted and relaxed.  I 
think that we'll be very interested in seeing you smoke here at home."  
"Thanks again, Mom, I'll see you in 2 weeks."				
									
	Mom and Dad met me as I got off the small commuter flight at the 
airport.  We hugged each other, Mom in particular seeming to try to see 
if she could smell smoke on coat.  It was only a 10 minute drive to the 
house so we talked about how I was doing in my studies and the 
adjustment to college, but nothing was spoken about smoking although I 
could detect them being anxious about it.  When we got home I said that 
I wanted to go upstairs to put away my bags.  Mom said "When you're 
ready, come downstairs and we'll have a cup of coffee and talk.  And 
please bring your cigarettes with you."  I blushed a little and replied 
"Thanks, Mom."  Entering my room I noticed everything was in its place 
as I had left it except for one thing.  On the table next to my bed was 
a beautiful cut-glass crystal ashtray with a Colibri lighter in it.  I 
was overjoyed as I held the lighter in my hand and flicked it to a 
flame.  I grabbed my handbag and went downstairs.  Mom and Dad were 
sitting at the corner table by the window with the setting sun streaming 
through.  "Please, Dana, come and sit with us and please enjoy a 
cigarette."  "Thanks for the lighter and ashtray, Mom and Dad.  It means 
alot to me that you have accepted my smoking."  Mom pushed an elegant 
ashtray toward me as I took my VS 120's from the handbag, slowly drew 
one out of the package, and lit it.  Exhaling into the sunbeam and 
talking with smoke comimg out in small plumes, I explained why I had 
started to them.  They were very transfixed as I continued.  Then Dad 
spoke up saying "Dana, we would have never beleived this, but you look 
very sophistocated and relaxed with your cigarette, especially that 
long,thin brand.  Is it Virginia Slims?  You can smoke here in the house 
whenever you want."  Mom added "I can't beleive how grown up and 
adult-like you look.  We love you, honey."  "My only worry now," I said 
"is how Kathleen will respond.  I hope she understands as well as you 
have."  "You should call her, Dana, she's already home from college,too, 
and has called asking when you would arrive," Mom replied.  "Do you mind 
if I go see her tonight?" I asked.  "No, you two have a lot of catching 
up to do" Mom answered.							
									
	I called Kathleen right away and we agreed to go for a long 
drive that night.  I picked her up at her house and said "I've missed 
you, Kathleen, how's school?  Let's go cruising!"  We got in my old 
Firebird that we had spent so much time together in.  It was on its last 
legs but just fine for driving the streets and backroads around town.  
We put our handbags on the seat between us and took off.  After about 15 
minutes I said "Kath, will you open my handbag and get something for 
me?"  "Sure.  What is it?"  I didn't need to answer her as she just 
exclaimed "Dana! I would never have beleived it!  A Virginia Slims 120 
woman!  I'm so happy!  Here, let me light it for you too."  Kathleen 
took a lighter out of her purse and her own pack of Parliament 100's and 
lit both cigarettes, handing me my VS 120.  I nearly ran off the road, 
realizing that I had been watching for her reaction and became unaware 
of the driving for maybe 30 seconds.  "Kath, you too!  I was really 
afraid of what you would think, but now I'm just ecstatic!"  Kath 
replied "I was hoping that you might start too.  I love smoking.  I love 
my cigarettes!"  Needless to say, we got caught up on lots that night 
and smoked our cigarettes with great enjoyment as we cruised for the 
next 6 hours.  We traded cigarettes just to see how the other one felt 
smoking a best friends' cigarette of choice.  I love my cigarettes!

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