CIGARETTE SMOKE

 Both our parents smoked Chesterfield cigarettes without filters.    There was second smoke all throughout the house and us kids were used to it.   At times my mother would have two cigarettes going at the same  time, not knowing where she had left the last one during her busy day raising six kids.   I can remember her saying to herself, "where did I leaved that cigarette," and proceed to light up a new on.    Three out four of my grandparents smoked and many other people of that generation.    Ash trays were common throughout most homes and it is amazing more of these homes did not burn down from cigarettes falling on the floor or smoking in bed.

At the age of 11 or 12, I had to try it for myself.   It was easy to take a cigarette from one of my mom's packs and slip out the back door and light it up.   I took a few puffs, not inhaling and don't remember getting much excitement about it.   Later in life I tried some cigars and even a pipe, but the next morning the sore throat put an end to it.   Only one of us kids, a sister became a full-time smoker, guess she did not get enough of that second hand smoke in her younger days.