Walking Tall

It all started in the college hostel, watching girls smoking cigarettes, hidden in toilets. They kept insisting I join them, so one day out of curiosity I took one long puff and coughed like my guts would come out. The next day took two puffs and this went on till I was smoking a cigarette a day, feeling so good and adult. And all this without the knowledge of my parents.  

When home during vacations, the urge to smoke made me irritable and at times I'd sneak out and quickly take a few puffs under the banyan tree, away from curious eyes. I carried mint lozenges to kill the smoke smell in my mouth. And sprayed deodorant on my clothes. That way, I managed to fool my parents for a very long time.

When I got married, I confessed about my habit of smoking. He didn't mind at all though he was a non-smoker. But the ax fell when I got pregnant and I had to confide to the doctor. He categorically said I had to quit immediately as smoking was not only injurious for me but also my unborn child. It was then I made a resolution, never again to pick up a cigarette. And I stuck to it.