An Empty Pipe Saved His Life: How My Dad Quit Smoking

As a little girl, I hated long car trips in the station wagon with my parents. They would smoke cigarettes at the same time and only crack the window. It made it hard for me to breathe. They were wrapped up in their own stresses from the car trip, while I was preoccupied with my desire to avoid the heavy tobacco smoke. One of them smoking would have been a challenge for me, but both at the same time was too difficult.  The culture surrounding smokers was not as restrictive as it is today. Adults could smoke anywhere and anytime. Even though they were in the car, not in a classroom, my elementary school teacher’s health lesson on the dangers of smoking went round and round in my head like a vinyl record on continuous play. Finally, we stopped for gas at a gas station that had a general store filled with toys, trinkets, and souvenirs that would amaze any child. I was no different. My mom saw me cruising the aisles of the store and approached me putting her arm around my shoulder. “Choose one thing,” she said with a smile. I was their only child, so they often...