I thought it
was going to be just another typical Friday afternoon at The Peak in Gaisano
Mall when I had my after lunch smoke. The weather was neither inviting nor
conducive for smoking, but I smoked anyway because a day without nicotine is
definitely not going to end well—at least that’s how I see it. So, I consumed
my first stick like it’s my favorite chocolate bar I immediately lit up another
one. As I was having my first puff from that second stick, I saw two teenage
boys in school uniform (probably High School students) tapping their cigarette sticks
on their thumbnail while approaching to the smoking area. They exchanged a few
more sentences before one of the boys walked towards this short,
oriental-looking guy standing on my left to ask for a light. What happened next
was interesting. I heard the guy asked a question to the boy, said a few words then
threw his cigarette butt to the trash can beside me and left. At the corner of
my eye, I saw the boy stopped tapping, his right hand with the cigarette hanging
midair, looking at his left and right, possibly checking who witnessed that
conversation and at the same time, who to ask for a light next. Here’s what I think
he told the boy. “You’re still a student right? Sorry but I won’t light your cigarette.”
While he was
walking farther away, I was staring at him like he’s some superhero. At the
same time, I felt this certain shame for the boy for having been rejected, and
for myself, for tolerating some students to smoke by giving them a light previously.
I hurriedly threw my unconsumed stick, in fear that he might go to me for a light
and commit that sin for tolerating them to have this vice like I do, and walked
away as fast as I could. This is what’s
going on in my head as I was leaving the smoking area: sure, we cannot tolerate
students, particularly High School students to smoke especially if they are
wearing their school uniform. But on the other side, as I keep telling friends,
especially my non-smoking friends, smoking is a decision. And as long as you
finance your own vice, and can still afford to eat three times a day despite
having that vice, then I do not see any problem with that. Besides, I further
defended myself, those students that I lent my lighter are in college. They are
old enough to choose to smoke cigarettes and drink booze. Unlike with High
School students, most of them smoke out of fad or peer pressure.
So what will
I do if I run into this situation again? I mean this time, I'm the one who is being asked for a light. Will I have the guts—or the heart to
do the same thing as the guy did? These teens can also defend
themselves by saying, “if you think smoking is bad, then why do you still
smoke? You are also not setting a good example.” Honestly, I still do not know
what to do. Whether if I have the heart to say no, or if I will be cheerful
giving them a light. I just hope that no students will ask me for a light in
the near future!
Sure, the
ultimate solution here is to quit smoking. But that’s not what smokers (me
included) want to hear. We quit at our own pace, at our own time. But if I am
to impart a word or two to budding smokers out there, here’s what I’ve
got to say: Don’t start too early. And make sure you finance your own vice!
