Book Entry 196: 1989 Dad's Smoking Confession

          There is nothing funny about a heart attack!  However, something really interesting came to light when the doctor was talking to my dad about changing his lifestyle the day after his heart attack. 

          When I arrived at the hospital to see dad the doctor met me in the hall.  He said dad had promised to quit smoking.  “Quit smoking,” I questioned, “but my dad doesn’t smoke!”  The doctor said dad had confessed to smoking one cigarette every morning at 10 o’clock.  He said he’d go sit out in the barn where no one could see him.  He'd been doing it for  more than 30 years.  I was utterly shocked!  I had no idea!  Mom had no idea!  Not one person knew his big secret! 

          The thing that made this so shocking was anytime we were around people smoking whether it be in a restaurant, a ball game, or at my grandparents house, when we left he would rant and rave about how one or two people would stink up the air for everyone and not think anything about it.  I guess he thought hiding when he did it and then chewing gum to hide the smell made it ok....not to mention he thought it was bad enough to do that it was a good thing to hide from all of us!

         Now I know why he always had Doublemint gum in his pocket and he would always tear me half a piece keeping half a piece for himself, I suppose just in case 10 o'clock hadn't come around that day yet.

          Having a heart attack really scared dad.  He would have confessed anything to help the doctor make him healthy again.  He had kept the secret well but finally “spilled the beans” to the doctor!  He never said another word about anybody smoking anywhere!  He knew better than to open that subject for discussion!