I used to regularly smoke 4-5 times in a day. I hated it a lot and wanted to quit. Destiny willed it too but by some other ways. I have been very punctual in all areas since my school days. My punctuality increases whenever it came to smoking. I had never squeezed answer out of my mind that smoking in the public area can impact society specially children.
Last winter, in January I was enjoying the cold weather with Chai and Pakora in my balcony. My sight got stuck on a little boy in my opposite flat. He was standing in his balcony and looking down on the commuters. He was all alone in there from past 15-20 minutes. His parents were busy watching the television. I guessed.
I was surprised to see him imitating all gestures and expressions of smoking a cigarette that too with style. He suspended a blue jacket on his small back with a little hold by his left hand. His right hand’s index and middle fingers were carrying an imaginary cigarette which goes till his mouth. He takes a puff, makes his lips round, looks upward and blows the smoke in the air. I could easily see the smoke from his mouth but in the form of mist. He did it 10-12 times.
I really wanted him to look at me so that I could tell him ‘’it is bad’. He did it and instantly stopped smoking rather stopped imitating. He dropped his imaginary cigarette. I looked into his eyes and saw the guilt. I avoided the guilt and asked politely.
“What’s your name”?
“Nikk….haaay”. He said.
“Sorry little boy. Louder please”. I requested.
“Nikshay”.
To make him comfortable I said “Nice name”.
“What’s your age”?
“Eight”. He said
I felt pity over him. He is so much impressed with smoking at such a small age.
“My God”. I beseeched.
“Which standard”
First. He said.
I imitated the impression of smoking too in front of him and screamed as loudly as I could. “It is bad”.
I knew however that these three words are not enough to make him realize that how bad smoking is?
So I decided to visit his house and meet his parents.
Next day, Monday evening, I shaved off well and pen down all the ill effects of smoking into my mind and stepped out of my flat. I felt like quit smoking consultant as heading towards his flat. I rang the bell. A lady in formal attire, wearing French twist opened the door and asked me “yes” in a shocked manner. It seemed she just came home from office.
I introduced myself and expressed my curiosities to meet Nikshay’s parents.
“I am his mother”. She said. She escorted me to the living room and went inside to call Nikshay’s father. I was desperately waiting for his father to meet.
“Hi Sushant. How are you”? His father came out asked in husky voice.
Six feet tall man, wearing French cut came out in bathrobe with cigarette in one hand, a liter and a pack of cigarettes on the other hand, appeared in front me. I understood the role model of Nikshay.
“I am good”. I said.
Nikshay’s parents sat in front of me on the black bulky couch. They looked surprised at my surprised visit at their home. I nicely told them the whole story. It took 15 minutes and 3 cigarettes for his dad to listen the story. He looked like a chain smoker.
His father smiled, stubbed out his last cigarette and my concerns too into the ashtray. I tried a lot to make him realize it could lead his son to a chain smoker or a regular smoker. I tried to convince him by the quote I believe in “A son is the reflection of his father” but all in vain. Imitating smoking was just an act for him. It was the start for Nikshay for me. His father was not at all ready to listen to me. It was okay and did not matter for him. I have done my work and came out of their flat like a defeated soldier. I prayed to God for taking care of Nikshay.
I was walking towards my flat. It takes 5 minutes from their flat to mine. I realized one thing which I could not in last 5 years. My child can do the same. My smoking habits can be inherited into my child. This very thought was strong enough to make me quit smoking and I did it.
Sushant Verma
P.S. The name in this story is not real and has been changed.
