my first cigarette

Last night was my stepsister's birthday party, I had to work so I didn't go, aside from the fact that I didn't even know it was happening, I am sorry I missed it though. But I think I had enough fun that evening anyway. I wasn't in a good mood when my parent picked me up though, for some reason people only want to rent videos five minutes before closing so I ended up staying for about fifteen minutes longer than I wanted to. I know that doesn't seem that bad but I had already run out of cigarettes the night before and I don't get paid until monday so I just wanted to go home and sleep so I wouldn't have to think about the next three days I'd have to go without. We had to stop at the gas station to get my mom cigarettes, she needed to stock up (something I should probably consider doing myself), while she was in the store I mentioned to my dad that she owed me two packs, as I had bought them for her a few weeks ago. Of course, since she doesn't know that I smoke I certainly can't remind her of that so I said to him that I'd just have to go without for the next four days. And it was at that precise moment that my mother got to the car.

"Without what for four days?"

"Soda", I said immediately, "I haven't had one for four days, aren't you proud?" This was pretty much true, give or take a day or three.

"Oh, yeah."

"I'm just sticking to water now, even though I don't really like this water," I held up my menehune water bottle, the only kind they sell at work, "it tastes like plastic."

"Give me a drink of that," she took a swig, "I can't taste anything." She lit her cigarette and held it up, "You should have one of these, you won't taste anything either."

My dad lets out a stifled laugh, "yeah," I say, "give me one of those and maybe I'll drink more water"

"No, you don't want one while your in the car, you'll be so sick. You probably won't eat for weeks."

"I don't think so," my dad says and we both burst out laughing.

"Oh no," she insists, "you'll be all sick and your head will be spinning, you won't want to eat anything. You'll probably lose weight."

"Hmmm, well maybe I should try one."

"No, then Dan'll have to be running to the store to get you cigarettes all the time."

My dad just can't seem to stop laughing and this point and I'm sitting there behind him, covering my face with one hand and slapping his shoulder with the other. My mother just doesn't seem to realize that she is in the middle of one big private joke.

I was really hoping she'd give me one, just so I could cough and act all sick, like a test of my skills, unfortunately by the time we got home the matter was forgotten. Just something else for me and my dad to laugh about when she's not in the room.