Today I celebrate my 8th Year Quit Anniversary with a little playlet. Thank you to those who loved me enough and kept at me to be free. Especially my husband. Thank you to those who came before me and shone the light on “how to” by sharing their wisdom and example. Thank you to those with whom I currently walk the talk. Thank you to those who come after me and keep your quits safe. Freedom is incredible! Fight for it! ♥ Giulia
*************************** THE QUIT DIALOGUES ************************
DIALOGUE OF A RELAPSER
LITTLE VOICE: Hey.
SMOKER: Oh go away.
LITTLE VOICE: I’m here.
SMOKER: I know you’re here. Just go away.
LITTLE VOICE: Hey.
SMOKER: Stop it.
LITTLE VOICE: Having your fist cup....
SMOKER: Yup.
LITTLE VOICE: Hmmm. Sure would be nice.
SMOKER: Would you be quiet.
LITTLE VOICE: Used to taste so good. Especially with a cup of coffee.
SMOKER: Shut up.
LITTLE VOICE: Remember?
SMOKER: Yes I remember. Leave me alone!
LITTLE VOICE: You could go to the store right now.
SMOKER: Yeah, I could.
LITTLE VOICE: You wouldn’t have to smoke the whole pack.
SMOKER: True.
LITTLE VOICE: You could smoke just one.
SMOKER: No, I can’t smoke just one.
LITTLE VOICE: Yes you can. Sure you can. It’s only ONE.
SMOKER: Nooooo.
LITTLE VOICE: Yessssss
SMOKER: No. I mean. I want one, but one will lead to more.
LITTLE VOICE: Nah. Are you kidding? You’ve got a great quit going here. Ah go ahead. Just smoke one. It’ll relieve your stress.
SMOKER: No. Well...maybe. Yeah, maybe.
LITTLE VOICE: Sure. No ‘maybe’ about it. It’s only one, after all.
SMOKER: Yeah. Well, that’s true. It’ll only be one. I can throw the rest or the pack out after that.
LITTLE VOICE: Yeah. Just go buy a pack.
SMOKER: But....no. If I buy a pack I’ll lose my quit.
LITTLE VOICE: So what? You’ll just lose it for that one cigarette. Then you can go back to being a non-smoker. You won’t even have to re-set your quit clock. It’s only one after all. You need it. It’ll calm you down. Make you feel a whole lot better. Really. You NEED it.
SMOKER: Yeah. That’s true. It WILL make me feel a whole lot better. I DO need it. I’ll just have that one and then put them away.
LITTLE VOICE: Sure.
The scene ends as the Smoker goes to the store and buys a pack of cigarettes. They smoke for the next 3 years before trying again.
DIALOGUE OF A QUITTER
QUITTER: Boy, I’d like cigarette right now. Sure would taste good.
LITTLE VOICE: Yup.
QUITTER: (sighs)
LITTLE VOICE: You could.
QUITTER: Yeah, but.... (Quitter shakes head.)
LITTLE VOICE: But what?
QUITTER: But...I can’t. I mustn’t. I won’t.
LITTLE VOICE: Why not?
QUITTER: Because....
LITTLE VOICE: Because.... ?
QUITTER: Because I’ve been free for so long.
LITTLE VOICE: Yeah, but at what cost?
QUITTER: It’s better to be free.
LITTLE VOICE: Is it?
QUITTER: Yes. Because...I’m healthy. And I can get up in the morning without phlegm in my throat, and I... (doesn't finish sentence )
LITTLE VOICE: You what?
QUITTER: I... (trying to think of all the benefits of quitting while fighting the desire to smoke) my vocal range is greater than it was. I can sing again.
LITTLE VOICE: Where? In the shower?
QUITTER: I don’t feel like a slave any more. I don’t think about cigarettes every day.
LITTLE VOICE: Don’t you?
QUITTER: NO. Only once in a while.
LITTLE VOICE: That once in a while is pretty intense though, isn’t it?
QUITTER: Well...yeah-
LITTLE VOICE: Which means - what? That you still want one?
QUITTER: Yeah...but... I don’t smoke any more.
LITTLE VOICE: But you still want one.
QUITTER: (sighs) Yeah.
LITTLE VOICE: So?
QUITTER: SO? So that doesn’t mean I have to fulfill that need.
LITTLE VOICE: True. You can go on fighting the desire....Forever. (smiles slyly here)
QUITTER: Yes. I must deny you - always. I must keep my guard up
LITTLE VOICE: But I’m stronger than you. Because I can keep this up FOREVER. Can you?
QUITTER: Yes. Yes, I can.
LITTLE VOICE: We’ll see.
(Quitter doesn’t give in and continues to remain smoke free. Much time elapses.)
DIALOGUE OF AN EX SMOKER
EX SMOKER: Gee, it’d be nice to have a cigarette just now.
LITTLE VOICE: Sure would. Yup. So?
EX SMOKER: So? It’d be nice to have one right now. In my imagination. In reality it would make me dizzy and nauseus.
LITTLE VOICE: Yeah. Unless you took a drag real gently, along with a lot of air.
EX SMOKER: True.
LITTLE VOICE: And?
EX SMOKER: Oh just go away.
LITTLE VOICE: Nope
EX SMOKER: You’re such a pain in the butt!
LITTLE VOICE: (smiles) I know.
EX SMOKER: I’m free. So I want one now and again. Doesn’t mean I have to act on that desire.
LITTLE VOICE: True. But I’m still here, aren’t I?
EX SMOKER: (grins) You BUGGER!
LITTLE VOICE: (laughs)
EX SMOKER: (laughs also. These two know each other very well by this time.) I accept you’re gonna be around now and again, my friend. I’m glad we no longer have to fight. I’m off. So long.
LITTLE VOICE: Catch ya later.
EX SMOKER goes on about their day with not another thought on LITTLE VOICE. It will happily be a long time before they see each other again.
