How I Helped My Father to Quit Smoking and Begin Travel

My father used to be addicted to smoking a couple of years ago. He tried to quit it many times, but maybe he failed because he was not determined to accomplish the task. However, mom had already warned him that he was caught smoking, at home or outside, she would not let him stay inside the house for the night. She was definitely a strict woman.

Now here is the catch. My father works from home, at night mind you, and he took immense benefit of his job timings. He would often go in the balcony, have a fag, and come back to his desk after he was done with his cigarette. I had seen him a couple of times smoking around three in the morning, but never dared to complain about him to mom. I knew that dad would have to sleep outside, maybe on the street, just because he dared to break a rule in the house.

Poor dad!

Then again, I also wanted to stop him from harming his health. And I got this chance one day. Last year, I was searching for a document in my room, but I could not find it. I thought it might be there in my parent’s room, so I went there. I lifted the bedding a little to search for that little piece of paper, which was my iPhone bill. I had to get my phone repaired, which was under warranty. Who would want to pay a hefty amount for a bit of service on the iPhone?

As I lifted the mattress, I found a huge pack of cigarettes very well hidden in one corner of the bed. Now I had one chance to make dad leave cigarette, at least for a night. And I would get a chance to use the non-smoky bathroom at least that day. I pocketed the packet, went out of home on the pretext of meeting a friend, and dumped the cigarettes in a public dustbin. I know my dad, he would have found them in the house, no matter where I hid them.

Now dad was frantically searching for something that night, but he could not say it to me. When I asked him what he was looking for, he said that he was looking for some crucial documents. I suggested him to look in the cupboard rather than under the bedding. He knew my wicked mind, but he did not say anything. He worked for the night with a sad face, and this went on for a month before he confronted me.

I told him that I had been throwing out the cigarettes every time he hid them in various places.

Dad: Why did you do that? I smoke only once a day.

Me: Dad, even if it is one fag a day, it is harmful for you. You need to stop it.

Dad: I am trying.

Me: You are not trying dad; you are fooling yourself and us.

He looked away and tried to find what to say next.

Dad: Okay, what do you want?

Me: You have been already off the cigarettes for more than a month now. I want you to give your daily expense of cigarettes to me. I will save it.

Dad: Ahaan! That’s an interesting suggestion. And what do you plan to do with that money?

Me: We will go for a trip with those huge savings.

Initially, he smiled at my suggestion, but gave in later. I booked a car hire in Bangalore for our trip to Coorg, and hence made it a norm in the house to save money from his cigarettes’ expense and travel.