Close the smoking rooms

The smoking rooms at the Atlanta airport should be shuttered, fumigated with Febreze and turned into fruit smoothie stands.

I was flying to Louisiana through Atlanta yesterday, on my way to a funeral.

A recipe for smoking if I ever heard one.

As I have already complained about earlier in this blog, I do not fly well.

So I have a one-connection flight to contend with, not to mention a death in my wife's family.

So I get off the first flight, and head to my connecting gate, at B23.

Then, from somewhere on my right side, I hear the hiss of the sliding door, the roar of the fan from inside the room.

Sallow travellers walking in and out, their faces wrinkled.

The smoking room. Fast becoming extinct in airports around North America.

Like a moth to light, I move closer, wondering if I could have just one cigarette.

With one flight down and one more to go, my nerves were frayed. Just one to take the edge off. I wouldn't buy a pack. I could just bum one off one of the good folks in the smoking room.

I walked up to the precipice then backed away, and moved closer to my gate, probably muttering to myself.

I walked back.

And forth.

And back.

I must have walked past the smoking room eight times, mulling what I should do.

Somehow I talked myself out of walking in that room.

Comments

[Camille]

Good Man,

I'm proud of you. Hang in there.

[K]

Hi David--just wanted to say how much I have enjoyed reading your blog---I quit after 25 years of smoking (and yes I LOVED IT)...but I am almost 2 years now, and it is worth it....it took me at least 20 tries but I am now done with it and that feels very good---despite my 25 extra pounds! Get used to your jowls...it could be worse! Keep the faith!

[Kate]

Hey, if you went into that room, you would probably be feeling fairly ill after only a minute or so.

Besides, at this point you're not addicted to nicotine anymore, so the cigarette isn't doing anything for you, it can't relieve withdrawal pangs because there aren't any, and it will taste horrible and make you nauseous.

Now...and believe me I get where you're at...all your contending with is this big phony need for smokes that is entirely in your mind.

I think when you're depriving yourself of cigarettes, they become the most delightful, delicious thing in the world in your head - really, they aren't. They're pretty disgusting actually.

You weren't happy when you smoked. I know you look back now and it seems like you were...but to quote YOU in your first blog, I believe you said something like "I'll try anything short of meth or murder to quit." Does that sound like a happy smoker?

Still with you, closing in on 2 month mark next Tuesday!

[jenne macleod]

HEY, GOOD FOR YOU MAN. I HAVE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH THIS VICIOUS SENSLESS CYCLE FOR YEARS, KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK, I MAY HAVE ONE MORE TRY IN ME YET, WHO WANTS TO GO DOWN IN A PILE OF OLD GREY SMOKE, NOT ME, BE AN INSPRIATION FOR THE REST OF THE NATION. YOU GO MAN. JENNE MACLEOD

[Kyla]

Good man David. What a temptation. It would've been so easy to give yourself permission and it would've been a slippery slope back to smoking. It takes a lot of strength and conviction to do what you did.

Keep it up. You've got lots of people rooting for you :)

[sanchari]

wow..this is why i never started smoking in the first place! but yea i see how my dad has trouble quitting..so well..just wow. don't give up!

[Hamid]

That takes some self-control right there. Looking at other people smoking and still not giving in is definitely a huge step. Good work.

[Hawk]

So quit already. Why do you need people to know you're quitting or the support of people you'll never meet?

Six months ago, smoking three (3) packs a day and smoking for close to 20 years I tossed my half full pack across the room and never smoked another. If I can do it anyone can.

Don't whine, quit. It's easy.

[Drexler]

YOU'RE MY HERO!

-Drexler