Smoking at 10

I’ll meet you at the little league park

okay

how about we walk together?

we lived a couple of blocks from each other

and usually went through the hedge anyway

okay but Ill meet you at market

the wilshire market next to the fremont pharmacy

a few blocks from our houses

and on the way to the little league park

separated by a fence in the outfield from the cemetery

graves watched the centerfielders

we got there about the same time

did you get some?

yes I got a whole pack

good

we started up Fremont street 10 blocks

and half-mile journey

half way he said I didn't get any matches

we can stop at the Beaumont Grocery

you can go in …

tell them the matches are for your mom

are you sure? yes!,  with a shove towards the door…

I went in and wandered around until I found kitchens matches

wooden stick strike anywhere

small boxes two-cents each

I had a nickle

I bought two and got a penny back

they never asked me anything…..

five more blocks

and we were at the ballpark

no locked gates in those days

the season was over

the infield grass need cutting

we headed to the home team dugout

no one could see us in there

but there wasn't anyone anyway

the season was over

summer was over

and school was just starting up again

we sat on the bench

where three years earlier  

I had my first encounter with betrayal

and public humiliation

but not without much energy at the  moment

because  I was going to smoke cigs…

to break a rule

to do what the adults did

and not get caught

and in the fourth grade

camels a whole pack

what his dad smoked

won't he miss them?

no he buys em by the cartoon

ten at a time

he carefully unwound the the little red stripe of celophane

and ripped open the tin foil

exposing little brown faces in white jackets

looking up at us

he picked one out

with his thumb and forefinger

handed it to me and said

here you first, you have the matches

I took the little box of matches

out of my pocket

pushed out the inner box

took out a strike anywhere match

and scratched it on the bench

at first I held the cigarette

between my fingers

and struck the match on the bench

and held the flame to the end of the cigarette

it was my first time

he laughed

no you have to put it in your mouth

and suck on it when you're holding the match in front

I dropped the first match in the dirt

it started to burn my fingers

put the cigarette between my lips

and lit another match

holding it close to the end of the cig

then started sucking

then started coughing

then burned my fingers

and handed him the camel

boy this is great !!