"Thank you for Smoking."

A story of a little blind girl.

“Evey, honey, its time to wake up!” Evey heard her mother's voice echo through her head as she opened her eyes to a new day of bright life and hope. Evey turned her head to set her eyes outside the window, traveling her to the distant song of the mockingbirds that perched outside her window, chippering their tiny hearts away. Evey recalled the smooth-night's-sleep she had, thanks to the charming melody of the dancing frogs.  

“Yes, mum.” Evey yelled back feeling her way out of bed, stumbling clumsily on to her cold stone floor. It was spring in the hills of England, but up North where Evey lived spring was merely a white lie.          

Evey felt her feet slide across the floor, finding their warm home in her soft slippers as she felt for the door handle, opening her room to the small two story brick house of her small life. She felt her hand slide over the smooth, painted railing as she walked her way to the stairs feeling for the nice arm of the stair-rail to guide her way down to the bottom floor, filled with books, food, and sounds. Evey remembered when her parents offered to get her a lift, but she declined, liking the feeling of moving legs and smooth wooded arms.          

“What's for breakfast mum?” Evey yelled through the echoing, small, stone house as she walked her way down the wooden staircase, feeling the warm heat of the kitchen oven.          

“Bread and beans. Come on dear, you don’t want your food cold, now do you? “         “No,” Evey said stepping off of the wooden staircase, “Thank you Joe, for another fine walk.” Evey said turning, bowing, feeling her short curly blond hair bounce on her scalp, to the gracious staircase that helped her every morning and night.         

“Ah, there's my little angel! Have a good night?” Evey’s mums voice carried through the smooth kitchen interior as she laid her soft hand on her shoulder, guiding her to her seat, releasing Evey from the necessity of the kitchen wall.          

“Yes, thank you! How about you?” Evey said remembering her smooth manners, taught to her on those smooth, summer days outside by what she called the patio tree, the tree that looked out into the rounded sea of the plains of northern England to the drowning sea of the cold night woods that held so many alive. The patio tree had roots shooting every which way and due to erosion, which Evey learned in school, the roots had smoothed and created almost a deck that you could jump off, into the swallowing river of the grass plains outside her back door.          

Evey slid her hand over the smooth, wooden, oak table, feeling her fingers run over the cold metal of the silverware as she picked them up clumsily, finding their mark in the warm food. Evey concentrated very hard as she lifted her fork upwards. On the spears on the fork caught a nice sliver of eggs her mum pre-cut for her. Evey was determined to get it straight into the gaping cave of her hungry mouth as she slowly edged the fork forward. She felt the cool metal warm as it touched her wet tongue, exploding her mind with the sauces, smells, and taste of the warm eggs, nicely cooked with beans. Evey swallowed happily, taking in her first un-messy bite of the day.          

“Wonderful job, Evey! If you keep this up, we will go to town tonight and you can get a new book.” Evey smiled, chewing her triumphant bite, thinking of the wonders that a new book would bring, the swallowing seas, mystic forests, and forgotten times filled her head, keeping her wondering about life until the soft blanket of nightfall carried her away.          

“Where is Papi?” Evey asked, turning her head, shooting her ears and nose this way and that for her father’s familiar scent and sound.          

“He is outside.  You can go to him once you finish your grub, ok?”          

“Ok.” She said warming her face with another turning smile. 

Evey felt her stomach tighten as it filled with the delicious warmth of the eggs and beans, as she didn’t miss once, entering her gaping cave, insuring her a new world to fall into tonight.          

“Very, very good, Evey!  Now, when you go to sleep tonight, be sure to thank Louis Braille when you pray.”         

“Of course, mum! I wont forget.”          

“Now, go outside. Your father is waiting for you.”          

“Ok.” Evey said, jumping off her chair and grabbing hold of the smooth, wooden table, finding her way to its edge before letting off, sailing her way forward to the twin back doors that opened wildly to the green sea of nature.          

“Papi, Papi!” Evey said, turning her head, wondering in the smooth grass forward and into the waving sea. “Papi, where are you?” Evey said louder as the wind ran its way across her face, carrying the harsh smell of tobacco. Evey turned to the running smell, smiling widely. “Papi!” Evey yelled is a soft child’s voice, running forward, following the river of sense washing through her nose.          

“Here I am Evey.” Evey’s dad said, echoing his voice through her head as he bent down on a knee, spreading his arms for his child's embrace. “Here I am Evey!” He yelled again in a soft parental tone.          

“Papi!” Evey yelled in joy as she fell into her father's arms. She embraced his familiar smell and feel that she hadn’t felt for a month while he was gone serving his country, his people. “I missed you so much Papi!”         

“Oh, I missed you Evey! Want to know a secret? “         

“Yes.” Evey said, turning her face upwards to the soothing voice.          

“I love you and I like you!” Evey’s father said, tapping her soft nose with his right pointer finger.          

“Well I already knew that one.” Evey said, smiling brighter. “Want to know another secret?” Evey said, smiling more.          

“Of course I do!” Her father exclaimed, smiling so wildly he felt his cheeks would break.          

“I love you and I like you”, Evey said running her hand over his unshaven face.          “Well, I already knew that one,” Evey’s father said, hugging her tightly, never wanting to let go. “I have a present for you,” Evey’s father said, handing her a rapped package.          

“Oh, what is it?” Evey said exited.          

“If I told you that, it wouldn’t be as exciting,” Evey’s father said looking up as his wife walked outside, her arms crossed, leaning against the doors' edge, smiling wildly at her two loves.          

“Oh its a sweater! Thank you Papi!” Evey exploded with joy as she felt her hand run through the tightly knitted yarn, filled with exuberant colors, filling the air with joy.        

“Papi, one question,” Evey said, lifting her head from hugging her father tightly.          “Yes, any thing!”          

“Why do you smell like you do? “         

“Well, it's because I smoke, it's not good for you, yet I do it”. Evey’s father explained, tilting his head backwards to the swallowing blue sky. Evey breathed in his harsh smell that dotted her lungs but filled her with more joy than anything. Evey tilted her head upwards feeling the sun's light against her face while wondering what it looked like. Evey dropped her head back down to her father's, smiling widely.          

“Papi, Thank you for smoking.”