Heather: (Theo, Bill, Dad and Mother double dated during their courtship) Were you upset that Dad smoked?
Audrey: No, but I wasn’t crazy about it. He told me he didn’t want to smoke, but he needed to feel grown up. I remember saying to Dad when we walked by a 14-15 year old smoking, “When we have a son, he’ll have to smoke like that”. Good grief, can you believe that?
I remember when Dad came to the door, he had a cigarette in his hand and looked so grown up and wore a big heavy winter coat. His mother bought him clothes. Oh yes, she was working then and Dad was the only one home. She dressed Dad up in fine shape. Dad, he had everything real nice.
I tried to smoke so I would look grown up. It hurt my nose and I couldn’t do it. I’m surprised it didn’t hurt my throat. Maybe it did. I don’t remember. Anyway, I never got started. It hurt my nose and was awful. My mother was against it anyway.
Conversations, Courtship, Marriage, and Home Making, Life in Anthony (Coventry)