Adam Smith - Part 6

It was three months that Tom had been around sitting on the couch and drinking beer. Adam saw him with his mother and as she smiled he smiled.

Walking down the street from school his bookbag bounced with each step creating a rhythm on his backside. He found a quarter laying on the sidewalk and took the long way home to pass the MiniMart so he could buy some candy. Walking up and down the aisle he passed all the standards, Snickers, 100Grand, Lemonheads, Gobstoppers, Wrigleys, Big League Chew. Then he saw them, stacked in a box and wrapped in celephane. He picked up the box that said Victory with a hand holding up a torch. As he walked up to the cashier he rapped the box on the heel of his hand as he had seen Tom do with each new pack. His box was of course filled with bubble gum and not tobacco.

Belle and Sebastian was on the television and as he watched the big eyed boy and his white dog on their adventures he pulled out a bubble gum cigarette. Putting it up to his lips he blew through the wrapper, and saw with amazement "smoke" billow from the end. The powder coating on the gum gave the illusion of smoke and as he blew out again Tom walked through the back door letting the screen slam behind him.

"What are you doing? Are those cigarettes?" he bellowed. The words seemed to ride on the spittle that flew from his lips. With two strides he was on Adam and grabbed the pack of bubble gum, smashing it with his fist. With his other hand he plucked the stick from Adam's mouth and snapped it in half.

"But...it's only gum," Adam wimpered.

"I don't care what it is, it looks like cigarettes to me. You are eight years old and if I ever see you smoking or pretending to smoke you will be eating tobacco for a week. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"Go to your room. I don't want to see you until tomorrow."

Adam shuffled, dragging his bookbag along the worn carpet. He only glanced back once to see his favorite cartoon flicker and change to a baseball game.