13. The First Time Smoke Going to church each Sunday was a weekly event for the Doucette family. For the most part, the family would go together; but as Alphy got older he sometimes would walk home with his friends after the service was over, rather than come home with the rest of the family. Alphy remembers walking home from church with his friend, Patrick. As they were walking, Patrick commented, "I have something to show you." The boys stopped walking as they talked. Alphy was curious to see what his friend was talking about. Patrick fumbled in his pockets and pulled out a smoke pipe. He asked Alphy if he had ever smoked before. Alphy replied that he hadn't. Patrick replied, "Well, you're about to." He reached in his trouser pockets and then handed Alphy some matches. They lit the pipe, but there was very little tobacco in it and it soon burned out. The boys wondered where they would get more tobacco. Alphy asked Patrick if he could return home to get some. Patrick responded that would never do, because then he might get caught; his father didn't know that he even had the pipe. Alphy and Patrick decided that they might be able to substitute the tobacco with dry leaves and grass. They stuffed the leaves and grass in the pipe and lit it. It took a bit longer to light than when it had the tobacco, and it smelled awful, but they smoked it anyway. Before they had reached the DeBlois Road Alphy felt nauseated. He looked at at his friend - he didn't look so well. Patrick's face was almost green in colour - he was sick. Alphy felt his stomach churning; he went in the ditch and vomited. This smoking business wasn't much fun after all. It would be several years before Alphy would attempt to smoke again. 30