Page 409 - WhyAsInY

Chapter Twenty-Four
No Smoke, but Fire JANUARY 30, 1983 – MAY 7, 1985 Wherein the frame is broken.
On Pins and Needles
My first real wake-up call came in the spring of 1984, when, after more than twenty-five years of smoking, I unexpectedly and miraculously rid myself of the habit, a habit that I knew Phyllis hated. As I am particu- larly proud of that accomplishment, I will bore you with the details, which will perhaps provide a humorous interlude. But keep in mind that there is a much larger point here, one that bears on our marriage and its demise.
Early in May, Peter Nadel, a very heavy smoker, heavier even than I, announced to me that, for probably the umpteenth time, he wished to try to stop. He had tried smoke-enders, hypnosis, a cigarette substitute or two, and many other things, all to no avail. I too had tried a few times, but I can’t say that it was a continuing issue for me.
He had a new plan. Apparently, a doctor in Scarsdale had started using acupuncture as a method to rid patients of the habit, and Nadel explained that the doctor was virtually guaranteeing success (although Peter knew of no one who had had the treatment). Nadel would enlist the doctor’s services but only if I did it also, because common purpose
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