Story 86
Cigarette
I was walking while smoking.
It was my day off, and I was just coming back from a quick trip to the convenience store.
I often walked while smoking.
I never thought anything of it.
It seemed to be around the time when kids were coming home from school, and I passed by a lot of elementary school students.
A notification popped up on my phone, so I pulled it out of the back pocket of my pants.
It was a message from my wife: “Tonight’s dinner is curry, per Akira’s request.”
As I replied to the message, I took a drag from my cigarette and exhaled.
I was about to put my phone back in my pocket when, at the same time, I let the cigarette I was holding in my right hand leave my mouth and dropped my arm lazily.
Then, I collided with an elementary school student who wasn’t paying attention.
Immediately, I realized that the person I bumped into was my own first-grade son, Akira.
“Ah—sorry, Akira.”
I grabbed his shoulder, trying to pull him away from my body.
Then I noticed the cigarette I had been holding was gone.
The cigarette I had been holding had stuck straight into Akira’s eye.
