The Smoking Monkey

I was talking with my good friend ChicagoCherie today. We were doing some reminiscing of the past. Specifically, we were talking about things we used to do when we were very little. I can remember my first family vacation. I was about 3. Yes it's true, I do remember. We were leaving home and all I could say was, "I want to go home, I want to go home." I have two older brothers, and when I started carrying on in the back seat, they both looked at me like I was nuts. They were both very afraid that I would convince Mom and Dad to turn around. So they employed the bribery tactic. At the first rest stop, they pulled their money together and bought something to get my attention and distract me from my "I want to go home" antics. My friends I give you the ultimate distraction for a three year old.....

The Smoking Monkey!!!!

Taaaaaaaaa Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!

This baby is guaranteed to amaze the mind of a child. I'm not sure why, but it seems there's just something hypnotic about a small monkey burning one, lighting up, taking a deep drag. Not sure why but it totally worked on me. It could have also been the cheap, aromatic cigarettes it came with that smelled of bad Buddhist incense overpowered my 3 year old underdeveloped lungs and made me loopy. Maybe they were early attempts at aroma therapy for kids?

Sure the PETA people would find this offensive and would most likely pie me in protest; the American Lung Association would not allow kids to play with such a carcinogen based toy today, but I really think for its time, circa 1972, it was a good, wholesome kids diversion. Think about it, everyone who was someone lit up back then. Why not timid jungle creatures? They have stressful lives too ya know.