Meeting the English girls (Revisiting England)

Near Brighton, overlooking my hotel room was there a big park with running treks, tennis courts, surrounded by tall trees and beautiful flowerbeds. We often went to the park for morning walks. One summer morning, it was pleasant and sunny as coming out of the park, I noticed two young English girls sitting on sidewalk smoking cigarettes.

“How old are you girls?” 13 and 14 and smoking in this early morning school hours!

“You are so beautiful, young and still 50-60 years to live. You can be scientists, doctors, engineers, space-travelers, and flyers. Smoking can harm you, damage your lungs, can lead to cancer. You know”, I addressed them affectionately. The 14-year one indignantly blew a huge smoke- ball into my face and laughed.

“Well, well, you see, now you made me a Passive Smoker. I am not smoking, but you innocently harmed innocent citizens.”

The 13 year one, “but my Mom never says anything to Me.” said pleadingly.

Was she complaining lack of parental attention? Or else she comes from a single parent or broken family – I could not be sure.

“But you can think! Why should you smoke that causes cancer and harms your health.” “Oh, we would give up, ” ending the argument said the 13 year.

“Give up now” I insisted, and moved on to join up with my wife Nimmi who had gone ahead in disgust that I was flirting with young girls.

Hardly gone a few yards that we heard a shout in unison: “Thank you”. “Thank you”.

Not sure if I acted politically and socially correct, I narrated the incident to an English professor. “ Oh, no, you don’t do such things. They could have attacked you with knife.

Or you could have been accused molesting young girls. No one would believe you against the words of young English girls…One should not take such risks…” I was strongly advised against the teen-age crimes on the rise in Britain.

I met another young girl - granddaughter of an old friend of my student years in the BBC. I asked her if I did the right thing.

“Yes, you did the right...” concurred my young friend Ms. Shani, the 13.