Dick Morrison only succumbs to one cigarette during his “treatment” and pays the price. This motivates him to quit smoking for good and he becomes part of the 98 percent success rate. How difficult is it to quit smoking? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 68 percent of smokers want to quit. Formal programs have a higher success rate for cessation of the habit compared to those who try to go it alone. People who complete a treatment program are successful 20 to 40 percent of the time while those who try to quit on their own are only successful in 3 to 5 percent of cases.6
Why is it so difficult to give up nicotine? Nicotine is considered to be just as addictive as heroin, cocaine, or alcohol. The body’s response to the drug is to release a kick of adrenaline. This stimulates several parts of the body including the brain which releases dopamine in the pleasure portion. Nicotine causes people to feel less stress, feel more relaxed, and experience a higher level of concentration. But not all the effects are positive. Nicotine causes an increase in blood clotting, the forming of plaque in artery walls, and changes in blood pressure.
The benefits of quitting smoking are immediate and robust. Those who quit have a lowered risk for lung cancer, a reduced risk for heart disease and stroke, and reduced respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.7 Within days people also report an increase in their sense of smell and taste. Regardless of your method for quitting smoking, it is recommended that you stop. But probably do your research on the company that you sign up with so you don’t end up like Dick Morrison!
SECTION TWO
The 1980s
CHAPTER SEVEN
Cujo
Stephen King knew he was an addict in 1975 and struggled with alcohol and other addictions over the next decade. Somehow, he was able to write the novel Cujo while in a complete blackout state. He doesn’t remember much about the writing process itself, but he does remember the inspiration. In 1977, he took his motorcycle to a mechanic who lived outside of Bridgton, Maine, as King described to be “in the middle of nowhere.”
I took the bike out there, and I just barely made it. And this huge Saint Bernard came out of the barn, growling. Then this guy came out and … I was retreating, and wishing that I was not on my motorcycle, when the guy said, “Don’t worry. He don’t bite.” And so I reached out to pet him, and the dog started to go for me. And the guy walked over and said, “Down Gonzo,” or whatever the dog’s name was and gave him this huge whack on the rump, and the dog yelped and sat down. The guy said, “Gonzo never done that before. I guess he don’t like your face.” And that became the central situation of the book, mixed with those old “movies of the week,” the made-for-television movies that they used to have on ABC. I thought to myself, what if you could have a situation that was an extension of one scene. It would be the ultimate TV movie. There would be one set, there would be one room. You’d never even have to change the camera angle. So, there was one very small place, and it became Donna’s Pinto—and everything just flowed from that situation—the big dog and the Pinto.1
The novel is written without chapters, akin to a stream-of-consciousness flow. “There’s one novel, Cujo, that I barely remember writing at all. I don’t say that with pride or shame, only with a vague sense of sorrow and loss. I like that book. I wish I could remember enjoying the good parts as I put them down on the page.”2 Some view the novel as one of King’s greatest metaphors for addiction. This beast is lurking, trying to kill us, and we may feel completely helpless against it.
There’s an estimated seventy-seven million dogs as pets in the United States.3
We see dogs as our domesticated best friends but they weren’t always viewed in this way. To understand more about how our perception of dogs evolved into what it is today we spoke with former science teacher (and Kelly’s dad) Robert Maki about the history of dogs.
Meg: “The theory of evolution of dogs begins with wolves becoming domesticated. Can you explain how this came about genetically?”
Robert Maki: “I believe a genetic mutation occurred in the past that led to a more passive wolf. This ‘friendlier’ wolf must have mated with other wolves with similar genetic traits. Watching a NOVA (1974-) special on PBS a while back, I believe they said that three genes are different with the wilder wolves and the friendlier wolves. The friendlier wolves eventually became domesticated dogs.”
Kelly: “Some scientists theorize that humans began domesticating dogs as far back as twenty thousand years ago while others claim that it is more recent than that. When do you believe this domestication occurred?”
Robert Maki: “I think the domestication took place more recently than twenty thousand years ago.”
Kelly: “Why do you think that?”
Robert Maki: “Lone wolves, not in a pack, came to campsites with a ‘friendly’ demeanor looking for food. The lone wolves met and bred with other lone wolves who had similar less aggressive characteristics. These wolves/dogs became helpers for tracking prey, warning of intruders, companions, and protection.”
Pure wolves are illegal to keep as a pet and are protected under endangered wildlife species regulation.4
Meg: “What are the theories about how dogs began to interact with early humans? What was their relationship like?”
Robert Maki: “I believe that early interaction started with food. A wolf probably smelled the cooking venison or rabbit and investigated what the smell was. When the wolf visits didn’t result in a dangerous situation, the wolves became less afraid. If early humans gave the wolves food, a bond was beginning.”
Meg: “Have you had dogs as pets in your life? What were some of your favorites?”
Robert Maki: “All my life I have been around dogs. My first dog was a female cocker spaniel named Cindy. I had her for many years. We slept together and played together. My sheets and blankets were usually full of chew holes.”
Meg: “I can relate to that! I’ve had more than a few blankets destroyed by one of my dogs.”
Robert Maki: “I was going to college when Cindy was hit by a car. I still remember burying her in the woods.”
Kelly: “That first pet death is the worst! It’s like losing a member of the family.”
Robert Maki: “I was heartbroken. Most of our dogs were given to us by people who couldn’t keep them or we found dogs who had been abandoned, or they found us! My favorite dog in my adult life was Huckleberry, a husky mix. He was very friendly and affectionate to me, although he sometimes scared other people. Every winter he would go cross-country skiing with me for hours at a time. We did everything together. In our pickup, he would sit next to me and put his chin on my shoulder. He was friendly to our cats and spent a lot of time grooming them.”
Kelly: “I loved that dog!”
Kelly: “I grew up knowing who Stephen King was because we watched The Shining together when I was in the first grade. When was the first time you remember reading a Stephen King book or watching one of his movie adaptations? What was that experience like?”