Now let me just say, I was raised Catholic, but I don't currently identify with any particular religion or faith ... but that being said I think faith is a good thing. I feel rather unlucky that I'm lacking it. I'm always happy enough to hear what people have to say when they come to the door, no matter what kind of bible they're toting; though he only get Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses here. I don't usually talk long, not because I disagree with them or dislike them, but because I know a lot about it already. My Mother's a Jehovah's Witness.
But, I digress. They handed me a pamphlet, I thanked them, and they commented on what a nice day it was; then one of them looked down at the cigarette butts on my lawn. I usually keep it tidy, but my brother-in-law visited last night and we all sort of got a bit out of control on our front step.
She had this look of utter disgust on her face, looked right at me and said, 'You've been sitting out in the sun all morning, have you?' - her tone positively dripping with sarcasm.
I stared at her, then said, 'What?' I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to be rude in case I was imagining things ... but honestly, there was no mistaking it. By the time they left, I really wished I'd said something.
It was a classic case of: it's not what she said, it was how she said it. She was looking at me like I was something she'd just scraped off the bottom of her shoe. They didn't say anything else, just walked away, shaking their heads.
Now I don't mind not smoking in any place that has a no smoking sign. I get a bit tiffed when people do that 'pointed cough' when you're smoking in a place where you're allowed to smoke. Hell, smoking is banned inside my house, and that was my decision. I have to always tell my Dad to fuck off outside with it when he visits. But now I'm being looked at like I'm dirty for smoking in my own front yard? You have to be fucking kidding me.
Anyway after this little encounter, I (for some stupid reason) posted about it on Facebook. I got a comment from a guy I went to school with, who I forgot was on my list because he never talks to me or updates his status, asking me why I would want to smoke anyway.
Um, excuse me?
The thing that annoys me, is that I'm doing plenty of things that could potentially kill me. My diet's shit, and I might as well get an IV drip and inject the caffeine directly into my veins to save time. I know all this. I know all my vices and shortcomings - without anyone pointing them out to me.
But it's funny, no one does point them out to me; at least, not until smoking comes into it.
Why is it okay for you to look me in the eye and say, 'You are going to die and leave your kids alone'? What a fucking horrible thing to say. Why can't I just say right back, 'Look at all the fatty food you eat, you know you're going to have a heart attack at 40 and leave your kids all alone (not to mention all the shit you feed them)'?*
The hypocrisy makes my brain explode.
And speaking of; what about all the people on Facebook who post photos of themselves drinking every single weekend. Is that healthy? No one says anything to them about it and neither do I ... and you know why? Because it's none of my fucking business what they put in their bodies. Alcohol is legal and it doesn't hurt me if they drink. Unless they get shitfaced and start a fight with me or something, or if I love them and they end up having their stomach pumped or potentially dying (granted, I haven't looked up statistics on this one) at the end of one heavy night of drinking.
But I can't talk; we always hear of that stuff happening after someone smokes a pack of cigarettes -- right?
Oh and by the way, if you're one of those people who think smoking should be totally outlawed, read up on this guy, he totally shared your mentality.
*I totally had a certain person in mind while writing that.
(I have so much more to say on this, but writing about it pisses me off.)
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