Holy Smokes!!!

I went to do a little grocery shopping the other day...you know the run of the mill stuff. A lady in front of me bought some cartons of cigarettes. I wasn't really paying attention until the cashier told her the amount...$176.87. I almost got dizzy because my head spun around so fast. I quickly looked on the counter and there was nothing there but cigarettes...no food. She peeled out 9 twenty dollar bills to pay for her cigarettes. I stood there and thanked the Lord that I never took that habit up....I couldn't afford to smoke. I was still dazed and shocked by how expensive these things were that I barely remembered that I had coupons to use. I bought my groceries ($72 by the way), and made my way to the van. The cigarette lady was parked next to me talking to another lady. I couldn't help over hearing their conservation. Cigarette lady was telling this other lady how tough things had been since her husband had lost his job and she hadn't been able to find a job herself. She then proceeded to tell her that their lights had been cut off last week, but a local organization gave them the money to have them turned back on. I just stopped putting my groceries in my car, because I was thinking...you accept charity from someone and then turn around and spend almost $180 on cigarettes. For some reason fraud came to my mind. How can a decent person take money from someone like that??? I mean I would go without something and keep my lights on, but I guess her smokes mean more to her. The whole time she was telling her sob story she was dangling the bag with the cartons of cigarettes in them. Her friend I noticed tried to look sympathetic, but I saw her eyeing the bag and you could see the contents through the bag. There has to come a time when you grow up and say my family is more important that my habits...whatever they may be. It was an eye opening experience to say the least. I am a generous person who likes to help people, but I wouldn't have given this lady a dime. You peel off 9 crisp $20 bills for cigarettes, you can have your lights turned on...or you can smoke in the dark.