Sorry but I had to say it

Today Linda and I went to town to get some supplies. 1 of our stops was the tobacco outlet so I could get my weed and cigrit tubes. Since I am trying to slowly kill myself with my nicotine addiction I at least try to do it as cheaply as possible. Baccy and tubes to make my own cabbage rolls costs me about 20 bucks for 2 weeks. But any ways, as I was standing at the check out the gal behind the counter asked if I would like to donate a dollar to the local food bank. Well sure I would since we all got to eat I say. She said how she donates a bunch to the cause and I told her about how my wife and I grow a very large garden and if we have some one we know in need we gladly give them surplus veggies during the season. All of a sudden a young woman that looked to be pretty well dressed and in good health spoke to the cashier and myself while standing in line behind me. She said she wouldnt be donating cuz she has to go to the food bank to get food herself. Well, I ignored her cuz I am good at ignoring things or people that are rude and interrupt a conversation. But, as I grabbed my bag of slow suicide and went towards the door to leave, the young lady that cant afford to feed her self and kids purchased 1, yes only 1 pack of cigarettes for $7.50. I turned around and asked a simple question. "Do you boil them Marlboro's with rice or potato's? And then I left. My wife and I have both seen some pretty lean times in our lives so I know exactly what it's like but right now for $7.50 I could buy 5 boxes of generic mac and cheese, 5 cans of chicken noodle soup and a loaf or two of day old bread and that would sustain me for over a week if not two if need be. I am a pretty fortunate pilgrim in that I eat well and live a very modest life. But I have to work hard for what I have and it just seems strange to me when others dont get it.
I am folding up my soap box now and going out to carry in some more wood to heat the hooch.

 

A guy at work said to me "My wife stopped at the food pantry on her way home from getting her nails done"

 

Well said Butcher....

 

I hAd seen guy buy jolly ranchers with a state card before

 

Atleast she didn't use food stamps to buy her smokes....

 

Oh boy.....I'm all for the old saying "a hand up not a hand out". My wife and I help people in need when we can and I think that is the way it should be. What always sets me off is when I am in line at the grocery store and have groceries that I usually try to buy what is on sale (not always) but try. Someone in the line in front of me has a cart full of all kinds of stuff, pays with government card then gets their big wad of cash out to buy their beer and smokes, not to mention having fancy nails or 14 big tattoos....rant over.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself

 

Yup, we have the richest "poor" people in the world

 

I do the same thing; started in '08 when the price topped $3.00/pack. I was making them for about $0.75 a pack. Last fall Pa. implemented a tax on bulk tobacco. My 1lb bag went from $11.00 to $18.00. I started buying extra in the lead-up to "new tax" day. I ended up with 20lbs. in a tote in the basement. I won't be paying that extra tax till late spring/early summer.

But that's not the topic of the thread.

My pet peeve is the person with the EBT card (AKA food stamps) that uses the card to buy the most expensive, prepared food they can find. I won't even touch on the mountains of junk food I've seen in carts. With the money spent on a prepared, frozen meal for each member of a household, they could feed that same family for a week if they bought all the raw ingredients and made the meals at home.

 

True...but many/most are too lazy to do so (might be how they got to be "poor" to begin with...lazy that is) or were never taught how to cook except the microwave...not that there is a shortage of cooking shows on TV/internet. IMO, many of these people choose to be "poor"...I have some extended family in this situation...they haven't hit a lick in years then go around bragging about the size of their welfare check!

 

Yep. A buddy of mine FLIPPED on another customer at Sheetz one day when this guy bought two $5 fappochino's with an EBT card. Dude just put his head down and walked out.

 

Abuse of public assistance is wide spread. It is the standard from what I can see. I think it is tolerated, even encouraged, But that discussion is not appropriate for this forum.

 

I also like how I have to pass a drug test to go to work. (no problem) but those who get gov assistance don't have to pass a drug test to get my tax dollars.

 

Well, I was going to post a disclaimer awhile ago as to my OP and hoping it wouldnt be misconstrued as being political or a social statement on any one. But, as some one who has lived a very hard life in the past, the only reason I am still alive is because I keep a close eye on my environment and any thing that walks or crawls in that small circle I call life. I observe and I learn and sometimes I speak my peace. Like Pop Eye says " I am's what I am's."
Savemoney, I am not singling you out by replying to your particular post but using it more as a toe hold to get a small point across. Things like I brought up in my OP are an every day occurrence in many of our day to day lives. We either like it or we dont like it or we stick our heads in the sand and pretend it never happened. OR. We can have a polite discussion about it and move on. If I have or ever overstep the bounds of this forum then please let me know as it is not my intent to be a trouble maker. There are many other platforms I can raise a ruckus were it is tolerated and I like this place and dont wish to rock the boat. All that being said, how bout I change the subject to a wood cutters problem that may be a little more socially acceptable to those who wish to partake in the discussion.
So, your out in the timber cutting down a tree for far wood. You are about 1 hundred yards from the truck and your guts start rumbling from the week old tacos you et for supper the night before. You know immediately that you left the roll of terlit paper in the truck and begin to panic. You drop the saw and start to run and realize that is a big mistake so you clench up and start to penguin walk as fast as you can to the truck. But then.....
You can finish the story as you see fit and if you say it aint never happened to you, well, far be it from me to call a man a liar but, when you get back out to the timber you best be careful of were you stick your head in the sand. And I hope you cleaned yer boot heels off for you went into the kitchen when you got home.

 

That reminds me of a guy I used to work with. He was hunting and got the urge to go. He droppped his coveralls and did his business. After a few hours of hunting in the cold he got back into his truck. As the truck warmed up he started to smell something really bad. Come to find out he had relieved himself into the hood of his coveralls!

 

Thanks Butcher...starting the day with a good hearty laugh is nice...

Oh chit! I thought you were gonna say he looked up and was staring right at a trail cam...

 

Guy standing outside the grocery store asked another guy if he wanted to buy some food stamps. He replies, "why would I want to buy them, I already paid for them once already."

I have 0 problem with food stamps...as long as they are used to buy actual food...not food replacements (processed/junk). Buy all fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fish, chicken, pork, rice, beans, pasta, etc you want with them. But buying chips, soda, hot pockets, etc makes me mad to no end....its basically paying people to be too lazy to cook and get fat/unhealthy in the process.

People shouldn't go hungry, but we shouldn't buy their crap food.