by Joe Kirkpatrick

Usually when we think of white trash, we think of a run down mobile home with junk cars and beer cans littering the front yard. However, the term "white trash" isn't confined to a junky trailer.

Yesterday, as I was leaving the Home Depot parking lot, I could not help but notice a very attractive, well dressed blonde standing beside a new (or very late model) white GMC Yukon. For those who don't know what a Yukon is, it is the most expensive SUV that GMC sells. The base price is over $40,000 and this particular one looked like it was a high end model that can easily fetch a price of $55,000 or more. Since it was 88 degrees outside, I wondered why she was standing out in the heat. As I got closer, I realized she was standing outside because she was smoking, and most likely did not want to stink up the leather in her classy SUV. About the time I passed directly by her, I saw her throw the cigarette down in the parking lot, stomp it out, and quickly climb back in the SUV. Honey, I don't care how much your fancy clothes cost, or how much that fancy SUV cost - if you stand out in a public place smoking, throwing your butts on the ground, you're still white trash!

On Paul Huff Parkway recently, I was behind a new white Cadillac, with once again, what appeared to be a very well dressed woman inside. She had her driver's window cracked open a couple of inches, and after each draw on her cigarette, she would cock her head over sideways and blow the smoke out the cracked window. After two of three draws on her cigarette, she would stick the end out the cracked window and flick the ashes off. When she finally finished, she threw the still-lit butt out the window, assuming the rest of us wanted to share her experience. Honey, you can dress to the hilt and drive that new Cadillac as much as you want, but in my book, you are still white trash!

In both of these instances, no doubt, neither woman wanted to stink up their car or dirty their ash tray. They have both probably smoked so long that they are immune to the smell of the cigarettes on their breath and clothes, not realizing when any non-smoker is around them, to them, they stink. Do these two women sit on their deck at home flicking their cigarettes out into their well manicured yards? I seriously doubt it. So why, might I ask, when they are out in public they choose to share their disgusting habit for the rest of the world to see? Do they not realize how sleazy they look?

Of course, being a white trash smoker is not confined to women. Several months ago, as I was walking into WalMart, I saw a man leaning out the drivers door of a late model Buick. At first, I thought he might be sick, but then I realized he was leaning out emptying out his ash tray on the pavement. Talk about concentrated white trash!

Hello! If you smokers haven't noticed, smoking is not "in" anymore. Have you not noticed you have now been banned from smoking in virtually every indoor public place? Have you not noticed they are now banning smoking in many outdoor public places as well? You folks are the new "lepers" - the majority of people are non-smokers, and they no longer want to be around you! I sympothize with you that quitting cigarettes is about as easy as quitting meth. However, if you cannot quit, don't keep trying to share your habit with the rest of us. If you want to drive around and smoke, keep your windows up and "re-breathe" the smoke. When your ashtray is full, please have the courtesy to empty it in the garbage can at your home.

You may not think anyone is looking, but I am!

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