The Pope Defense
I just had the most ridiculous discussion with my husband. His mom collected red glassware, and we were debating which items to sell, which to store, and which we like enough to use and display:
He: I want to keep the ashtray. I like that ashtray.
Me: No problem. Do you want it outside where you smoke? Should I store it?
(There’s no smoking in our house, so I don’t see a reason to keep a glass ashtray on display, you see.)
He: It should go in the china cabinet.
Me: I don’t think so. It takes a lot of horizontal space, and we’re not going to use it often, if ever. Nobody smokes in the house. Why not take it outside and use it?
He: What if the Pope came over and wanted to smoke in the house? You wouldn’t want a nice ashtray for him to use?
Me: The only way I’m letting the Pope smoke in my house is if he agrees to change the Catholic Church’s positions on abortion, birth control, gay marriage and homosexuality in general. He does me that favor, he can smoke in my house with this ashtray.
The ashtray is in storage.
