When we think of some guy having his own butler, we are forced to accept the fact that this man must have means and tremendous power in the affairs of his domain. Even quite rich people don’t bother with butlers… It’s almost like it’s archaic. But there are men of note who feel that they need one-just to help them keep up with things.

I remember Bob Hope flying to St. Louis to give a speech and finding out-when he reached St. Louis-he’d left his script behind-and sending his butler back to California to fetch it and return quickly.(You can do that with a butler.)

I have a personal friend who has a butler; and both he and his butler are really colorful guys… And no one begrudges my friend his aid-because he seems to do well for himself as well as for others.

…But let’s discuss a smoker now. Just how would a smoker- just being a smoker-need to have a butler on hand? If he’s recognized as being a bum, he would…And how would he get recognized?

It strikes me-first of all-that a bum is someone who may have cash but never seems to be able to take care of his God-given blessings of health, and personal responsibilities to the folks around him.

He may have been knocked down in life, but instead of getting up and thanking his God for his bad luck, he just stays down.

So… if a smoker fits these very low standards, then he just might need a butler. And here’s where his butler plays a key role for him. Let’s say he’s down; and no one helps. That is when the smoker calls out for his butler– in this case, his ‘own cigarette’…So now he gets up strength to hold that cigarette with steady hands and lights it up.

Unlike the butlers of all men, his cigarette could never say, “Hey, Boss… Easy… Maybe I better help you up and get some help!” One might almost attribute to his cigarette-butler a keen satisfaction in seeing that his boss stays down. For what does the butler do, who’s boss gets up and no longer needs a cigarette?

It’s enough to make those cigarette concerns weep!

…Is there any solution here? Yes… if a miracle should come to his mind and conjure up an image of him- as I have just described- a bum counting on his butler to help him keep smoking- if he really sees that as clearly as he can- then maybe he will resist the urge to call his butler-and will instead make sure he finds some plan to help him quit.

It’s no big deal to quit; it is a big deal to understand you have got to quit.