a beggar woman stopped her husband from taking money from me. the reason - i was smoking. meyechhele bidi khay, or kaachh theke poysha nibini. one of my colleagues burst out laughing. most unfair, considering the fact that she is a woman who had stubbed out her cigarette thirty seconds back and therefore qualified for alms giving. my other colleague grew philosophical and commented on the bizarre bloom of idealism in unexpected places. as usual, i'm clueless and still searching for an appropriate reaction.