Followers

09 August 2008

Always Watch What You Say

Unless you're in a private bathroom alone, don't say anything out loud in public.

This was one of the first things I learned in nursing school...do not discuss patients in the elevator, off the floor, in public or anywhere because you never know who is listening.

And somewhere, either by parents, friends or Mr. Rogers, we should have been taught to never launch into a tirade of profanity in public.

And never do it on an Air Force Base or any Army Post or anywhere military folk are around..

And never do it in line at the food court while waiting in line to order food at said Base or Post.

And never do it to the back of a 2nd Lieutenant standing in front of you.

I'm not into Air Force ranking(I can barely keep up with Army) but apparently a "one stripe airman" was having a major problem standing behind a 2nd Lieutenant in line to get lunch yesterday

It seems that when the 2nd Lieutenant was looking at the menu board while the person in front of him was being waited on, he didn't do it quick enough.

The airman behind him let out some very profane language along the lines of "What is taking so long to decide and hurry up already," but with much more colorful language.

The 2nd Lieutenant was wearing his ACUs(camoflauge uniform) but didn't have his beret on because he was inside of the building so one could identify him as being in the military.

Upon hearing the words of the airman behind him the 2nd Lieutenant turned around and watched the airman trying to be swallowed up by the floor as the airman saw the 2nd Lieutenant's gold bars and realized that he had just cut loose on an Officer.

The 2nd Lieutenant inquired as to what the problem was and did the airman need to go ahead of him in line.

Michael said the airman could have received his Doctorate of Stuttering on the spot as he stammered out a few apologies, threw in some No Sirs and waited to be vaporized.

Michael just acknowledged his words and turned back around to wait to order his food.

I asked Michael what he could have done had the airman not apologized or was surly or whatever and he said he could have asked for his commanding officer's name and phone number and called him on the spot for dissing an Officer is a big time no-no. Or he said he could have told him, "Drop and Push(pushups).

Michael could have been a real jerk about it but he wasn't and I'm glad, not that the airman didn't deserve it.

I hoped the airman walked/crawled away learning the lesson of the moment to watch how you speak, where you speak and to whom you speak when the desire to cut loose with profane remarks tries to overtake you.

8 comments:

Michelle said...

Very mature response by your son. As many times as I would have liked to have dropped someone for push ups because they were doing something they shouldn't have, I was taught that it was a quick way to lose respect. It is better to leave them thinking about "what could have" happened. What base was he at?

Debbie said...

Good job Michael! I imagine that serviceman will be careful next time, he can't see who is in front of him!!! LOL. You raised a good son Ness!

God Bless~
Debbie

kim-d said...

Oh man, I'll bet that guy is probably STILL "shittin' bricks" waiting for the other shoe to drop! I think sometimes, when dealing with people who have chosen to attend the School of Hard Knocks, less can definitely be more. This is a perfect example of that.

All I can say is, it's a good thing this happened AFTER Michael got his pay problems sorted out. BWAHAHAHAHA!

Good job, Michael. For some reason, it just doesn't surprise me at all that this is the way he handled it.

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing! Valuable lessons for all of us... it matters not our age, if we even have rank...just one of those need-to-be-reminded-lessons in life!

Enjoy your son!


~AirmanMom returning to her blog...

Dayna said...

Never ceases to amaze me how much people say and how obnixious they can be.

Good for Michael for being a leader.

Tonjia said...

UH OH.... LOL It would have been so good if Michael would have asked the airman if that is how he represents his branch...

yep, you never know who is listening!

Steph said...

Ness,

Stop by my blog, I have something for you.

Steph

joanne said...

Wow...great lesson for all of us. Thanks for sharing it ;)