Support your local Businessman

I'm working on a Firefighter and Police Appreciation Day for our local cops and firemen. In making calls to a number of businesses in the area to solicite their support, I met with a sales manager for a big insurance company (you'd know the company if I told you the name). I'm a sales guy, and have been a sales VP, so I'm pretty good at spotting classy salesmen vs. the "all hat and no cattle" type. Here's a guy who's the same age as I am, rock-steady, calm, cool, collected, and ready to help with his company's resources in support of the community. I bitched a bit about how hot it was in the restaurant we were meeting in. I complained about this and that, just normal nits and nats. Then I asked him if he had ever worked around cops.

Turns out he's a Lt Col Military Policeman in the Army Reserve. He's already served 2 tours in Iraq. Now, he didn't say a word about my bitchin' and moanin', just said he'd been over there and was glad to be back. See what I mean about the classy and rock-steady part?

Let me tell you -- I was embarrassed. I apologized to him for complaining about a 75 degree indoor restaurant when he'd had his butt on the line sweating it out in 115 degree weather, humping it. I thanked him for his service and for not kicking my tail, and we continued our work.

Does anyone have a crowbar to get the foot outta my mouth? TGFOS (Thank God for our Soldiers). Perspective, folks, perspective.