its ok to thank them. wish them a safe trip. buy them a coffee. carry their bags. but please leave them alone!!!
being in the airport in uniform is a double edged sword. people are nice. bumps to 1st class. smiles and handshakes. but then there are those who think because you are in uniform, you must be sociable.
one time, it was 530 in the am. i had my headphones on, reading my nook. i couldnt have looked more preoccupied or unapproachable. a man actually made me take my headphones out to ask me what "APO" stood for in overseas addresses, because he owns a business that sends to "APO" addresses. then he proceeds to tell me about his business and how it will benefit me and my soldier friends. then he goes on to tell me he was a volunteer firefighter before, asked me personal questions, wants to know my reasons for joining the military and so on. DUDE, IT IS 530 AM!!! IM TRYING TO CHILL BEFORE MY ASS KICKING TRAINING IN WISCONSIN! he didnt care.
on my way back from that trip, same thing. headphones and nook. "my cousin was in the navy. have you ever been to japan? he liked being in the navy. blah blah. blah". another gentleman..."when i was in the army we didnt have MRE's (meals ready to eat), we ate out of tin cans".
today, on my way to Indiana, most of the people just say "thank you" and keep it moving. some will ask you where you're going, how long you'll be there, what will you do there, who watches your dog, and just wont let you have any peace.
just because we wear a uniform and you see us as the "good guys" doesn't mean we are friends or we want to chit chat at stupid o clock in the morning. please leave us alone. does it ever dawn on you that maybe were about to get our asses kicked in a training for the next few days or months? or were on our way to fight a war? that we had to run around like nuts to get our lives squared away just to get here and this could possibly be the only down time we will have in god knows how long? ITS NOT ABOUT YOU!!!!
i know these people dont mean to be pain in the asses, but if you see someone with headphones, reading a book, talking on the phone, or going into a bathroom... that is not the time to make conversation with them!!! say hi. drive on.
i know i sound like a bitch, but its so fucking frustrating. im not your dancing monkey. im not here to entertain you or be your sounding board. i signed my name on the dotted line. that ends my obligation to you.
No comments:
Post a Comment