What I’ve learned (recently)

When it is 120 degrees in the shade, French fries stay hot and an ice cold coke isn’t.

Not flinching at one unscheduled detonation is experience; not flinching at two unscheduled detonations is jaded.

Senior Officers don’t have a sense of humor.

Real conversation between me and a Senior Officer at Al-Udeid Air Base, Qatar.

“Are you going to take off from here?” He was pointing at the spot we were standing at behind the plane. We were in a cargo ramp and I think he meant to ask if we were going to load cargo here then depart or just depart.

I responded, “Well Sir, I was planning to taxi to the runway to actually takeoff but if you insist I think I can make it from here.”

Not even a hint of a smile.