One of the things Dear Ole Dad NEVER tolerated was lying. He (literally) beat this into us from Day 1. I grew up with more of a fear that Dear Ole Dad would think I was lying to him, than actually lying to him! He considered a thief as one of the most despicable forms of human life; and a ‘liar’ below those pukes. You just didn’t lie to dear Ole Dad…
I also hold to his view here. Liars – I have no use for liars. This is why I have so many problems with politicians today. Not only do we see so many liars in our politicians, their lies are so obvious, and blatant! And our society just seems to accept them! Baffling!
Early on in life I learned that if I lie to someone I create a problem for myself – I have to remember the lie. And the more lies I tell, the more problems I create for myself. On the other hand, if I tell the truth – and the other guy ‘has a problem’ with what I have to say, that’s his problem, not mine.
I was called in to the DO’s office – the Director of Operations – to discuss my future after my change of command ceremony on 30 November 1987. I had submitted my ‘retirement papers’ and they wanted to give the squadron to someone who was ‘still in the game.’ This was quite normal at the time.
During the conversation he told me that since all I seemed to like to do was fly, that was all they were going to have me doing for my last 6 months or so. “Why didn’t you tell this to me a year ago?” I thought to myself! Then he went on to make a couple “insinuations” that I wasn’t to pleased with. Having declared my intention to retire, I didn’t feel I had anything to lose, so I cut loose!
“Well Sir,” I began, “I’ll tell you one thing – I have never lied to you. And I have sat in your staff meetings now for 18 months or so, and have watched those other two pukes (squadron commanders) lie to you day in and day out! And the thing that pisses me off more than anything is, I know you know it!”
“Oh crap,” I thought to myself, “he is now going to ‘eat my lunch!'” But instead of saying anything, he just hung his head – for he knew I was speaking the truth at that time. And I walked out of his office…
Side note: About a month or so later his secretary called me over. I had had a “run-in” with the assistant DO and he apparently brought it up with the DO. She overheard the DO tell the little ‘puke,’ “Well Tom, one thing I will tell you about Bob is, he doesn’t lie to us – and we can’t say that about the other guys!” Point made!
Tell the truth in Life…