My Inner Buffy

I'm usually a nice, calm, well-mannered person. At least, I like to think that I am. I tend to just let stupid people be, and not concern myself with them. But sometimes, someone will say or do something to me that just plain ticks....me....off.

When this happens, the person I like to call my Inner Buffy rears her head. She's surfaced from time to time. I know a certain captain in Vilseck who'll think twice before stealing someone's place in line at the gas station again. And of course, there is my would-be mugger who wanted my purse and ended up with a crotchful of 3 inch heels. Usually though, it's just words that are my weapon of choice.

Yesterday, I was at work. I was walking down to the front office and I ran smack into a conversation another employee was having with a volunteer, whom I didn't know. Apparently they were talking about the war and all the soldiers here who are deployed and getting ready to deploy. I was just going to walk around them and be on my merry way when my fellow employee says, "oh, Jennifer's husband is getting ready to deploy." I stop, turn around, smile politely and say, "yes, he's leaving in August." Had this volunteer had any sense of decency, the conversation would have ended right there. However, that was not to be. She actually looks at me and says -

Well, he knew what he was getting into when he joined.

Now, to say that I am a little bit stressed out right now, would be a colossal understatement. It's not easy to get ready to send your husband off to war for 18 months, and to do so with any modicum of grace is a huge undertaking. Whether you agree with the war or not, to say something like this to a military spouse in my situation is not only taboo, it's downright rude.

So my well-mannered, graceful self stepped aside and Buffy muscled her way to the forefront. This was my response -

Well, yes, he did know. He voluntarily puts his life on the line for you. He knew he would be shot at, put in danger, separated from his family, and have to endure all manner of hardships in order to do his job and protect this country. AND HE DOES IT ANYWAY.

Then I turned on my heel and left her in my dust. Yep, Buffy sure does come in handy from time to time!