Leopold Syndrome is real

Humans are respecters of titles

As I read Michelle Petties's story The Pastor Needs a Plate it stirred up my own memories of how some church denominations treat the spiritual leader as if he is above and beyond others and that he is the Supreme Being he is supposed to be leading others to. I had an encounter about 5 years ago at a local K&W Cafe that came to mind after reading this story.

I was in line behind a local pastor who is well-known in the Baptist Community. Several people in front of him were treated normally as they were asked what they wanted on their plates but when the Reverend's turn came one of the servers began acting as if she were looking in the face of God Almighty, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. She began stuttering and calling this man Bishop even though he was a Baptist preacher. She was giggling and fumbling as she took his order and heaped compliments in his direction.

The Leopold Syndrome

The pastor took it all in stride, smiled and thanked her, and even seemed a little embarrassed at all the attention. This scene brought to mind an episode of Bugs Bunny titled Long Haired Hare. Bugs decides to get revenge on Giovani the opera singer by dressing up as the conductor. Bugs dons a jacket, slicks back his hair, and walks with an air of snootiness and as he passes by the orchestra members they all whisper to one another "Leopold".

I presume they are speaking of Leopold Stokowski and when the orchestra conductor sees Bugs Bunny he too addresses him as Leopold, defers to him, and gives up his wand. That's a no-no as in the movie The Jackson's An American Dream, Berry Gordy tells Michael Jackson to never give up his mic. Anyhow, my point is that everyone treated Bugs as if he really were this respected British conductor and the woman in K&W was acting as if this pastor were Leopold. She even turned to another worker and announced that this was reverend so and so.

I'm standing there trying not to be facetious and bracing myself for how I already know her attitude will change when I am the next one to be served and it happened. As soon as the well-known local pastor moved down the line this woman's attitude shifted and she was less than polite to me. I'm thinking- I am a human being-I am your sister in the faith and I too am in ministry and more importantly I am a customer at your establishment so why did you make a difference?

Respect should be earned

Herbie doesn't like to make toys

I have been told this type of attitude toward popular pastors goes back to slavery. If you have watched Roots, North and South, Gone With the Wind or other antebellum films or television shows you will notice a pattern. Everyone jumps to attention when the master of the big house walks by even though they really don't like him. I worked a job in the 1980s where every morning the 3 managers emerged from their offices, walking as a trio toward the breakroom. All 40 or so employees in the office would stop whatever they were doing and say "good morning" as they watched these men walk by.

I also considered this to be a Leoppold moment. Stop-hold the presses- Leopold is walking by." I got tired of the charade and would continue working as the managers were on parade and during my next review I was called out. The assistant manager said I was not showing respect. I replied that I was paid to do a job and assumed that doing a good job was more important. I did not want to be fired so from then on I played along smiling and saying good morning until this little game stopped.

I believe respect should be earned and not demanded but you do what you have to do in the workforce. I also believe you can respect one person without disrespecting another as the K&W employee did to me and the people in line in front of the pastor. Thank you Michelle Petties for sharing your story and jogging my memory of two of my own.

I can imagine the people in that church having their Leopold moment as one said to another and the word was spread that "the pastor needs a plate-the pastor needs a plate-the pastor needs a plate." This just brought back another remembrance of Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer when the elves were whispering one to another: "Herbie doesn't like the make toys-Herbie doesn't like to make toys-Herbie doesn't like to make toys......