How I learned not to be upset

Today, not everyone experiences what it's like to serve in the military. I didn't serve much either, in fact I was called up for penultimate conscription. After that, compulsory conscription was abolished.

9 months of service. I wanted to serve. Growing up as a half-orphan, I thought that through my service I could give something back to society in exchange for the support the state gave me for my upbringing.

The 9 months passed quickly. I don't really feel that I was able to do many useful things for my country. Nor did I know that I learned many useful things. But still, one of the very useful things I've learned is patience. Yes, believe it or not, patience.

I can't say that everything caught me unawares. Two of my brothers, who had already completed military service, tried to prepare me for the fact that there would be things in the army whose logic I should not even try to understand. I'll never forget that they always said that "in the army they carry what is round in their hands, and what is square they roll".

So let's see my test of great patience in the army. You won't believe it, but it really happened.

So in the army, there was always a big dilemma when you entered an officer's office. Depending on the mood of the chief officer, we managed to properly apply for permission to enter, or we failed.

Once I had to enter the officer's office of the guard company for something, I don't even remember the reason anymore. I walked to the door and knocked. I knew that the company commander was a 2 heads shorter than me, always grumpy, so I expected it wouldn't be easy. There was no sign after my knocking, so I opened the door. Three officers were inside and the gruff company commander.

I took care and saluted, saying, "Mr. Captain, Private Turner asks for permission to enter!" The captain replied: "Not good, try again!". He didn't say how it sounded right. So I walked out the door, closed it, knocked, stepped in again and said salutefully, "Mr. Captain, Private Turner asks for permission to enter and stay inside!"

To which the captain replied gruffly, "Still not good! Try again!" Again, of course, he did not say how to properly ask for permission.

Well, I thought, half of this is no joke. In the hallway, my fellow soldiers were already smiling at me. I felt I am not the first Private here being in such situation.

So after I left the office and closed the door, I started all over again worried. I saluted, "Mr. Captain, Private Turner asks for permission to enter the office, stay inside and ask questions." Despite my enthusiasm, the Captain replied with a bored face: "It's still not good, but I don't have time to deal with you, so tell me at last what you want!"

I was happy that I didn't have to try again. I learned how to be patient with grumpy and arrogant people even in the civilian life, where people have more freedom to express their opinions than in the military.

Dear Captain, although I don't even know your name anymore, thank you for your teaching, and I hope that when we meet again, but this time in civilian life, I hope you will tell me if I ask you nicely how I should have said it correctly!