How to make a 4-star General beat a hasty retreat...

Paul's sister Diane invited him to go to a dinner with her a few weekends ago. It was a US Army veterans group which had as a guest speaker, a retired 4-star general (a former chief of staff for the Army). As fate would have it, this same general wrote a book on management which Diane used as a basis for her master's degree capstone project. Diane's manager at work (a former Army officer) was responsible for picking up the general at the airport, so she was able to tag along and meet him. He seemed quite impressed and humbled that she used his book as a basis for her capstone project.

At the dinner, Diane introduced Paul to the general. The two of them started conversing about memoirs written by members of various White House administration members and the importance of seeing all sides. The general then recommended Bob Woodward's book, "State of Denial." He said there was a central character throughout the book who was responsible for all the problems. Sensing that he was implying Donald Rumsfeld, Paul mentioned that he was eagerly looking forward to reading Donald Rumsfeld's upcoming memoir (due in April 2009). The general eyes bulged. He literally backed up several feet. (Perhaps Paul should not have said he was "salivating for the opportunity to read Rumsfeld's book.") Then he stammered, "Rumsfeld?! Rumsfeld?! Why Rumsfeld, I'd never read his book!" (So much for seeing both sides of an issue). It was as if you had put a crucifix in the face of a nosferatu. His face turned beat red and he quickly exited the conversation.

At the end of the event, Diane and Paul went to ask him to autograph our books. Diane had bought his book on management and Paul has obtained his collected writings from when he was Army Chief of Staff. The general got in the last word by putting dedicating his autograph in Paul's book...to his sister Diane instead:

[To] Diane--with great respect. [Signature]

The General (Retired) and the Sister...

Diane remarked to Paul,
"Why are you so far away from the General in this photo?"
...to which Paul replied...
"I'm right next to him, he's just larger than life."