Trade Show Guru

I’ve got a new post about trade show marketing on the way, but it’s still stuck in my noggin. It has yet to make it out through my fingertips and into my computer. So if you need a trade show marketing fix, you’ll have to read about trade show giveaway pens or trade show zombies. If you’re OK with a minor rant and a bit of humor, continue reading this post.

I ran across the following short story the other day, and though it was funny. Just for the record, I do not support or advocate anything implicitly or explicitly implied or not implied in the following story. I also don’t recommend or endorsed driving around with your kids on the hood of your car or paying your taxes with cockle shells. But enough of the legalese. Just as I tell my kids to respect their elders, I am telling my readers to respect authority.

Respect Authority

A United States DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) officer drives out to a remote ranch in Wyoming to investigate an anonymous tip of illegal drugs being grown somewhere on the ranch’s land. He arrives at the ranch, and drives through the open rusting outside gate with the brand B&R overhead, and parks by the old farmhouse. He spots the old rancher sitting on the porch in a rocking chair, and walks over. He introduces himself to the rancher and tells him, “I need to search your ranch for illegally grown drugs.”

The rancher taciturnly says, “Okay, but don’t go in that field over there”, as he points out the location.

The DEA officer explodes and states, “Mister, I have the authority of the Federal Government with me.” Reaching into his back pants pocket, he pulls out his badge and proudly waves it in the rancher’s face. “See this badge? This badge gives me the authority to go wherever I wish… on any land any where. No questions asked. No answers given. Do you understand? Have I made myself perfectly clear?”

The rancher nods politely, apologizes, and goes back to rocking in his chair.

A short while later, the old rancher hears a shrill, piercing scream and sees the DEA officer running for his life with the rancher’s prized bull in hot pursuit. With each step the bull gains ground on the horrified officer, and it seems highly likely that he’ll be “horned” before he reaches safety. The officer is clearly terrified. The rancher leaps from his rocker, runs to the fence and yells at the top of his lungs…..

“Your badge! Show him your badge!”