Appreciation

An elderly American salesman arrived at French immigration at Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport and began fumbling for his passport. The French official quickly grew impatient.  "You have been to France before, monsieur?"  he asked in an unnecessarily aggressive tone.  "Yes, but it was a while back," replied the old, retired salesman, still rummaging in his bag.   "In that case," continued the official, doing what passed for a hostile impression of Inspector Clousseau, "you should know to have your passport ready for inspection."  "But the last time I came to France I didn't have to show my passport or any documents," asserted the old salesman.   "It is not possible," snorted the Frenchman.  "I'm telling you, old man, you Americans always have to show your passport on arrival in la belle France!"   The retired American salesman's patience, had suddenly be worn thin.  He turned and fixed his icy stare on the the young French official and strongly asserted:  "And I'm telling you, son, that when I came ashore on Omaha Beach, in Normandy, on D-Day, on June the 6th in the year 1944, there was no d-a-m-n-e-d Frenchman on the beach asking to see my passport!"
Moral of the story.   True sales professionals know that in order to do what we do, we require a free democratic society.   Sixty-nine years ago today several thousand Americans, British, Canadian and other allies paid the ultimate price, so that we may live, free.    
Take a few minutes today to read about them at any one of the following sites:
 http://www.dday.org/
http://www.army.mil/d-day/
http://www.dday.co.uk/

"You are about to embark upon the great crusade toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you...I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle."  -  General Dwight D. Eisenhower