Fire Critic An Unadulterated View of the Fire Service
There is something I would like to get off my chest. I feel the need to come clean because so many of you (readers, friends, fans, Brothers) know me much better than I know each of you.
I’m shy…
I know that some of you are calling bullshit right now, but it is true. If you have seen the outgoing, smart-ass, jovial, outspoken, and often laughing “Rhett” it is because I have gotten to know you. You might not have ever seen the “shy” side.
The “shy” me is not always seen, but often shows up when I am around people I am meeting for the first time. A perfect example is when I was in Detroit. Captain Wines and I showed up on the second day. We didn’t have the chance to meet and hang out with everyone the night before. Instead, we showed up and got right to work.
In the end, I got to speak with most of the 30 or so people we were with…However, there were some I didn’t get to talk to long or meet at all. That is my fault.
Over the past several years, I have become reserved (shy) around people I don’t know and haven’t met.
I can’t really explain why, but I will try.
Due to the popularity of The Fire Critic, FireCritic.com, and the FC Facebook page, so many people know who I am. They get to learn about me, and hundreds of people have personally friended me on Facebook so they get to see my family side of things.
All the while, I cannot keep up with thousands of people I might know by name and FB/Twitter profile photo. When we meet, I sometimes am not even offered your name. It is embarrassing for me that you know exactly who I am, but I don’t know who you are without some information on how we might know each other.
Therefore, when we meet, I offer my name. I offer my name even if you have come up to me and called me by name. I do this to prompt you to offer your name.
Plus, it can get weird when I am at an event and people are standing staring at Captain Wines and I. Some people know who we are, but don’t know if it is ok to come up and speak with us (it is, and we welcome it). Others are staring because of the two guys with kilts and helmets on.
I am sharing this as a bit of therapy…I don’t like being shy. I like being the outgoing guy that ATTEMPTS to make people laugh (I am not always successful).
After our trip to Detroit, I was a little depressed with my “shyness” coming out. I felt like I didn’t do enough to meet and speak with all of the great people who came to Detroit to help out with Detroit Mutual Aid.
Consider this an apology. I certainly hope you guys aren’t let down by me and what you might have expected me to be.
Read more about the trip to Detroit here
This includes some of the following who converged on Detroit for the weekend: Shane Parkins, Bob Gard, Andrew Catron, Willie Wines Jr, Jeremy Mullens, Shiloh MacCabe, Kim Fitzsimmons, Clinton Powell, Steven Burke, Jill Boden, Tom Boden, Blake Bowers, Nick, Ron and Carole Magoteaux, Jeramie Morris, Lori, Dan, Luke, Maya and Macie Mercer, Lyn Backlund, Bonnie Leigh, Jackie Postage, Rebecca Hudson, Mary Donch, Kelvin Davis, Grant Grinstead, Nathan Crooks, Ryan G, Kevin Thompson, Matt Schimmel, Matt Cervino, Chris, Ian Kushnir, Carrie Graber, and Blake Govan.
