Here is a lengthy anonymous tale. Keep reading until the end--it's worth the wait.
A long, congested line of waiting servicemen filled the laundry-cleaning establishment of the base where I was stationed during the Korean Conflict. A clerk stood at the end of a long counter that ran the entire length of the wall opposite the door. She was serving those at the head of the line. At the opposite end of that counter stood another clerk, along with a cash register and only one customer.
A captain entered the door and asked a nearby enlisted man,
"Pardon me, is this the 'putting in line', and that", he pointed toward the cash register, "the 'taking out one?'"
The enlisted man assured him it was, and that certainly appeared to be the case. The captain promptly walked to the cash register and began searching in his wallet for a claim slip. Almost immediately another officer left the long line of men, and walked over and stood next to the captain, and in a loud voice, and very nasty tones inquired did the captain think he was better then the remainder of the men in line, and therefore didn't have to queue-up to be waited-on.
The captain did not even turn but he did glance down at his neighbor's sleeve and could see the braid on it indicating his verbal attacker was an officer. The berating man then returned to his place in the line.
By this time the captain had located his claim slip. He was also blushing. He turned, glanced above the entrance door, and for the first time noticed a sign there. He then stalked over to the center of the line where an officer stood wearing a very broad smile. The captain approached the man and in terse tones inquired,
"Are you the fellow who was just chewing me out?"
The answer was offered with a even broader smile, "No! Let me introduce you to the major here."
The fact the captain was then outranked didn't seem to faze him in the least. He stepped up almost face to face with the major and said in a loud voice.
"I wasn't aware of the 'One Line For All Transactions' sign above the door until I turned just now. When I entered, I asked if there were two lines and was told that was correct. I was wrong, and I don't mind being chewed out when I'm wrong, but there's a nice way and a nasty way of doing everything, and heaven help you if you ever get into my dental chair..."
The enlisted men around the captain began to laugh and clap him on the back. The major's face turned chalk-white. Suddenly, and miraculously the major vanished through that thick line of men.