"You must be important!" A moment outside a local diner.

 Today I rode to two Honor Guard ceremonies. After the second ceremony, I went to a restaurant a half mile away. When I left, a woman held the door for me. That actually happens a lot when I am in a dress uniform. Women hold the door for me.

Outside she looked at my uniform, waved in the direction of my medals and said, "You must be important. I mean, look at that stripe down your pants legs. Impressive."

I said she was right. Leaders have the stripe, enlisted soldiers do not. (I could have added that generals have two stripes, but that seemed like Too Much Information.)

She smiled and said, "I knew it! Now you be careful on the roads!" I was putting on my bike helmet as she spoke.