President or Proby, Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously
Proby = Probationary Firefighter.
Today I learned that the Chinese General Secretary of the Communist Party, Xi Jinping, one of the world’s most powerful men, looks like Winnie the Pooh. I also learned ole’ Xi feels a little prickly about Pooh-like comparisons. Well, let me tell you how that’s going to go.
Don’t call me Jack — Jack!
I never met the unhappy fireman apparently named John who objected to the nickname Jack. He had transferred out of my company prior to my arrival. Of course the men of the company simply called John’s new company instructing them to be sure and call John: “Don’t call me Jack — Jack”. Not only did he have to hear himself being called Jack, he had to hear it twice. His name in the firehouse became “Don’t call me Jack — Jack”.
It is especially necessary for us politically incorrect fire guys to apply this type of ego reduction therapy to the powerful and influential. The higher your rank, the more likely you will be subjected to such embarrassment. But only if you squirm. If you smile and move on, so will the hazing.
In President Xi’s case, the best response to being compared to a cuddly teddy bear is say “thank you, how cute, I’ll tell my grandkids”.
Not Xi.
Chinese censors have banned Winnie the Pooh GIFs and images from WeChat, the huge Chinese social media platform. Mentions of the cuddly, honey loving teddy bear were also restricted from Weibo, the Chinese answer to Facebook. This week, China refused to allow the recently released film “Christopher Robin” to appear in China.
The Chinese have declared war on Winnie the Pooh!
I’ve never met Don’t call me Jack — Jack. I heard his story over thirty years ago and never forgot; it still makes me smile. Such indignities have an enduring quality.
After both Xi and I are long gone, many years from now, I predict jokes will still exist about the Chinese President with an ego problem who went to war with Winnie the Pooh, and lost.
