Rule Number One

I thought to share with readers a humorous saying, backed up by a story in fact. A friend sent me this picture of a fox amid a group of hounds acting like it belongs there. The caption reads:

"RULE # ONE When you are in deep sh*t, Look straight ahead, Keep your mouth shut & say nothing."

This is a true and worthy saying, and I can back that up. During my Berlin Service days [more than 25 years ago during the "bad old days" of the Cold War], I had a professional friendship with a French Officer, Major "X." He was a brave and hardened man after serving many years in a French Foreign Legion Regiment in Africa. Some said he was too full of hubris, but I had come to admire his mischievous ways and sense of humor. He always got results, and he was totally professional when it counted. He delighted in diminishing the notion [held by many in those days] that our Russian Soviet adversaries were ten feet tall. One day, we and our British and French Allies were covering an annual event. As I recall, it was a Soviet Wreath-laying Ceremony at the Soviet War Memorial in the British Sector of West Berlin near the Tiergarten. We were actually there to take "surreptitious" pictures of dignitaries, etc., and to show the flag. The Free Allies believed that it was good for the Russian Soviets to see that the Allies were unified in our interest and coverage of this event. It was also a measure of protocol respect for the Soviet Union's capture of Berlin in April 1945.

---

But I digress; back to the story: Major "X" said he wanted his photographer to take his own picture in a group shot with the Soviets and I laughed. He then disappeared into the large crowd, and within moments, he had infiltrated through the "guest cordon" and waved back to us as he approached his "objective." I admired his brass. Within the US Army in Berlin, at that time, any American Officer or Soldier pulling the same stunt, would probably have been severely disciplined. Well, Major "X" managed to get into a posed picture with a group of Soviet Officers on a dais in front of the War Memorial! While he posed, his photographer snapped away. After the photo-op, Major "X" did not return for some time. We assumed he'd been "busted." But then he reappeared with a big smile on his face. He told us that after the photo that the photo group was ushered into a place where they stayed long enough to share a mandatory victory toast of Vodka! Major "X" was dressed in civilian garb that day which probably deflected much attention and helped him pulled off the bluff. The US Command, by contrast, required us to wear a Service Dress Uniform. We could not have infiltrated an ice cream line while dressed in our American uniforms. But here was Bertrand, this gigantic 2-meter tall Gaul walking right through the Russian crowd ... and no one challenged him. He did garner many puzzled looks. He told me he had not spoken a word while in the group of Soviets, and he had acted like he belonged there. The French G2 [Chief Intelligence Officer] in Berlin later showed me his telephoto version of the picture at a meeting. We all laughed heartily. Sure enough, there stood Bertrand in the middle of the top, back row ... towering about the shorter Russians. But there is always a serious side. Lest anyone suspect that Major "X" was an agent for the Soviets, Major "X" was most assuredly investigated by the French Surete for his little trick. I heard that he almost lost his job. It seems that the French Foreign Ministry, like our own State Department, has no sense of humor either. But, for those who would disbelieve this rule that a fox can survive among the hounds, allow me to ensure you that it is a true and worthy saying.