Are You A Cop? (not that being a police officer is a bad thing...)
I can't begin to tell you how much I despise that question no matter how innocently and friendly it may be asked... "Are you a cop?" Especially when it comes as a complete surprise from left field. It is a question which gets me so angry that I cringe, get frustrated, get angry and have to use all my willpower to restrain from unleashing a torrent of expletives, drill sergeant style, on the clearly unobservant and ignorant inquisitor. Whenever I travel to other states in the United States, everyone... and I mean everyone... seems to pick up on the fact that I am either active duty military or a veteran... everyone. I get comments and questions about my military status and experience everywhere we go outside of Vermont. I even get handshakes and thanks for my service from complete strangers. Nobody outside of Vermont ever walks up to me and asks, out of the blue, such an absurd question like, "Are you a cop?" Within the borders of Vermont, however, I