After being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, Regular Army, I was immediately placed on active duty. My first assignment was at Fort Hood, Texas.

That experience? Intense. But valuable!

But this story isn't about Fort Hood. Or Me!

It's about what came next.

One afternoon, after a long, demanding week of training, two fellow lieutenants and I started thinking about the weekend—one of them, Lt. Frank, suggested we go horseback riding at a nearby ranch.

Sounded like a plan. We were in!

Saturday morning, around 9:00 AM, we pulled up to the ranch. An older, weathered rancher greeted us. His eyes were sharp, measured, suspicious!

He asked what we wanted.

Lt. JWW responded, "We're here to go horseback riding."

The rancher owner nodded and pointed us toward the stables. But he kept looking at us—especially at me!

Now let's be real.

A Black Lieutenant in the early '70s. That wasn't common!

We walked over and greeted the stable attendant!  We saddled up and rode out. The attendant told us, "If you get lost, just let the horse go—it'll bring you back."

We rode for a couple of hours. Beautiful land. Quiet. But in the back of my mind, I couldn't take the way that the rancher owner looked at me.

When we returned, he came over and started talking. After a few minutes, he told us he was a retired U.S. Army Colonel.

That made sense.

He had that presence.

Then he turned to me and said, "Lieutenant, can I speak with you privately?"

I'm thinking—Here it comes, woo d'd'oo!

But it wasn't what I expected.

He told me a story.

Here is what he said:  

Not long ago, he was hiring a ranch hand. Three applicants showed up. Two were experienced ranch hands, and one was a farmer.

After interviewing the first two ranch hands, he had already made up his mind—the second guy was his pick.

But out of respect for the third applicant, the farm hand, he decided to speak with him even though he had already made up!  

He told him straight up:

"I" I'velready found my man. But I'll give you a shot. Tell me in ten words or less why I should hire you, a farm hand."

"he farmer paused for a moment… then said: 

"Because I sleep when the wind blows."

The rancher didn't understand it. But something about what the farmer said intrigued him.  He asked the farmer to repeat what he had said.  The farmer repeated, "Because I sleep when the wind blows." 

The rancher was even more intrigued!  So much so that he decided to hire him.  

Over the next few weeks, he noticed something odd. The farmer stayed busy—always moving—but not doing what the other ranch hands were doing.  He began to think he had made a mistake by hiring a farmer, knowing he needed an experienced ranch hand! 

A few nights later, a serious storm hit. Thunder. Lighting. Wind. Rain. The kind that tears things apart.

The rancher got up, went out to the bunkhouse, and found the farmer asleep.

He was furious.

"What the hell are you doing in bed?!" "He asked the farmer!"

The farmer calmly said,

"Sir, as I told you. I sleep when the wind blows."

The rancher snapped back,

"You should be out protecting my ranch!"

The farmer replied, "I already did."

The rancher owner still furious, and returned to his house. The next morning, the farm hand met the ranch owner at his door, and they both walked the property.

Every gate secured.

Every animal is safe.

Everything tied down, reinforced, prepared.

No damage.

The rancher owner looked at him—this time with understanding.

The man said:

"Sir, I do everything in advance. I don't wait until it's too late. That's why I can sleep when the wind blows."

That old Colonel finished the story, then turned and just looked at me.

Didn't say another word.

Didn't need to.

I understood exactly what he was telling me.

As a Black officer at that time, I didn't have the luxury of being average. Average would not be good enough.

I must always be ready, prepared, three steps ahead.

I had to be ready, Squared away.

Ahead of the problem—every time.

No excuses. No gaps.

Because when the wind blows—and it always does—you don't rise to the occasion

You fall back on your preparation.

Bottom line

Most people wait for the storm, then panic.

Winners?

They prepare so well that when the storm hits,

They sleep.

That's what I Do!  If this is not where you are in life, Contact Me!  

Stories!