Atomic City Talk

Ok we were sitting around at lunch time hashing this out so I thought that I would bring it here. The question is: Who would get the most respect?


Here is the setup Any Town, USA. You don’t know anybody in this town but you were invited to a community meeting. There will be 5 people that you get to shake hands with but you get to pick the order in which you shake hands. The 5 people consist of:

The Mayor

The Chief of Police

The Fire Chief

The Head of EMS

The School Superintendent


Who would you pick and why you would pick that order. I’ll post my picks later.

This is no way a way to slam anybody. I am just wondering is all.

For me, order would not matter. I would like to say hello to all of these folks. Who ever I came across first would be my first.

Cracker I understand what you are saying. They all should get respect unles of course they are falling down on the job. I was just wondering.

My order would be :

1) Fire Chief because his /her teams of fire fighters are more then ready to put their lives on the line for your property and life. They are fast responders and know what they have to do.
2) Chief of EMS Now this was a toss up between the police and EMS but EMS wins out due to they most the time are working with a life/death situation.
3) Chief of Police I’m sure he/she has officers that are more then willing to get shoot at or in a fight to protect your property and life but for the most part they will try to stay out of harms way while doing their job. I am in no way slamming the police; I too would hide behind a car if I was being shoot at.
4) Mayor He/She is running the city and its city services.
5) Superintendent of Schools Although a strong school system is a good thing for the community it may or may not be something that the whole community benefits from. The families that have school age children would get the benefits but families without school age children aren’t really getting any benefit.


I’m not trying to slam anybody it just the way I would choose.

Respect is one thing, position is another.
1. Mayor
2. Police Chief
3. Super of Schools
4. Fire Chief
5. Chief EMS

Does anyone even know who the EMS Chief is? Didn't know the city had one, thought they used the county. I sure would not know the Fire Chief if he did not publicize that he is the chief. Big Ego. Everyone knows who the mayor is, who the chief of police is and who the super of schools is.

I guess I'd shake hands in the order that I encountered them.

All those positions deserve respect, but to assign an order or hierarchy would really require knowing something about the town and the accomplishments of the people serving in those positions.

I'd keep my head down and hope nobody recognizes me.

I couldn't disagree with this more.

When I am out in the community, I encounter many, many folks who went to local schools. To the extent that they schools were formative in showing these fine people the ways of the world and how to think, I know I certainly benefit.

In the long view, our community is always renewing. If a particular family has already taken their direct benefit from the schools, soon it could be their children's families' turn. And if not then the families of those whose work and support help each of us every day.

Schools benefit community and community benefits us.

I don't understand the point of the exercise. Then again I'm a little slow.
In your set-up you said that I "don't know anyone in this town"...how am I to recognize any difference between the Mayor and the school superintendent? Their hats? Are the Chiefs in uniform.
Shouldn't I just shake hands and be civil with each of them in the order that we meet? I don't get it.

That is how I would recognize you. When your head is down, and I look up to you I would see your face, not the bottom of your chin as usual.