I was a WAC. Not wackadoodle, just WAC — Women’s Army Corps. Then we merged with the regular U.S. Army and I was simply a grunt. That’s what they called us low-ranking people in green.

A million miles from home, I was the Battalion Commander’s personal secretary, of the 71st Maintenance Battalion in Nuremberg, Germany.

But my story really starts one spring morning about a week before Easter. I woke up. The sun was shining brightly into the barracks windows, and I felt awesome.

No reason, I just woke up that morning feeling fantastic. Best mood ever! I got dressed, went to work, and got situated at my desk. The only one to beat me to work that morning was the Colonel’s driver, a young, tall spindly fellow with big ears.

We halted our early morning conversation when a loud rumbling thunder came towards us from the other end of the long hallway.

“Better look out, the Sergeant Major’s in a bad mood,” the driver said with a raised eyebrow.

“The Sergeant Major’s always in a bad mood!” We both chuckled at the truth of that.

CSM Middleton lived to terrorize the troops. It didn’t hurt that he was over six feet tall, built like a refrigerator, and never smiled. I used to think of him as Frankenstein’s monster. The only thing missing was the bolts in his neck.

CSM Middleton screeched to a halt at my desk and glared at me. “Have you made the Colonel’s coffee yet?” He roared.

“Nope, but I will.” I smiled up at him. I had a beautiful smile, too.

I was in a fantastic mood, and no one, not even Command Sergeant Major Middleton, was going to take that away from me.

I stood my ground.

“Have you organized his schedule for today?” Middleton roared even louder.

“Nope, but I will.” I smiled even bigger.

It was a stand-off. Him growling and me smiling.

The Sergeant Major spun around and stormed off to his office. And I got to work doing my duties for the day. Smiling.

The Sergeant Major left the office after that without saying a word to me. Obviously, he didn’t know how to deal with someone like me. Someone who was happy. Someone who stood up to him.

I walked over to the post exchange for lunch and saw a large greeting card with Charlie Brown and Lucy on the front of it. Charlie Brown said to Lucy, “You know what’s wrong with the world?”

Inside the card, Charlie Brown said, “There’s too much apathy.” And Lucy’s response was, “Who cares?” Typical Lucy!

I bought the card, along with a large chocolate bunny, since it was almost Easter, and took them back to the office.

Inside the card, I wrote, “I care, have a wonderful day.” And I signed it. Placed the card and the chocolate bunny on the Sergeant Major’s desk and went back to work.

This was a man who yelled at everyone and only looked for what was wrong. He was a friend to no one, only the terror that everyone feared.

He came back later that afternoon, was in his office for only a few minutes, then gone again. And he didn’t show up again until a week later.

CSM Middleton never acknowledged the card or the bunny. But there was a change in him when he returned the following week.

He may have still been a bully to everyone else, but to me, he was kind. He shared his pictures from his trip with me. He invited me to dinner with him and his wife. He began treating me like a daughter. Apparently, he did have a daughter about my age who was away at college.

And when I left Germany, it was the Command Sergeant Major who threw me a going away party.

I didn’t let him take my happiness away. Instead, I showed him kindness and made a friend.

Stand up for yourself. It might surprise you at what happens when you do.

You DO have a choice!