I came within moments of being the impromptu primary speaker at a Veteran’s Day celebration at my son’s elementary school today when it was uncertain if the primary speaker would attend. Fortunately, he showed up and delivered an awesome presentation to the kids that ended up being informative and lots of fun.

This taught me the life lesson that at any point in time, any of us could be called upon to deliver a keynote address with little notice at any event. I will now proceed through life with a keynote speech in my pocket at all times. For the record, the only thing that I could think of to really bring the message home was to re-enact the motel room scene from Apocalypse Now where Martin Sheen’s character is hallucinating, drinking, sweating, cussing, bleeding, crying and rolling around in his underwear while destroying the motel room. I thought the kids would benefit from a strong dose of reality in my one man theatrical interpretation.

The day is still young so if you know of an elementary school in need of a Veteran’s Day presentation that keeps it real (as they say), let me know. I can follow it up with a ‘Scenes From Full Metal Jacket’ presentation if need be.