Just had a Bethel Flashback(TM) and thought I would share.
It was lunch time and everyone was at their table getting ready to eat when a new guy sits down at the end of the table. I didn't know him so I thought I would be friendly and chat a bit.
I tried to say something friendly and he just grunted a but and continued doing what he was doing... I did this several times and never got a word out of him, only a look of being annoyed by the sound of my voice or something.
Later, after he left, the other guys at the table who had all suddenly gotten quiet when he arrived started talking again. They all started saying: "Don't you know who that was?!?!?" I replied "No, who was he?". I don't recall the name they said but they said something to the effect that he was brother so-and-so and with such and such major title and very important.
It was very strange... they all but fell to their knees and worshiped the guy. They were also scared to death of him. They all hardly breathed when he was there. After he left they all freaked out wondering why I tried to talk to him. This was one of the things that really caught my attention... I was always told that JWs were all "brothers" with no rank or titles... we were all supposed to be one big happy family. this experience clearly showed me that this was simply not true.