Compliments

I've never been very good with compliments. I need to learn to be gracious and appreciate these gems, and am beginning to think I have an idea as to why this is so challenging for me.

In my line of work, I meet a motley crew of individuals who have always have a comment or two towards me, most are not very kind, however, every so often, I get blown away - as I did today.

I get a frantic call from an intoxicated patient in crisis. As he is telling me the unfortunate things he plans to do to himself, I keep him on the phone until help arrives. He tells me how smart he is, how powerful he is, and he plans to leave his fiance. He asks if we can go to dinner, if we can be friends? He tells me that I am "very sane and very good looking." As he is being taken away by men in white coats, so to speak, his fiance is cursing at him and he is screaming my name, wistfully asking me to "come visit him."

Is it sad that this is the best compliment I have gotten in a while? And maybe even worse that I was flattered?