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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9988 Posts |
Snack
Lunches I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought. Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation. 'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me. 'Petawawa. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Afghanistan After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time... As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. 'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to base.' His friend agreed I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.' She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him.' Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, 'Which do you like best - beef or chicken?' 'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. 'This is your thanks.' After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars. Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand and said, 'I want to shake your hand.' Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, 'I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers. Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm. When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars! Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.' Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little.... A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States of America ' for an amount of 'up to and including my life.' That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.'
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
eBooks at https://www.lybrary.com/ken-muller-m-579928.html questions at ken@eversway.com |
Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
Nice story
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
Pakar Ilusi Inner circle 5777 Posts |
Agreed. I don't usually read long "story" posts but that was worth it...
Thanks funsway!
"Dreams aren't a matter of Chance but a matter of Choice." -DC-
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F J New user Mississippi 31 Posts |
It's the
Land of the Free, Because of the Brave. God Bless America! Also, he's a poem I found recently: Quote:
It is the VETERAN, not the preacher, |
MagicSanta Inner circle Northern Nevada 5841 Posts |
That is nice. One of my fondest memories was flying to Beirut and we landed in Spain for fuel. It was about three in the morning and we were met by a group of American wives of sailors who had made us all sack lunches. It sure was appreciated.
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Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
I remember being invited to a strangers house for Christmas dinner back in 1965.
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
MagicSanta Inner circle Northern Nevada 5841 Posts |
Yeah...it made us feel like lil foster kids being sent out for dinner. It was great though.
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AsL Special user 680 Posts |
Quote:
On 2010-11-16 19:25, MagicSanta wrote: I can certainly relate. Although I still have quite a few years left, it's the little things that Ill remember the most... |
edh Inner circle 4698 Posts |
How we treat our veterans will determine the security of our nation.
Great story.
Magic is a vanishing art.
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Al Angello Eternal Order Collegeville, Pa. USA 11045 Posts |
In the 60's if you showed up at the USO in uniform on Christmas day people would pull up out front, and take a few sailors home with them for dinner.
Al Angello The Comic Juggler/Magician
http://www.juggleral.com http://home.comcast.net/~juggleral/ "Footprints on your ceiling are almost gone" |
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