Sack Lunches

[boomer1]

The Sack 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.'
____________

Please pass this along.

Thanks,
boomer

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[OPFOR]

Thanks for the story, boomer. Once, when flying back from leave to Afghanistan, me and two buddies were having lunch at one of the airport restaurants. As we were finishing, a guy from a neighboring table came over and intercepted the waitress, and paid our tab. He just said a short "thanks, guys," as he walked back to his own table. It was a pretty touching moment, and we gave a good number of our own "thanks" as we left - I actually gave him the combat patch I was wearing at the time...

Sometimes people aren't as horrible as I've come to expect.

[vietnamvet66]

I've seen that posted somewhere befor, but it still brings a lump in this old soldiers throte. I am amazed how many folks now say Thank you for your service, after so many years have
gone by. I never forget to shake the hand of all vets when I see them as I know what it means. So, for all you out there that are active, retired, or just vets in general THANK YOU FOR
YOUR SERVICE.

[SpencerB]

Thank you for that post boomer1, Sometimes all it takes is something little for someone to fell more appreciated. I'm sure you made those soldiers day, I know they really appreciated it!

[rson63]

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States ofAmerica ' 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.'

Amen to that, Nice post Boomer

[Ram Rod]

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The United States ofAmerica ' 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.'

Amen to that, Nice post Boomer

Guaranteed!

[retsupt99]

Thanks for the post!
Thank the next soldier you see with at least a handshake, if possible, something more.

[Old School]

" All gave some, some gave all". God Bless our troops past and present.