OT - The sack lunches

[Ysabel Kid]

What a great idea. This is not me, yet anyway!

***

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 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, an 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 ' 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.'

[piller]

YK, great story. Whoever that was did a good job.

[Doc Hudson]

Dagnabbit YK!

Why the heck didn't you dust that story off before you posted it!

It was so derned dusty some of it got in my eyes.

[iceman]

They might have been Canadian soldiers. Petawawa is a Canadian army base and our men are serving in Afganastan, at a great price. Great story I hope it is true.

[kimwcook]

Excellent story. Felt like I was watching one of my wife's movies or something. Can't see a thing.

[Borregos]

kimwcook +1

[Ysabel Kid]

They might have been Canadian soldiers. Petawawa is a Canadian army base and our men are serving in Afganastan, at a great price. Great story I hope it is true.

iceman - I was thinking the same thing. The story applies to both sides of the border - and everywhere else where brave men and women serve to keep us safe and free!

[El Chivo]

I thought it was going good until the part where he gave away the $75.00.

I don't believe it, though, because it's quite a coincidence that three people would give exactly $25.00 each. In this age of automatic tellers, if you reach in your pocket like that, you'd come out with a $20. And the stewardess wouldn't cry in his first class lunch.

I think there's an old lady in Grand Rapids Michigan who writes all these internet tear-jerk stories and circulates them. I recognize her style.

[cjm135]

El,

It might be a made up story but if I am ever in a similar situation I will make it true.

[kirkwood]

I thought it was going good until the part where he gave away the $75.00.

I don't believe it, though, because it's quite a coincidence that three people would give exactly $25.00 each. In this age of automatic tellers, if you reach in your pocket like that, you'd come out with a $20. And the stewardess wouldn't cry in his first class lunch.

I think there's an old lady in Grand Rapids Michigan who writes all these internet tear-jerk stories and circulates them. I recognize her style.

Dude, I travel a lot around the country and to europe. I've seen many times people doing good things for our military when they are traveling. I've seen business class passengers give up their seats for servicemen on at least 3 occasions. I've seen people in airports give servicemen magazines and books to read on the flights and pay for their lunches. I've seen servicemen and women invited up to the skyteam airport lounges. I've seen people of all ages come up to the servicemen and women to simply thank them and ask them if they are going home or leaving home and then tell them to be safe and oh yeah - thanks again for protecting me back here. I'm guessing I've never seen you on any of those occasions.

[GEOFF]

Great story, bet it happens!

I watched my dad in Ohare airport, saw a young 82nd Airborne trooper walking along. My dad picked up his pace, caught up to the young soldier and said " I want to shake your hand, the 82nd is one fine outfit and you must be proud, they fought on our flank at Anzio and when the 82nd was on your flank, you had no worries over there." This was high praise coming from my dad who thought his own 3rd Infantry Division was the absolute finest.

Camaraderie that transcends the different generations is a GREAT THING!!

Geoff

[JReed]

I believe it. I get people wanting to by me lunches and drinks all the time when I am running around in uniform.

[pharmseller]

El,

It might be a made up story but if I am ever in a similar situation I will make it true.

You and me both.

P

[El Chivo]

I agree with the message that we should help out and honor our brave fighting men. I would do something like this if it came up. However, I would talk to them first. A lot of people are embarassed when strangers buy them stuff, as if they can't buy their own. Maybe they're not even hungry! Maybe they're going to feel insulted or awkward. Buying drinks is a traditional way of showing appreciation and cameraderie without awkwardness. I think you should talk to them first.

Did anyone walk up to the soldiers and say, "Thanks guys, we appreciate what you're doing?" No, they just start forking over cash in $25.00 increments.

I can't help thinking about you guys blubbering over a phony story like this was the Oprah Winfrey show. Hey, when the captain comes back to shake the guy's hand, WHO'S FLYING THE PLANE?

I can see the lady in Grand Rapids, she's 60ish, thin, gray hair in a shoulder length pageboy. She wears cardigans and plaid skirts with a giant brass safety pin, pink socks, and sensible shoes. She goes to a creative writing workshop at the mall, and she uses TearjerkPro 4.0 as her writing software.

If the Nigerian scammers ever get hold of this angle, you guys are in trouble.

[gundownunder]

True or not dont matter. Its the principle that counts.
Too many people forget that when the heathen hordes arrive on your shores its the soldier who will stand between you and them willing to give his life for yours.

[horsesoldier03]

I thought it was going good until the part where he gave away the $75.00.

I don't believe it, though, because it's quite a coincidence that three people would give exactly $25.00 each. In this age of automatic tellers, if you reach in your pocket like that, you'd come out with a $20. And the stewardess wouldn't cry in his first class lunch.

I think there's an old lady in Grand Rapids Michigan who writes all these internet tear-jerk stories and circulates them. I recognize her style.

I BELIEVE IT!

Its been a few years now, but when returning from OIF II (2004), I was traveling back to the US while on R&R and was in uniform. Not having had a decent meal in quite a while, I decided to splurge and eat at one of the nicer resterants in the airport. I was literally worn out by the # of people that thanked me and shook my hand. When it came time to pay for my meal, I had 4 people arguing with the waitress over who got to pay for my meal. I thanked each of them and told them I was about to miss my flight to meet my family and once again expressed my appreciation to whom ever paid the bill. While on R&R, I was eating with my family and an individual that overheard I had been deployed paid for our meals without making his generosity known. Despite all the pinheads out there, WE STILL HAVE ALOT OF GREAT AMERICANS that never make the news!

I almost forgot to mention that there were 3 other Soldiers there with me that were experiancing the same situation at the time.