I have recieved this from a friend in my e-mail. Though I will share it with you..Have a good day..
The Sack Lunches I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be along 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 tostart a conversation.'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.
'Petawawa. We'll be there for twoweeks for special training, and thenwe're being deployed to Afghanistan
After flying for about an hour, anannouncement was made that sacklunches were available for fivedollars. It would be several hoursbefore we reached the east, and Iquickly decided a lunch would helppass the time..
As I reached for my wallet, Ioverheard 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 asoldier in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him.'
Picking up ten sacks, she headed upthe aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seatand 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 yours, 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, Isaw the Flight Captain coming downthe aisle, looking at the aislenumbers as he walked, I hoped he wasnot looking for me, but noticed hewas 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 wasa soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness Inever 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 doorwas a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned,and walked away without saying aword. Another twenty-five dollars!
Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to themand 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 onepoint 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.'
