Sack Lunch for a Soldier - GreenPassion.org - Dedicated to Medicinal Cannabis Cultivation and Education

jangel · #1 (**permalink**) 06-04-2009, 03:52 PM

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 "Canada" 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.'

May God give you the strength and courage to share this with others.....

I JUST DID

God bless all our troops, no matter where they are from. They are there for all of us.