Sack Lunches

[chaser]

> 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.'

[FireMedic65]

very touching story.. kind of brought a tear to my eyes