A Very Cool Story

[RAZR51]

One of the riders I ride with posted this up on our local board and I figured you guys would appriciate it.

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

[borislav]

Originally Posted by RAZR51

One of the riders I ride with posted this up on our local board and I figured you guys would appriciate it.

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

The last couple words are SO TRUE!!!

[nomo]

A sappy , patronizing story . No doubt the soldiers felt like telling him that they can buy their own lunch . I love the handout at the end . Palease .

[fotomoto]

Originally Posted by nomo

A sappy , patronizing story . No doubt the soldiers felt like telling him that they can buy their own lunch . I love the handout at the end . Palease .

Chain letter. I always wonder who starts them and what their real motivation is.

snopes.com: Sack Lunches

[johnyisthedevil]

maybe their motivation is to inspire others to treat our countrymen in the manner of which they deserve. every single person that signs a portion or all of their life and rights away so that we may ridicule whoever we wish is a hero in my book. and should be treated as such.

now is it so hard to believe that somebody might have done such a thing? and maybe the chain letter has a chance of being based partially on a true story? I often pay tolls for random people behind me on the road, just to do something nice for people. $2.00 toll, here's twenty bucks let the next 9 people through.

[RockyMt]

If you don't understand or believe, all the explaining in the world won't help. Seeing some of these "kids" (18-20 y/o) Seeing 'em stateside, let alone overseas, ya can't help but help 'em out. Buying 'em dinner, or even just pickin' up their tab at 7-11, or their movie ticket, you get more out out of that few bucks in "feel goodness" than anything else I can think of. Unless you've "been there", you don't know how lonely it can be, wondering if anyone even remembers you're gone. Don't mean to get all sappy on ya, but without them....................Anyway, as you were........

Semper Fi!

-Rocky-

[TLRSKUNK]

As I sit at my Desk behind my computer at 1100, in Basrah Iraq and I read this story. It made me think of all the people that have done things for me to say thank you for what I do. While i appreciate the thanks, If they have time to talk I will tell them that I don't do what I do for the thanks for the feeling that I get. I like what I do and will do this for a long time. The commarderie, the friends, the enemies, people you meet along the way, the look on the local kids faces when your convoy rolls by and they Frantacially wave as a thank you or just to say Hi. This is why I do this and for no other reason. i don't need a hand out but some one doing it because they want to means a lot.
I don't care whether this story is entirely true or not the person that wrote it obvisiouly had an experiance at some point that he wanted others to think about. and my question to you all as you read it did you think about a friend that is a soldier or a family member that is a soldier or a soldier that you ran into? If you did then the author/story teller accomplished his mission.

Just please don't take what these soldiers give up to do what we do for granted. Yes we volunteered but we still leave our families and Lives behind hoping they don't forget about us while we are here. I am Married with 2 kids (I am also only 24) and I have been gone since january of this year and will not be home till February of next year. So we do go through a lot being here. and even if you don't support the War PLEASE support your troops because one day we may have to defend our own country from foreign or domestic threats.
end Rant/ sorry it was long winded.

[DUX]

Originally Posted by nomo

A sappy , patronizing story . No doubt the soldiers felt like telling him that they can buy their own lunch . I love the handout at the end . Palease .

Originally Posted by fotomoto

Chain letter. I always wonder who starts them and what their real motivation is.

snopes.com: Sack Lunches

It might just be a story, but have you considered that the motivation is just to send a message of appreciation and remembrance to the troops?

I'm in uniform on a daily basis and used to have people walk up to me all the time to say thanks. Nowadays I'm willing to bet that greater than 50% of the population is completely disconnected from the fact that we're still in the middle of two wars and that kids are still dying while those at home check their Facebook, play XBOX, go out to dinner, post on this board, etc.....

Fortunately I fly into and out of the desert, so I don't have to stay there for long periods of time. I always thank the people who take the time to stop me and tell them that I'll pass on the kind words to the guys on the ground.

Oh...and btw... On more than one occasion we've gone to the counter to pay the bill at lunch only to find that someone has already taken care of it and left without looking for so much as a thank-you......very humbling.

TLRSKUNK....From me and everyone who's taken the time to talk with me, thanks for all you're doing over there.

[nomo]

Are we reading the same letter ?! This load of rubbish is self-aggrandizing and condescending . People walked up to him and thanked him , the pilot wanted to shake his hand . Fvck off man . I thought the story was supposed to be about the soldiers . And at the end , here you go , here's $75 for your trouble . A private gesture of thanks to the soldiers is one thing , but this stroll along the red carpet for attention is pathetic .

[DUX]

Yes, the same letter. We're viewing it differently.

To me it reads like a pay-it forward kind of thing.

It probably never happened exactly this way anyway.

[Jami6989]

Originally Posted by johnyisthedevil

$2.00 toll, here's twenty bucks let the next 9 people through.

U realize the tollbooth jockey put your $18 in his pocket, right?

Nice sappy story. But if someone really did that, why would they be writing a story advertising their good deed? It's like they've never done a selfless act and want credit or something. Just do a random selfless act and go on with your life like everyone else does.

[johnyisthedevil]

Jamie, Jamie, Jamie, that's why you get a receipt man. I was born at night, but not last night.

[Area 51]

Originally Posted by borislav

The last couple words are SO TRUE!!!

Then just quote the last couple words, turkey.

[Jami6989]

Originally Posted by johnyisthedevil

Jamie, Jamie, Jamie, that's why you get a receipt man. I was born at night, but not last night.

People still pay cash? Don't they have EZ-Pass or something electronic in your area of the States? They DO have computers and stuff down there, right?

[johnyisthedevil]

don't even get me started on how bad the ez pass B.S. is down here. you might as well just run the toll booth and pay the 25 dollar fine.

[3stripes]

HOOOORAH!!!

[RockyMt]

The trick is to back it in sideways thru the booth at 50+, the cameras can't read the plate!

-Rocky-

[WNCpavementripper]

As the father of 2 US Marines I find it sad that certain members of this board could call that story "sappy" or infer that it is completely untrue. I guess until sacrifice is something that becomes personal to you, the freedoms you enjoy will be meaningless.

[Jami6989]

Originally Posted by WNCpavementripper

As the father of 2 US Marines I find it sad that certain members of this board could call that story "sappy" or infer that it is completely untrue. I guess until sacrifice is something that becomes personal to you, the freedoms you enjoy will be meaningless.

Yes, we get that part and we've been over this a million times. But do you have to run around pounding your chest everytime you do something for a serviceman and seek recognition for it? That's when it starts to get a little too much. "Hey, look at me, look at me! I did something nice today!" Yawn.....

[WNCpavementripper]

Originally Posted by Jami6989

Yes, we get that part and we've been over this a million times. But do you have to run around pounding your chest everytime you do something for a serviceman and seek recognition for it? That's when it starts to get a little too much. "Hey, look at me, look at me! I did something nice today!" Yawn.....

Obviously you didn't read the story very well. The author was not pounding his chest, he even stated that he hoped to avoid being noticed or recognized for his actions. The point of the story, true or not is to remind people of the men and women who put themselves in harms way. A little appreciation goes a long way for our service members. If you don't get it fine, there are plenty of good people to take up your slack.