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 ofmoney 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 '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.'

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