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.


'Chicago - to  Great Lakes Base.  We'll be there for two weeks for special training,  and then we're being deployed to Iraq '


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 Chicago, 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 Chicago '


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 in Chicago 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.'