After I had selected my food from the buffet and sat down at the Colonel's today, the elderly couple came in. With their deliberate walk, together they waited their turn at the cash register, the man paying, and together they picked up their plates and filled them from the buffet as well. They moved with the comfort of knowing each other and moving as a team for many, many years.
Side by side they sat in a booth facing me, and that is when I noticed the gentleman's hat. WWII Veteran it said. I know you've seen 'em - dark royal blue with gold lettering. I got up to make one more trip (like I needed it), and decided to continue exercising my policy.
I walked towards their table, and leaning forward over it, I spoke to the old warrior: I couldn't help noticing your hat, and I just wanted to thank you for your service, sir. That's all I wanted to say, and please excuse my interruption of your meal.
Somewhat surprised, he thanked me and voiced his appreciation. I told him it was my outstanding policy to thank veterans for their service, and that I appreciated it. He said: You know, there aren't many of us left anymore. I told him I sure knew that was true, and excused myself to continue my original plan.
Later, after I had eaten some more, reading the paper, I noticed him coming towards me to speak again. He thanked me again, and we started talking. He had been to Europe, and some of his friends had been to the Pacific. He wanted to know where I was from, and I told him and asked if he knew one of my neighbors, who had been in the Battle of the Bulge. He knew him, and some of my other neighbors, plus he knew my Dad. Once he said his name, I remembered hearing of him some years back.
That is when reflecting, he said: It about took us all to win it. He meant all his compadres and the people at home.
It damn sure did, didn't it?
I don't tell you this story to make myself sound good - I'm pretty poor at taking compliments anyways. No, it truly is rewarding to thank a courtly gentleman and his wife for the sacrifices they made, and get to see the gratitude of the recognition. I guarantee you I made his and the wife's day. It's something we should all do.
And I felt so good about it, on the way home, I made it a point to stop at another of my neighbor's place who was in the Reserves during Vietnam. He didn't go, but he was on the edge of getting shipped out for quite some time. He was ready if they wanted him to go.
I thanked him, too.
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4 comments:
Good for you, Jeffro!
I always do the same. The young ones just say "You're welcome", but the older vets are usually surprised when somebody thanks them for "Something that happened so long ago" as one of them told me.
Great post and what a great idea. Good for you!
Yes, I try to remember to do the same. Met an old feller a couple years back with a similar cap and asked if he had served.When he said he had, I thanked him and he almost cried. Meant a lot to him. My parents and their siblings were of that age. I like them people.
But I also try and remember to thank these younger ones also. they also gave up a big part of their life, fir us. Whether they got shipped over seas or not. they still served their country. That's more than you can say for most!
I do the same thing. I recently met a man who was 86, looked twenty years younger, and said he planned to be 120. They wear those hats proudly, and deservedly so!
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