Sack Lunches

This was sent to me via e-mail today by Gina W.  Thank you Gina!!  I liked it so much I thought I would post it here.....Sorry about the little arrows from the e-mail!  :)

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 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  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 the 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 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.'