Subject:  THE HERO |
Author:
Dusty
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Date Posted: 13:33:01 03/30/02 Sat
Author Host/IP: spider-th014.proxy.aol.com/152.163.213.49
True story!!! Happened last month at the take-out stand
in the restaurant where I work! Hope y'all enjoy it!!
THE HERO
A lesson learned the other day
Is too important not to share
For it applies to all of us
Americans everywhere!
I run a busy take-out stand
Where folks get their food to go
And its there I was reminded
Of things from long ago...
One of my regular customers
Was a frail, older man
Somewhere in his eighties
His years covered quite a span
His order never varied
Two small flounders, one with fries
The other with baked potato
I loved the twinkle in his eyes!
He was quite unassuming
Soft-spoken and usually quiet
He used to tease and always ask
When would I start my diet!
Once we were all by ourselves
Business was slow that day
And as we waited for his order
We talked the time away
He said he had some souvenires
That he'd like for me to see...
I said, "Sure thing, just bring em by
It's quite alright with me!"
Once he left I soon forgot
The conversation slipped my mind
Until the next time he appeared
And pulled me to one side
In his old and trembling hands
He held a plastic sack
He whispered, "Can you spare a sec
So we could step out back?"
I could tell he was excited
For his blue eyes fairly glowed
Though he tried hard to contain it
His eagerness plainly showed!
Then I remembered, "The 'souvenirs!'"
From who knew when or where!
I sighed, "And on a Friday night!
With customers EVERYwhere!"
But I could not disappoint him
For I'd promised I would look
I got someone to watch the counter
A second is all it took...
Inwardly, I gave a groan
Souvenirs! I thought
Ashtrays, no doubt, and coasters
That in his travels he had bought!
But it seemed important to him
Sharing what he'd brought with me
So I simply had to take the time
For what he wanted me to see!
As we stepped to the counters' end
He took the bag and reached inside
I wondered about his expression
Which looked to me like pride!
Before me on the counter
He placed a small, black jeweler's case
Followed by two more just the same
That little smile still on his face
"Go ahead, Dusty....open one"
I heard the old man say
So I did and what I saw
Took my breath clean away!!
Against a velvet background
Below a tiny rainbow bar
Gleaming as it caught the light
Was our nation's Purple Star!
One of our country's highest honors
Awarded only to the best
For bravery and great courage
Valor surpassing all the rest!
I'd heard about this medal
Earned by heroes in foreign lands
But I trembled as I realized
That I now held one in my hands!
Tingles raced along my spine
And my hair stood on end
As I looked up to meet the eyes
Of my delighted little friend!
The other cases he had opened
Contained more medals that he'd won
A Star of Bronze....the Service Cross
Three when all was said and done
He tenderly turned each one to show
His name engraved first and last
His eyes now focused I was sure
On some distant painful past
"Back at home I have another"
He whispered, with a wink
"A German helmet on my dresser....
He never missd it I don't think!"
And a wicked piece of shrapnel
That was removed from his left arm
After even injured, he'd pulled three men
To safety, away from harm!
This quiet, elderly customer
Was transformed as he described
The vicious battle, and as he spoke
It seemed like history came alive!
Other customers and some servers
Who'd been listening, stood around
Taking in the medals and the story
That held us each spellbound!
Then he put it all away
Saying "There's no more to tell"
As the take-out phone began to ring
Breaking into history's spell
Over and over I thanked him
For reminding us one and all
That America's legacy was so much more
Than names carved on a wall....
"I appreciate your listening
Not everyone likes to hear!
Some think old stories a waste of time
And they make their feelings clear!"
I wiped my tears and took his hand
Saying, "I'm still thanking you
And all the heroes who defended
Our precious Red, White and Blue..."
It could have been a trick of light
But as he turned to walk away?
He seemed to be much taller
Imagination, some would say...
But I had re-learned a lesson
One that often slips our reach
The fact that senior citizens
All have so much to teach!
Things like courage, heart and valor
Aren't just words on a printed page
Heroes walk among us still
Undiminished by time or age...
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