"No, son, that's my seat. Yours is in first class."
IF i had the money and IF I was travelling somewhere by air and IF there were soldiers on the flight. . . I'd love to do that.
/sniffle/
When I was returning from Nam, in 1970. I was trying to book a flight from Seattle back to the east coast. The airline rep would not let me pay full military fare. She only wanted me to pay for military standby. I said 'I really want to get home, I'll pay the extra!" She refused to take my money (as an E-5 in 1970, my pay was about $350/month), the savings was substantial for me. She told me she would make sure I got a seat.
When we got on board, about 1/2 the flight were returning Nam Vets, they gave us all First Class service. The meal was a nice steak and wine, free drinks. I was just beside myself. The stewardesses kept checking with us to make sure 'everything was ok."
After the conditions in Nam, it was like I was in a dream. I could not believe that I had survived, I was on a plane, I was back in 'the world', and stewardesses whom I would have married in a minute, we fussing over me.
Those kindnesses, you never forget.
The rest of my early return days were pretty ugly. But, for a moment on that red-eye flight, I felt appreciated. I was afraid to go to sleep, lest it really be a dream and I was still in that God-awful place.