Posted on 08/26/2005 7:06:55 AM PDT by NavyCanDo
Diners have sweet surprise for soldier, girlfriend
By Susan Gilmore Seattle Times staff reporter
When Chris Yanez wanted to take his girlfriend out for a special dinner to celebrate their one-year anniversary, he chose the venerable restaurant Canlis, perched high above Lake Union.
Yanez, a soldier returning from Iraq, knew the dinner would be pricey. What he didn't expect is that it would be free. And he also didn't expect that when he walked out, the place would be in tears.
Before going to dinner Wednesday night, Yanez, a reservist who spent a year in Iraq as a machine-gunner, put on his green dress Army uniform, the one he was proud to wear. With his girlfriend, Liz Coleman, on his arm, he walked into Canlis, where owner Mark Canlis found the couple a special table with a panoramic view of the lake and the city.
"I was a captain in the Air Force, so I have a soft spot there," Canlis said.
A few minutes later, a man at a nearby table — who wanted to remain anonymous — walked up to the restaurant owner. "I was noticing the young soldier and saw them looking at the menu," he told Canlis. "I know he was looking at prices and I know this is a special thing, so I would like to take care of part of their bill."
Then another family, the Greenbergs, said they, too, wanted to help pay for the meal. By the end of the night several patrons had, unknown to Yanez, offered to pay for the young couple's meal. With Canlis also sharing the costs, the $150 bill evaporated.
Yanez and Coleman were sharing a peach-cobbler dessert when Canlis walked up with a piece of molten chocolate lava cake.
"There's folks in this restaurant who don't think you should have to share a dessert," Canlis told the couple. "And they don't think you should pay the bill."
Coleman burst into in tears. Tana Greenberg, whose family helped pay the bill, said she, like several other patrons, was wiping her eyes.
"This brought out the patriotism in all of us," she said. "It was just the right thing to do. We're sending our kids over there and they're dying to uphold our beliefs. We just said this couple should not have to buy their meals. It was showing our belief in the uniform and what it stands for."
Yanez, 20, a student from Renton, said he was stunned by the gesture.
"I knew Canlis was expensive, but this is a one-of-a-kind restaurant and this was a special occasion," he said. "It was the greatest thing ever. It makes me feel like people appreciate the troops and they care about people in the community. I was in shock and my girlfriend started to cry. It was really emotional."
Canlis said his grandfather, who spent 39 years in the Marines, once told him that he should never let a soldier in uniform into his restaurant without being taken care of.
He said it's not the first time in recent months that returning troops have been honored at Canlis. Several months ago a man came in with his wife to treat her to a special dinner to make up for the two years he had spent in Iraq. The entire Canlis crew decided to pay the bill.
"That's what makes it fun for us," Canlis said, "being able to take care of people in a special way."
As a conservative there has been many times I have been tempted to pick up the phone and cancel my subscription to the Times for what I see as liberal biased reporting, but when I picked up Fridays paper and read the front page-above the fold story entitled, “Diners have sweet surprise for soldier, girlfriend”, I just had to thank you giving this story the public attention it deserves. I have heard of many occasions where the restaurant or it patrons would pick up the bill for a soldier, but this is the first time I have seen it reported where it should. Thank You Seattle Times for doing the right thing. And thank you Canlis Restaurant and its patrons, you are true Americans.
Good on you for writing the letter, and thanks for sharing a wonderful story.
wiping my eyes
A great way to support our troops.
What a truly uplifting story! A nice counter-balance to all the Cindy crap we have to hear every day.
thank you for this wonderful post
Also very impressive coming from one of the most liberal cities in America. I would never expect this in Seattle. I guess I have underestimated America.
I ... sort of ... burst into tears myself!
Excellent story.
See that Cindy Sheehan, you DEFINITELY don't speak for us! I love it!
Semper Fi'
Jarhead
Ditto...got a little misty myself.
What a great story. And thank you for writing the newspaper the way you did.
We all criticize the MSM, but when they do something right, it should be duly noted and you did that.
Same thing happened to me when I was a young air force guy.
Out to dinner with my girlfriend in Monterrey, an older couple paid for our dinner. He told me that when he was back from WWII someone did it for him and told him he had to do it too. He waited about 39 years and I happened to be the lucky airman.
I did not wait 39 years but have made it a habit of buying dinner, drinks or what ever for our young people in uniform.
Makes you feel great and makes them feel really appreciated..
What a great story! Thanks foir sharing and thanks for writing them a nice note to compliment. Sometimes that does wonders!
I await with baited breath the report of this good deed on the Today Show...still waiting...still waiting...turning blue...THUMP...:)
Right up your alley, buddy...nice to know their are people out there like you.
great article ... we need to see more articles like this .... makes me want to buy a meal for the next soldier I see! God bless America and it's military.
Peace! (through strength!)
It's people like you that give Freepers a good name. Thanks for supporting the troops. For once we get to see a great human interest story about our wonderful kids serving the armed forces.
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