Vanity: Just when you thought things were hopeless....

[Hi Heels]

Welcome to white bread Simi Valley, CA, a Republican stronghold in California. Sunday I went to Vons Pavillion to pick up some groceries. In the Queue behind me was a gigantic, the biggest, the blackest green beret I have ever seen, and I'm a colonel's daughter. He was holding his breakfast, oatmeal, etc. THis is how it went:

Me: "you just get back?"

Soldier: "yes maam."

me: "You go ahead of me, I have a lot."

Soldier: "that's not necessary, maam."

me: "you go ahead, please?"

The guy in front of me: "Go ahead of me, too. I have to use a credit card."

Soldier: "Thanks."

*cashier rings up his breakfast*

Another man runs up and pushes the soldier's hand away from the scanner and runs his own debit card through the machine.

The other man to the cashier: "are we good?"

Cashier: "we're good"

Soldier: "Thank you."

*shakes other guy's hand and leaves*

*Several people offer to help pay the soldier's tab. All refused.

In Kullifornia. I saw it with my own eyes. You read about it, but how many times can you say you actually saw it. Came home in tears.

[Khurkris]

Well, it does happen.

And its spelled CALIFORNIA no matter what some of the wacko's might post.

Seal Beach, Huntington Beach and quite a few other places in CALIFORNIA are darn proud of our troops and patriotic as well.

Bless ya'

[used2BDem]

Blurry screen; thanks for posting this bit of good news for our troops.

[merry10]

Coming from CA, I agree with you. Except for the high concentrations of "BLUE" by the cities, California is pretty much more on the red side. (although I still think that somehow whoever came up with blue and red state got the colors mixed up). I also can't forget the outpouring of emotion and support during Ronald Reagan's funeral - directly after he died and upon his return to Point Mugu and Simi Valley.

[SaxxonWoods]

Bought a phone card for a soldier at the airport a while back. He was a little embarrassed, and wanted to decline, but he accepted after I insisted politely. I told him to tell his buddies that a lot of us are behind them all the way.

Everybody, do a little something for those who serve. They deserve it.

[MonicaG]

Some of us are bobbing around in the sea of "BLUE" here in California's capitol!

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences on this - I saw a young serviceman at the San Diego airport waiting for my plane two months ago. I didn't want to intrude on his reunion with a loved one but I wanted SO much to go interrupt and thank him profusely!

Your stories inspire, thanks again.

[bpjam]

And to make sure that our troops know this, consider www.adoptaplatoon.com. Its a good way to get in touch and provide some of the back home comforts to those stuck in the Middle East. Even letters make a big difference and let these men and women know that we are eagerly awaiting their return home as victors and they will never suffer in our generation what those of the last generation were forced to endure upon their return home.

[blondee123]

On a trip to Florida last summer, the stewardess announced that there were two soldiers onboard & would we all mind letting them get off first. Not one person objected, in fact everyone stood & applauded the soldiers! Patriotism is NOT dead!!! (as much as the RATS & MSM would like us to think it is)!

[pettifogger]

Westlake High School '80 bump

[Just A Nobody]

I still would have liked to have done something special for him.
Anyone have any suggestions...

Where ever you are you can walk up and shake their hand and say thank you for your service, we appreciate you!!

I've done this in Wal-Mart, the grocery or dollar store or just walking down the street.

There is a restaurant in my town that I go to, if I go out. If there are any military in the place, the waitresses know to bring me their tab.

[Yaelle]

I also can't forget the outpouring of emotion and support during Ronald Reagan's funeral - directly after he died and upon his return to Point Mugu and Simi Valley.

Yes, we drove by there Sunday and it brought back memories. I will never forget as long as I live, at 3 am, driving past the MILES and MILES of freeway with a single line of cars, for miles, at a standstill, waiting to pay their respects. (My son and I waited for 3 hours but realized we wouldn't be able to get back down to Long Beach before my husband had to get up for work -- and we had two babies at home. We had to turn around.)

They were not waiting for a ball game. They weren't going to get any free beer. They were waiting INSTEAD OF SLEEPING all night long to walk briefly past President Reagan's coffin to pay their respects. Powerful.

[lapsus calami]

 

 

Excellent.

 

That reminds me of something I witnessed back about mid-summer. I stopped in a Golden Corral restaurant (buffet-style place to eat) for a post-noon lunch. Noticed there was a large bus parked down the side of the building. Inside, a rather good-sized group of elderly black folk, some with canes or walkers, were occupying tables in a front dining area to the right of the entrance. Going by their dress and demeanor I would say that they were a church group coming from or going to some sort of function in another part of the state - the bus had markings on it to indicate that it was of Harris county Texas (Houston area). The restaurant dining areas were divided into sections by low walls that run from front to back of the building. Sitting at a small table up against one of those divider walls was a white US Army soldier in full BDUs, and for the "tour" group to access the buffet toward the back, they had to pass right by him. I saw members of the group smile, nod their heads at him as they would go past. Some would stop, and speak quietly with him, then with a touch on a shoulder, a pat on the back or a shake of a hand, move on. I saw one fragile woman with a beaming smile who had to use a walker for mobility stop by for a cheerful chat. It looked like he was on the edge of embarrassment from all the attention he was receiving. I have no idea about how the soldier paid for his meal, since he and the tour group were there before I was, but I think that if the soldier had arrived at the same time the group did, I'd have to bet they would have covered it for him (at that restaurant, you pay before you eat).

 

So, this war on terror business is "tearing the country apart"? That's what the Marxist leftniks would love to have happen, but I find it hard to see. I believe that there are too many folk out and around who are aware of the stakes, and know which side their bread is buttered on.

 

 

 

 

[centexan]

We live next to Fort Hood and have the privilege to do this about once a week. You can usually tell by the BDU and the newspaper if the troops are about to deploy. We ask the waiter to tell the couple that someone else paid and thanked them for their service. A couple of times the waiter ratted us out but we get a kick out of seeing the troops looking around and wondering who paid.

[expatguy]

Wonderful story.

An American Expat in Southeast Asia

[Ban Draoi Marbh Draoi]

Let's see now.

A rather large black SF guy vs. some smelly protesters who try to give him a hard time.

Less than a minute and he would probably tell the cops "sorry about the mess" and the cops would laugh.

[Northern Yankee]

Great story!

Thanks...

[alwaysconservative]

Thanks so much for the ping to a wonderful story!

[SandRat]

sniff, sniff, BLAAAAAAAAT!!!!! sniff, sniff

[Mad Dawgg]

bump

[Calpernia]

This was a troll? Yeah? Huh.

[SandRat]

the sound of me having to blow my Jimmy Durante.