Posted on 06/01/2006 7:47:03 AM PDT by CSM
(The following story was written by Lori Kimble, a 31 year old teacher and Proud military wife. Mrs. Kimble, a California native, currently lives in Alabama..)
I was sitting alone in one of those loud, casual steak houses that you find all over the country. You know the type - a bucket of peanuts on every table, shells littering the floor, and a bunch of Perky college kids racing around with long neck beers and sizzling platters.
Taking a sip of my iced tea, I studied the crowd over the rim of my glass. My gaze lingered on a group enjoying their meal. They wore no uniform to identify their branch of service, but they were definitely "military:" clean shaven, cropped haircut, and that "squared away" look that comes with pride.
Smiling sadly, I glanced across my table to the empty seat where my husband usually sat. It had only been a few months since we sat in this very booth, talking about his upcoming deployment To the Middle East. That was when he made me promise to get a sitter for the kids, come back to this Restaurant once a month and treat myself to a nice steak. In turn he would treasure the thought Of me being here, thinking about him until he returned home.
I fingered the little flag pin I constantly wear and wondered where he was at this very moment. Was he safe and warm? Was his cold any better? Were my letters getting through to him? As I pondered these thoughts, high pitched femalevoices from the next booth broke into my thoughts.
"I don't know what Bush is thinking about. Invading Iraq. You'd think that man would learn from his old man's mistakes. Good lord. What an idiot! I can't believe he is even in office. You do know, He stole the election."
I cut into my steak and tried to ignore them, as they began an endless tirade running down our president. I thought about the last night I spent with my husband, as he prepared to deploy. He had just returned From getting his smallpox and anthrax shots. The image of him standing in our kitchen packing his Gas mask still gives me chills.
Once again the women's voices invaded my thoughts. "It is all about oil, you know. Our soldiers will go in and rape and steal all the oil they can in the name of 'freedom'. Hmph! I wonder how many innocent people They'll kill without giving it a thought? It's pure greed, you know."
My chest tightened as I stared at my wedding ring. I could still see how handsome my husband looked in his "mess dress" the day he slipped it on my finger. I wondered what he was wearing now. Probably his desert uniform, affectionately dubbed "coffee stains" with a heavy bulletproof vest over it.
"You know, we should just leave Iraq alone. I don't think they are hiding any weapons. In fact, I bet it's all a big act just to increase the president's popularity. That's all it is, padding the military Budget at the expense of our social security and education. And, you know what else? We're just asking for another 9-ll. I can't say when it happens again that we didn't deserve it."
Their words brought to mind the war protesters I had watched gathering outside our base. Did no one appreciate the sacrifice of brave men and women who leave their homes and family to ensure our freedom? Do they even know what "freedom" is?
I glanced at the table where the young men were sitting, and saw their courageous faces change. They had stopped eating and looked at each other dejectedly, listening to the women talking.
"Well, I, for one, think it's just deplorable to invade Iraq, and I am certainly sick of our tax Dollars going to train professional baby killers we call a military."
Professional baby killers? I thought about what a wonder-ful father my husband is, and of how long it would be Before he would see our children again.
That's it! Indignation rose up inside me. Normally reserved, pride in my husband gave me a brassy boldness I never realized I had. Tonight one voice will answer on behalf of our military, and let her pride in our troops be known.
Sliding out of my booth, I walked around to the adjoining booth and placed my hands flat on their table. Lowering myself to eye level with them, smilingly said, "I couldn't help overhearing your conversation. You see, I'm sitting here trying to enjoy my dinner alone. And, do you know why? Because my husband, whom I love with all my heart, is halfway around the world defending your right to say rotten things about him." "Yes, you have the right to your opinion, and what you think is none of my business. However, what you say in public is something else, and I will not sit by and listen to you ridicule MY country, MY president, MY husband, and all the other fine American men and women who put their lives on the line, just so you can have the "freedom" to complain. Freedom is an expensive commodity, ladies. Don't let your actions cheapen it."
I must have been louder that I meant to be, because the manager came over to inquire if everything was all right.
"Yes, thank you," I replied. Then, turning back to the women, I said, "Enjoy the rest of your meal."
As I returned to my booth applause broke out. I was embarrassed for making a scene, and went back to my half eaten steak. The women picked up their check and scurried away.
After finishing my meal, and while waiting for my check, the manager returned with a huge apple cobbler ala mode.
"Compliments of those soldiers, he said. He also smiled and said the ladies tried to pay for my dinner, but that another couple had beaten them to it. When I asked who, the manager said they had already left, but that the gentleman was a veteran, and wanted to take care of the wife of "one of our boys."
With a lump in my throat, I gratefully turned to the soldiers and thanked them for the cobbler. Grinning from ear to ear, they came over and surrounded the booth. "We just wanted to thank you, ma'am. You know we can't get into confrontations with civilians, so we appreciate what you did."
As I drove home, for the first time since my husband's deployment, I didn't feel quite so alone. My heart was filled with the warmth of the other diners who stopped by my table, to relate how they, too, were proud of my husband, and would keep him in their prayers. I knew their flags would fly a little higher the next day.
Perhaps they would look for more tangible ways to show their pride in our country, and the military who rotect her.
And maybe, just maybe, the two women who were railing against our country, would pause for a minute to appreciate all the freedom America offers, and the price it pays to maintain it's freedom.
As for me, I have learned that one voice CAN make a difference. Maybe the next time protesters gather outside the gates of the base where I live, I will proudly stand on the opposite side with a sign of my own. It will simply say, "Thank You!"
To those who fought for our Nation: Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know. GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Please pray for God's protection of our troops and HIS wisdom for their commanders. Pass this on to as many as you think will respond. "Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us.
Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior."
When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our ground, air and navy personnel in every area of the middle east. There is nothing attached.... This can be very powerful.... Of all the gifts you could give to anyone in the US Military, be it Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines or National Guard, Prayer is the very best one..... Amen!
~God Bless America~
Blurry screen ping, for your ping lists.....
I have seen similar things happen in a whole lot of airports.
Support the troops bump!
Great post. We all need to say enough and slam the loosers like you did.
God bless folks like your husband and all the others who serve.
bookmark
Authentic or not email, the story is real enough. I hear this tripe (conversations such as the woman in this story overheard) all too often when out. It still amazes me how factless and delusional a large portion of America is.
Teary bump.
Whenever I can---sometimes it would obviously be inappropriate---and I see people in uniform in an airport, I shake their hands and thank them for their service. They are usually surprised, as I gather it doesn't happen a lot.
This may just be another chain e-mail, but it's a good one!
I have no idea if this is real or not.
If this is real, kudos to that woman for standing up for her husband, her president and her country.
If it isn't, it should be. The only way liberals can win the war of words is if we choose not to fight it. Every time they actually say what they think, they lose.
Yeah, I was in DIA not long ago when a GI in uniform was getting a ration of crap from a hippie type female and her male companion. All of a sudden a woman gets up out of her seat and just lands right in the middle of the,( she had to be in her late 70's and she was using a walker). I don't think these kids had ever been talked to in that tone of voice or in that manner.
A week ago, I flew through Atlanta and Salt Lake. The airports were loaded with military. I shook hands with each one of them and thanked them for their service.
..it is not a stretch to know there are rude, ignorant women and men who would say such lousy things and rundown our President, country and military ....on a daily basis...in a public place!!
..and as I read it, I kept thinking these loudmouth women might have raised their voices a level because they too figured out this group of clean cut men could be soldiers.
The soldier's wife was gracious........I don't know if I could have been so gracious......my emotions would have led!!--But she kept her cool and scored excellent points!!..Bravo!
This has enough ring of truth to be true!
Thanks for posting!!!!
Cubicle bound, and trying not to wail.
Thanks so much for sharing this. There is hope, after all. Godspeed to you and your family, we are not worthy of their bravery.
It's way past time for the silent majority to start speaking out against whining un-American Liberals who think they speak for the country. It's our obligation to defend our freedoms and protect our way of life here at home just as our brave soldiers defend our freedoms abroad. We can no longer afford to be silent as our supposed elected representatives, in collusion with the MSM, attempt to take away our freedoms.
Actually we need more people speaking out like this wonderful woman did. The liberals think that they own the world because they are loud and boisterous. They do not.
I was once thanked by a soldier because I ripped up a poster on the subway. The poster announced a forthcoming anti-war protest in or near the Walter Reed Medical Center. Simple acts like that will make a difference whether it be a few outspoken words while in a grocery store check out line, or in a restuarant, or in a queue in front of a movie theater. Otherwise such remarks go unanswered and insult those who cannot answer.
It's a terrific post! Verified or not, it should inspire us to act if and when the situation presents itself!
I keep my mouth shut most of the time but got into it with a loudmouth at a university area post office and a postal worker...both were ranting loudly about Bush being Hitler yada yada yada ..that set me off and I expressed my opinion that they were having paranoid delusions....
I must of used up about a quart of adrenalin
Real time confrontations aint easy
Like most e-mail stories, this may or may not be a completely true story. It is, however, quite plausible and undoubtedly many very similar confrontations have indeed happened. I've participated in a few.
It is the sort of thing that *should* be happening more and more, not less. Especially now as the end game approaches in Iraq. Those of us that believe in the mission need to stand up more than we do, shout down the misfits more than we do... and fly our flags higher and prouder than ever.
We're making history here. :-)
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