A Way to Say Thank You to Those in Uniform

The Los Angeles Times ^ | Feb. 16, 2003 | Helen Evers

[Iowa Granny]

It is never very smart to fly off the handle and comment on something you have very little background on.

An apology is due.

[LBGA]

I've got a few friends lined up for the broken plumbing kind of emergencies,

Uh, could you send your buddies my way tonight???

I waited all day for a plumber to show up and then he came in reading me the riot act about his trip fee and deriding me on what I thought was the problem (tree roots clogging the line).

When he gave me the estimate I waited for a second to see if he would laugh and say it was a joke. $746 for a roto rooter kind of thing. I paid the $90 trip charge and have no toilet, shower or washing machine... and no $90. Now I have to cancel a client meeting tomorrow to find someone with reasonable fees. Where are your buddies? Maybe I can pay their air fare for a fraction of what this jerk was going to charge me. ;-)

[LBGA]

...and no dry towels since I had two floods today. But what the heck, I can't take a shower so who needs towels?

[JRandomFreeper]

In Texas. If I was there, I would help out. Plumbing problems are a pain.

/john

[LBGA]

Thanks. :-)

I'll find someone who isn't a thief. The last time this happened I paid $250 to fix it.

Thank you for serving. I would take your pet in and give it a good home if you didn't already have arrangements.

[JRandomFreeper]

Trill put up with me being gone for about 3 months last year. She had a couple of tough situations to deal with.

On the other side of the coin, I came back to a (mostly) remodeled entryway. I knew there was going to be a suprise when she phoned me about accessories for my air chisel. ;>)

/john

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

I haven't gotten me a PDA yet, so I'm not acquainted with what's available to download onto them. However, I guess I'm not surprised to learn that those being deployed are well acquainted with leading technologies.

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

We're in a Seattle suburb that is heavily populated with Microsofties and workers at the Lazy B. There aren't many military families in our neighborhood. Also, we don't have snow (haven't had any all year so far).

[LBGA]

You would do well to come back and apologize to JRandomFreeper. Everyone is willing to forgive and forget if a sincere apology is offered. We all say things tthat are insensitve at times, but the real test for character is how one deals with it when they realize they have been a fool.

[JRandomFreeper]

www.peanutpress.com has a lot of downloadable books. So does the Gutenberg project, for older classics.

/john

[mystery-ak]

Yeah, Im used to it too....been going on now for almost 30 years...I even surprise myself sometimes....this time though, Im all alone,(except for my 3pugs) kids are grown...my 20yo was just put on alert, was supposed to go to Korea next month, I guess that's up in the air!....these are trying times!!

[JRandomFreeper]

Trill isn't really used to it. I was out long before we were married, and she's had to adjust to me reverting back to my military ways since I re-enlisted last year. She's been a trooper, and helped me recognize that this is very tough on the families left behind.

Prayers lifted for your entire family.

/john

[mystery-ak]

You too....stay safe.

[just another american]

I am sorry for my comments. I have spent the day reading about all the protestors and just saw red. By the way I am retired military for those that feel I have no right to complain. I am new to this forum and did not realize that I was addressing a serviceman. My deepest apologies. I am just so frustrated with a vast majority of our fellow countrymen. Next time I will try to think before typing.
The one good thing about my indescretion is that I got lambasted by quite a few people and that makes me realize that the whole country isn't insane. Now if we could just get our point of view the public exposure that the protesters got. Please accept my aplogy.

[JRandomFreeper]

'Nuff said. Pop a cold one and chill.

/john

[Hila]

John, blessings upon you and your daughter, THANK YOU! for serving our country and being the mighty force that stands watch so we may live. I am a true American, an American with the fear of the Lord, who know how to honor those that lay their lives on the line when duty calls. I salute you and also as an American, ask you to disregard the thoughtless comment "justanotherAmerican". It is obvious that he/she was having an algore moment - didn't know what he/she was thinking. God bless you John, we'll be praying direction and safety for you all.

[JRandomFreeper]

See post #34. Let's let that pass.

And thank you for your support of our men and women in uniform.

/john

[LBGA]

Thank you for serving, too. I understand your frustration, but if you hang out on FR long enough, you will learn that the vast majority in this country are thankful for the sacrifices you, and others in our military have made. It's just the mainstream media who would try to make everyome think otherwise.

You are a good person to come back and say you made a mistake. Kudos to you.

[Iowa Granny]

Thank you for apologizing to John. I am not military, nor is my family, but we hold those who are serving and those who have served in the past, in extremely high esteem.

Your moniker is very deceiving. If you have served,, you most definitely are not, 'just another american'.

[Mr. Mulliner]

You've just earned your freeper stripes. Thank you for your service to our country and for your grace in apologizing to John.

Your frustration is easily understood. We feel the same, but you will soon find that you are among friends here, people who think like you do and hold most of the same values. For someone like you, this can be a healing place, free from the anti-Americanism so rampant in the media.