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Topic: Touching Story worth reading (Read 172 times)
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jim thomson
CD,UN Cyprus, Peacekeeping, Police Exemplary Medal City of Calgary Police Medal
Hero Member
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Gender: 
Posts: 87
Pro Patria
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I sat in my seat of the Boeing 767 waiting for
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>> everyone to hurry and stow their carry-ons and grab
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>> a seat so we could start what I was sure to be a
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>> long, uneventful flight home.
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>> With the huge capacity and slow moving people
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>> taking their time to stuff luggage far too big for
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>> the overhead and never paying much attention to
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>> holding up the growing line behind them, I simply
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>> shook my head knowing that this flight was not
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>> starting out very well. I was anxious to get home to
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>> see my loved ones so I was focused on my issues and
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>> just felt like standing up and yelling for some of
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>> these clowns to get their act together.
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>> I knew I couldn't say a word so I just thumbed
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>> thru the "Sky Mall" magazine from the seat pocket in
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>> front of me.
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>> You know it's really getting rough when ! you
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>> resort to the over priced, useless sky mall crap to
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>> break the monotony.
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>> With everyone finally seated, we just sat
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>> there with the cabin door open and no one in any
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>> hurry to get us going although we were well past the
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>> scheduled take off time.
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>> No wonder the airline industry is in trouble I
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>> told myself.
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>> Just then, the attendant came on the intercom
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>> to inform us all that we were being delayed.
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>> The entire plane let out a collective groan.
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>> she resumed speaking to say "We are holding
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>> the aircraft for some very special people who are on
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>> their way to the plane and the delay shouldn't be
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>> more than 5 minutes.
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>> The! word came after waiting six times as long
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>> as we were promised that I was finally going to be
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>> on my way home.
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>> Why the hoopla over "these" folks?
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>> I was expecting some celebrity or sport figure
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>> to be the reason for the hold up ..
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>> Just get their butts in a seat and let's hit
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>> the gas I thought.
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>> The attendant came back on the speaker to
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>> announce in a loud and excited voice that we were
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>> being joined by several Canadian Soldiers returning
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>> home
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>> from Afghanistan !!!
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>> Just as they walked on board, the entire plane
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>> erupted into applause.
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>> The men were a bit taken by surprise by the
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>> 340 people cheering for them as they searched for
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>> their seats.
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>> They were having their hands shook and touched
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>> by almost everyone who was within an arm's distance
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>> of them as they passed down the aisle. One elderly
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>> woman kissed the hand of one of the Soldiers as he
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>> passed by her.
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>> The applause, whistles and cheering didn't
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>> stop for a long time.
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>> When we were finally airborne, I was not the
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>> only civilian checking his conscience as to the
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>> delays in "me" getting home, finding my easy chair,
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>> a cold beverage and the remote in my hand.
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>> These men had done for all of us and I had
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>> been complaining silently about "me" and "my" issues
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>> I took for granted the everyday freedoms I enjoy and
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>> the conveniences of the Canadian way of life.
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>> I took for granted that others had paid the
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>> price for my ability to moan and complain about a
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>> few minutes delay to "me" while those Heroes were
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>> going home to their loved ones.
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>> I attempted to get my selfish outlook back in
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>> order and minutes before we landed, I suggested to
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>> the attendant that she announce over the speaker a
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>> request for everyone to remain in their seats until
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>> our heroes were allowed
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>> to gather their things and be first off the
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>> plane.
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>> The cheers and applause continued until the
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>> last soldier stepped off and we a ll rose to go about
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>> our too often taken for granted everyday freedoms.
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>> I felt proud of them.
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>> I felt it an honour and a privilege to be among
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>> the first to welcome them home and say "Thank You
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>> for a job well done."
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>> I vowed that I will never forget that flight
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>> nor the lesson learned. I can't say it enough, THANK
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>> YOU to those Veterans and active servicemen and
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>> women who may read this and a prayer for those who
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>> cannot because they are no longer with us.
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>> GOD BLESS CANADA!
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>> WELCOME HOME! AND THANKS FOR A JOB WELL DONE!!!!!
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>> This is a ribbon for soldiers fighting in
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>> Afaganstan.
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Pro Patria
Jim
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