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Thread: With great respect

  1. #1
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    With great respect

    We had an early dinner with our "daughter" and son-in-law yesterday. She was working last night (at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) and he was just getting back from London. He shared this story with us:

    Prior to departure he returned to the end of the jet way after making his pre-flight check just as the gate agent and a few others were coming down the jet way with an old man in a wheel chair. The gate agent stopped our SIL and explained that this was a VIP---the gentleman in the wheel chair was a veteran of the D-Day invasion and was returning home after taking part in those ceremonies, would he like to escort the gentleman to his seat. Most of the passengers were boarded and they had upgraded the gentleman to business class. Our SIL said he would be honored but felt compelled to offer that honor to the Captain first. He went to the cockpit and told the Captain and with the same feeling of honor the Captain went back and escorted the gentleman to his seat. As he did that, one of the flight crew announced who this special passenger was---to great applause

    Through the thoughtfulness of those employees---from the gate agents to the flight crew, a huge American company was "reduced" to a small group of respectful, warm, and caring people---kudos to all
    Last edited by Dave Grubb; 06-09-2019 at 12:21 PM.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Grubb View Post
    kudos to all
    Indeed......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  3. #3
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    Nice.

    Hunter
    I don't care if it hurts. I want to have control. I want a perfect body. I want a perfect soul. - Creep by Radiohead

  4. #4
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    Well done....


    If it was United they would have put him in the overhead.....

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phillbo View Post
    If it was United they would have put him in the overhead.....
    That brings up the question of which airline it was...I don't see the name in Dave's narrative......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  6. #6
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    It is United---in fact our SIL said at the beginning of the story---"we didn't kill any dogs today"

    ...and BTW---there is more to the dog story than ever made it to the media.

    The owner of the dog was asked to put the larger of her two bags in the overhead and the other under her seat. She complied without ever telling the crew that there was a dog in the bag

    But, on the other hand United does break guitars
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  7. #7
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    Very cool story! Thanks for sharing that with us.
    The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible - Arthur C. Clarke

  8. #8
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    It is my pleasure Mike.

    The "occasion" of this dinner was to celebrate our 52nd wedding anniversary which is Monday and fathers day since both their schedules are mostly unknown.

    Between what my daughter wrote in my father's day card and that story I was doing a lot of wiping of my eyes.

    As we talked about that event my SIL offered that there is nothing, that by virtue of position or employer that prevents any one of us from acting with respect and compassion towards people we encounter everyday.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Grubb View Post
    The "occasion" of this dinner was to celebrate our 52nd wedding anniversary...
    Outstanding work, Dave. Kudos to your wife, too.

    Hunter
    I don't care if it hurts. I want to have control. I want a perfect body. I want a perfect soul. - Creep by Radiohead

  10. #10
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    I often kid that the journey was helped by being home for only eight years

    Putting the kidding aside our success has come about because we both worked at it.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  11. #11
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    Congrats Dave.
    Fred

    "Everyday I beat my own previous record for number of consecutive days I've
    stayed alive."

    'Take care of yourself, and each other.'

  12. #12
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    I was again this morning to read of another WW II veteran. This was in our local weekly paper. The two man police force in the neighboring township provided an escort to a 96 year old D-Day veteran and his wife to the Philadelphia airport to send them on their way to France for the ceremonies there. What a wonderful use of tax payer money

    Maybe because of the "treatment" afforded my generation I am particularly touched by acts of honor like these.
    Last edited by Dave Grubb; 06-22-2019 at 09:59 AM.
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty” ---Sir Winston Churchill
    "Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all." ---John W. Gardner
    “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” ---C. S. Lewis

  13. #13
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    If it was up to me those gentlemen would fly where ever they wanted, free!! Sometimes I wonder if there are any/many people that even understand what those men did for us and the free world.
    This is your mind on drugs!

  14. #14
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    I was in Phx at Sky Harbor once when a Flight of Honor departed. I happened to be waiting in a nearby gate and you could tell something was happening as a crowd began to gather. It was pretty easy to figure it out after a few minutes, but before boarding they made an announcement over the PA letting everyone know which gate to go to see them off.

    There were hundreds of people gathered by then and the most remarkable spontaneous ovation broke out as the 20 or so WWII vets boarded. Everything else stopped, even the boarding at adjacent gates. Most were in wheelchairs and were pushed aboard by their sons or grandsons - many of whom were in uniform themselves. Some insisted on getting out of their chairs and walking down the jetbridge themselves.

    It seems like I have been in every airport in this fine country but that is the only time I saw this. I consider myself very lucky to have been there that day.

    "Back after 5 years. I thought you had died.

    don"


    Splitting my time between the montane and the mesas

    The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep.

  15. #15
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    I was walking through a campground at Yellowstone some years ago in which I had parked my motorhome, when I came upon another coach with a plaque emblazoned with ”Corregidor Survivor’s Association” (or something similar) and I stood there trying to decide whether to knock on the door and chance on disturbing the veteran or not. I decided to pass on by and have regretted that many times. How many times do you get to shake the hand of a Philippine Death March survivor?
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


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