Our walking wounded

I need to start this blog out on a serious note for a change.

I was in the Denver airport waiting for my connection back to Sacramento when a wounded vet sat beside me in the waiting area.  He was only about 23-24 and was walking with two arm crutches.  I was on the one side of him when he started talking to a gentleman on his other side.  I didn't get all of the conversation, but what I did hear was that he was wounded in Iraq from a roadside bomb and had lose the feeling in his left leg.  He was supposed to have another operation and "hopefully" he would get the feeling back.  As he sat there talking the gate agent came up to him and handed him a boarding pass and told him that an anonymous passenger had surrendered his first class seat and took the vet's economy seat instead.  The young vet was very moved and didn't really know what to say.  When it got time to board the airline they invited the first class section to board from the red carpet.  Let me back up a bit.  On United they seat you by sections - first class, elite, 1k, etc is boarded first - then seating section 1 which is economy plus, then seating section 2, etc. up to section 4.  As most people do they will huddle around the gate area and wait for their section to be called.  As I was waiting for my section to be called I noticed that the young vet, who could board first, hung back because there were about 4 people standing in front of the boarding area and he really couldn't get through easily.  Seeing that and being the timid and shy person that I am, I walked up to them, excused myself and pushed them aside (gently of course).  Then I turned to the young vet and motioned him forward.  At first he didn't want to go ahead, but I said, "You are first class, you deserve to go."  He looked at me and thanked me, then slowly boarded.  It was about 5 minutes later when my section was called and I boarded the plane.  As I entered the plane I saw this young man sitting in the first seat in first class and catching his eye I smiled at him.  As I passed his seat, he grabbed my arm and asked, "Ma'am, are you the one who changed seats with me?"  Smiling I replied, "No, sir, I am not.  But I am a vet too and I appreciate you."  Grabbing my hand in a tight grip he looked at me very humbly and said, "Thank you, Ma'am.  And I appreciate you too."

Usually a random act of kindness doesn't affect me very much.  But this one put a lump in my throat and brought tears to my eyes.  I sat back in my seat and had a tightness in my chest for most of the flight.  Arriving in Sacramento I deplaned quite a while after him, but as I got to the baggage claim I saw him slowly going through the door surrounded by his family.  And as Karl drove past him I said, "There goes one of our walking wounded."

May God keep our young men and women safe from harm and bring them all home safe and sound.  And if you ever get a chance to do a random act of kindness, I hope you remember this one humble veteran on his way home.