The plan that Saturday morning was to take the wife's Honda to the dealership and get the brakes serviced, oil changed, and to have a recall taken care of. I had just dropped the car off and had a great conversation with the guy there about how I don't look like a Honda guy. He guessed, correctly, that I'm a Ford guy. Now don't stop reading there. This isn't about who makes a better car or truck...
A little something about me. I am ex Army. I still wear the haircut and dress appropriately. I guess you'd say I'm clean cut. Saturdays I don't shave. Almost a religious thing, a throwback to my days in service. It's not necessary on Saturday.
The plan was to walk around the nearby mall and pick up caches, still is as, I write this. The wind chill this morning forced me over towards Chick-fil-A. A cup of hot coffee and a biscuit would do the trick.
And this is where my day takes a turn.
As I was walking across the parking lot to the restaurant a gentleman pulled up beside me and my hands automatically went to my pockets to where both knives are. I am not particularly violent by nature, but I can protect myself. You just never know nowadays.
He was in a nice Honda himself and dressed like he was heading to church. Me in jeans and a zip up hoodie, caching pack on my back, I couldn't leave it in the car. Remember, I'm clean, not shaven, it's Saturday and I look a bit disheveled. And I am okay with that, don't much care what folks think of me as long as they leave me alone.
He asked me how I was and then proceeded to ask me if I was military. I said I was but that was another lifetime for me. I've moved on. He then told me he appreciated my service and that he thought that it was a damned shame how our government treated our service members. I tend to agree and told him so. It is a shame that so many give so much and get so little. That some of them come home from war to nothing. Their homes taken, their loved ones gone, no money, basically starting all over again. Homeless.
It didn't hit me until he reached for his wallet, he thought I was a homeless vet. He pulled out a $20 and told me he wished he could do more.
I was kinda floored and I was going to correct him but the look in his eyes that he was doing a good deed made me think. Who am I to take that feeling away from him.
So I accepted the $20 and continued on to Chick-Fil-A.
Maybe it was the backpack, the torn jeans, the hoodie, my general scruffy appearance. The parents in the restaurant all seemed to pull their kids a bit closer when they saw me. I didn't mean to put out this vibe, I don't like making people uncomfortable.
The rest of the morning went pretty much without incident, I cached around the parking lot and made park and grabs into hikes. I think that I got about one and a half to two miles of walking in, which is always a good thing.
I picked up the car and headed home. Satisfied with my four caches and that the car was taken care of. But I will never forget this morning and if it hadn't been for caching I would have never had it happen to me.
And it affected someone else's life in a positive way as well. :)
And yes, the twenty went on to someone who needed it since.
Please if you are reading this and can help out someone in a similar situation, especially vets, try to do what you can. I know we don't all have a lot right now, but these guys have truly given of themselves. Try to give a little in return.
"Get off the highway!"
S
A little something about me. I am ex Army. I still wear the haircut and dress appropriately. I guess you'd say I'm clean cut. Saturdays I don't shave. Almost a religious thing, a throwback to my days in service. It's not necessary on Saturday.
The plan was to walk around the nearby mall and pick up caches, still is as, I write this. The wind chill this morning forced me over towards Chick-fil-A. A cup of hot coffee and a biscuit would do the trick.
And this is where my day takes a turn.
As I was walking across the parking lot to the restaurant a gentleman pulled up beside me and my hands automatically went to my pockets to where both knives are. I am not particularly violent by nature, but I can protect myself. You just never know nowadays.
He was in a nice Honda himself and dressed like he was heading to church. Me in jeans and a zip up hoodie, caching pack on my back, I couldn't leave it in the car. Remember, I'm clean, not shaven, it's Saturday and I look a bit disheveled. And I am okay with that, don't much care what folks think of me as long as they leave me alone.
He asked me how I was and then proceeded to ask me if I was military. I said I was but that was another lifetime for me. I've moved on. He then told me he appreciated my service and that he thought that it was a damned shame how our government treated our service members. I tend to agree and told him so. It is a shame that so many give so much and get so little. That some of them come home from war to nothing. Their homes taken, their loved ones gone, no money, basically starting all over again. Homeless.
It didn't hit me until he reached for his wallet, he thought I was a homeless vet. He pulled out a $20 and told me he wished he could do more.
I was kinda floored and I was going to correct him but the look in his eyes that he was doing a good deed made me think. Who am I to take that feeling away from him.
So I accepted the $20 and continued on to Chick-Fil-A.
Maybe it was the backpack, the torn jeans, the hoodie, my general scruffy appearance. The parents in the restaurant all seemed to pull their kids a bit closer when they saw me. I didn't mean to put out this vibe, I don't like making people uncomfortable.
The rest of the morning went pretty much without incident, I cached around the parking lot and made park and grabs into hikes. I think that I got about one and a half to two miles of walking in, which is always a good thing.
I picked up the car and headed home. Satisfied with my four caches and that the car was taken care of. But I will never forget this morning and if it hadn't been for caching I would have never had it happen to me.
And it affected someone else's life in a positive way as well. :)
And yes, the twenty went on to someone who needed it since.
Please if you are reading this and can help out someone in a similar situation, especially vets, try to do what you can. I know we don't all have a lot right now, but these guys have truly given of themselves. Try to give a little in return.
"Get off the highway!"
S
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