Recently on a trip to Alaska to visit old friends, escape the south Texas smoldering heat and do a lot of much needed fishing I had a short layover in the Houston terminal. Gravitating to a food bar I got a large cup of iced tea and had a seat to wait the hour or so. The whining and crying didn’t go unnoticed, for sure, by me and the other patrons. A young mother, must have been in her twenties with a babe in arms, a maybe two year old and a four year old were at a nearby table all sharing a soft drink of some kind. The baby was crying loudly as it refused a bottle with water in it. The other two were complaining as they stepped out from their table to see what others were eating then returning to their mom complaining they were hungry. She was trying to hush them and telling them they would eat when they got to the base that evening in El Paso.

A couple of service guys, both with crutches, were sitting near me and I overheard one tell their waitress to get the kids something to eat and they would pay for it. The waitress brought milk, cereal and some other things – plenty to fill all of them up. She then went to the soldiers to collect.

I was just opening my mouth to call her over, saving the wounded soldiers the trouble and expense when an elegantly dressed woman stood up from her table. She, as well as her group looked familiar. Maybe, I thought, I had seen them in the movies or on TV at some time in the past. She quietly said to the waitress, “Don’t you dare take those service men’s’ money. I will pay you for theirs as well as the children’s food.”

And she did, as I sat there ruminating, my money still in the holster. The little girls went straight to the lady and gave her hugs then to the soldiers and did the same. I really must practice more. I could have had those hugs had I been. . . “quicker on the draw”.

Copyright (c) 2003 by Mark Crider Mark@cccoating.com

Sandra and I live in West Corpus Christi Texas on our sanctuary that is frequented by folks on the ‘Birders Trail’. Migrating hawks roost and share the property with ducks, swans and other nervous inhabitants when they are around.