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AmericanProtest.net > Restaurants and Roughnecks |
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Restaurants and Roughnecksby Wayne Boettcher The members of our Armed Forces face many battles, including the struggle for support on the home front. I always try to thank a service man or woman in uniform when I see them. Once in a restaurant our table of 12 applauded every uniformed military person that came in, buying a lunch or two. But these next two stories I heard recently about uniformed troops encountered in restaurants touched my heart. The original authors graciously allowed AmericanProtest.net to relate them here. Some friends and I were passing a fast food restaurant in Tucson, Arizona on the evening of September 11th, 2006 when we saw three Army MP's about to buy dinner there. So we drove in and ran up to pay! My friend Nina was going to pay for one and I was going to pay for the others. The soldiers protested and tried to pay for their own meals but the manager shook his head. "Your money's no good here," he said. "Not today. Not on September 11th." After he said that he gave them whatever they wanted. Everyone in the restaurant thanked the soldiers for serving the country and defending freedom. We still tried to pay for their meals later but the manager just smiled. "Your money's no good here, either!" A friend of mine and I went out to eat the weekend just before September 11th, 2006. We took our wives to a wonderful little place in St. Paul, Minnesota for dinner on Saturday night. As we waited at the bar for a table a US Army Sergeant and his wife came in. I was close enough to hear the hostess tell them that they didn't have a reservation, so the wait might be over an hour. They put their name in and sat at the bar in a booth two booths down from us. They looked very sharp, and so young. He was in his Army Dress Blues and she had on a beautiful little black dress. I looked at my wife, then my buddy and said, "Let's give them our reservation." We all agreed. My friend is an old Nam Vet just like me. I discreetly told the hostess our plan and instructed her not to tell the couple who had given up their reservation for them. She complied and gave the lovely couple our table. As we waited for a new table I got another idea. I told my friend and his wife that I was going to get their check as well. He would have none of it - unless he could go in half! As luck would have it we were seated just 20 minutes behind the couple, about 4 tables away from them. Our waiter was the same as theirs so we took him aside and told him of our plan. He agreed to be a willing participant. As we sat enjoying ourselves and watching this beautiful couple doing the same, the owner of the place came over to our table. I know him so he approached me and said, "Tim, my waiter told me about your idea and I can't let you do that." I objected, of course, but then he stole my thunder. He said, "They are going to have the meal of their lives tonight and it's on me, but you two can buy the wine." I agreed. As he was walking away he turned and said, "Oh, you won't get off that cheap on the wine, pal!" I laughed and told him price was no object. The waiter and owner came out and told the lovely couple about the arrangement and explained what they are having for dinner. Chateaubriand in a lovely wine sauce, brazed asparagus tips in hollandaise sauce, crab cakes for starters (these crab cakes are to die for, been there, done that), and Cherries Jubilee for dessert. The wine would be the most expensive of their choice (and this place has some great wines). He then brought out a white rose for the lady and laid it on her plate. They were flabbergasted, and very happy, she cried and the Sergeant smiled a big happy but humble grin. He had that "awe shucks" look on his face. Well, the evening could not have gone better for these lovely young folks. They ate and drank and later they danced. We were there to do the same so it was wonderful to watch them. The restaurant has a live band with a dance floor just like the old days. Everybody in the place (and it was a packed) fell in love with couple. The waiter came over to me and asked if the Sergeant was a Marine. I asked why he needed to know. He told me that the band wanted to play the Marine Hymn when he came on the dance floor. I told him no, he was Army, and a Ranger (I ought to know, I used to be one.) He delivered the message to the band. Their first dance, there was a crowded dance floor. When they approached the floor the band stopped and played "Caisson's". I got something in my eye at that point. The people on the dance floor stopped dancing and began to applaud. Then they cleared the floor for the couple. The band leader asked what their favorite song was. The Sarge answered, "Can you play 'Loving You?'" And they did. My wife lost it, as she usually does, but I did too, calmly. As the Army couple left, we were dancing. Everybody was shaking the young man's hand and giving him a pat on the back. It was great. It seems that the owner had blown my buddy's and my cover. The Army Sergeant walked over to me and my lady on the dance floor, stuck out his hand and said, "Thank you, Sir" with military attitude. I told him that I was Ranger once and I know what he is up against, and I thanked him for my freedom. His lovely little wife cuddled in his arm and thanked me as well. Then she laid it on me. She said, "This is so special because it was our last night out before he ships out for Iraq, for the third time. He leaves in two days. We'll never forget this night." As we danced my wife held me especially close and told me what a wonderful thing I had started. The owner came over, sat and felt good with us. He asked my buddy and me why we had done this. I told him that as long as I draw breath in this nation a brave fighting man will never go through what I went through after Vietnam. I told him that what they just saw was the worst nightmare of the Left and all career politicians. They are looking at a generation that is brave, patriotic, battle hardened and ready to win at any cost. They will be coming back, they will run for office and they will win! They are honest, dedicated, and will defend this country much better than those of us that were shamed by a war we won. (Our victory was given up by the scum of American politics.) That was a nice night, in fact the nicest night I've had in a long, long while. These two stories inspire us to do good things for our troops, whether it's in a restaurant or some other way. How about writing a letter? Starting a "Support the Troops" rally? Donating to a military hospital fund? Find out more about what our troops are doing by checking military news channels, since mainstream news media continue to censor positive war news. Then take that information and spread it around. It's time to do what we can to stand up for our troops…and America! Wayne Boettcher is the head of AmericanProtest.net Related Links: |
