I talked to a soldier in the 155th, which is returning piecemeal from Iraq

[Maddy McCall]

I was at Pizza Hut, waiting on my pizza to be done. He came in by himself and sat on the wait-for-your-pizza bench next to me, after I sat down. He had on his desert camo. I asked him if he had just come in from Iraq...he said, yes, that he just came in, and all he wanted was a hot pizza. We laughed and avoided any political convo.

I was called to the counter because my pizza was ready. I paid for my order, and I asked for the cashier to pull up his order, and I paid for his order, too, without him knowing.

As I headed toward the door to leave, I told him how much I appreciated him and was glad he came home safe, and I told him to enjoy his pizza.

If I'm bragging, I'm not meaning to. But I just wanted to tell my lounge friends that, of all the gifts I give to friends and family this year, that was the most meaningful for me.

[GOPisEvil]

1. Now that was really nice of you!

It's a seemingly little thing, but it probably made his night.

[Maddy McCall]

2. I felt honored....

to be able to buy the first pizza for a soldier returning from Iraq.

:D

[GOPisEvil]

3. It's a shame it had to be Pizza Hut.

;)

But hey, you take what you can get.

[Maddy McCall]

6. This is the first time I went back, after that crazy woman in the...

dually tried to run over me at the pick-up window. Remember that? I stayed away from the pick-up window this time. :D

[GOPisEvil]

7. LOL!!! I was going to ask if there were any crazy, pickup-driving women!

:rofl:

[Maddy McCall]

10. I have fumed about that since it happened.

Everytime I see a dually, I look to see if the crazed witch is behind the wheel. I could still go postal on her. :D

[GOPisEvil]

19. Man...if she knows what's best...

...she painted that truck and got plastic surgery. :D

[Maddy McCall]

22. And dyed that straw-like, frizzled bleach blonde hair!

:grr: :hi:

[GOPisEvil]

25. LOL! I can SEE her!

I have seen her clones here in Texas. Too many of them. x(

[Maddy McCall]

28. Swear to god, there aren't many of those types around here...

and she looked like she came straight from the Cow Palace* in Longview. :rofl:

*Cow Palace - big boot-scooting venue in Longview, in which many big-name celebs have played, including Elvis. :D

[ForrestGump]

40. Elvis? I heard that

:-)

You're too cool, Maddy. Too, too cool.

:hug: :hug: :hug: :hug:

[auntAgonist]

4. You will

probably be remembered by that young man for a LONG time.

You made me cry :)

:hug:

[Maddy McCall]

Awwww....

I didn't mean to make you cry.

His whole order was only 15.00. Anyone at DU would have done what I did.

:hug:

[LaraMN]

5. That's just extremely cool!

:yourock: What a great thing to do; that's what the holidays SHOULD be about!

[Maddy McCall]

12. Like I said above...

I felt honored to buy the guy his first fast food meal upon his return stateside. :D

[Wapsie B]

8. Good for you Maddy!

:thumbsup:

That was so cool.

[Maddy McCall]

13. Thanks...

There will be many of these men and women returning in the next few weeks. The one I'm most looking forward to having home is our town councilman who's the most level-headed person on the council--he's going to be amazed when he sees the mess our town is in, since his departure...

Anyway, I think I'm going to bake some pies and stuff to take to the guys I personally know who are returning.

They deserve it. :D

[Wapsie B]

15. That would be so neat.

Yes they do deserve it. I'm in awe Maddy. For all you do. Wow.

[Maddy McCall]

17. ...

:hug: :cry:

[Wapsie B]

20. Back atcha

:hug:

I truly mean that.

[tiddlywinks]

42. I second that

that was cool. I'd have done it, too. You're a nice person and thanks for telling us.

[LaurenG]

9. I love your kind heart Maddy

It's not bragging. What a truly nice thing to have done. You big hearted "librul" you!

[Maddy McCall]

14. I kinda felt like it was some kind of self-glorification....

but the feeling I felt walking out of Pizza Hut--well, I just wanted to dance a jig...I wish I could have been there when he pulled out his wallet to pay for his pizza and the cashier told him it had already been taken care of.

It certainly brought me into the seasonal spirit that had been lacking in my home. :)

[LaurenG]

27. Good Job

Maybe I will have the chance to do something nice now too. Now that you told about it I will pay more attention to opportunities should they arise.:hug:

[havocmom]

11. Damned nice of you AND a good lesson to all of us

There are lots of opportunities to do decent things. Do them, and have no regrets.

Maddy, THIS is the sorta thing that explains how worried we all were during that bad time when you couldn't post owing to weather. We cherish the human beings we encounter in life. They are too few and far between.

A gift from the heart that is just what someone wanted, not always so hard to pull off. We all need to do that from time to time. Good for the world.

[Maddy McCall]

16. You always have the most beautiful words.

I'm all verklempt.

:hug:

[NMDemDist2]

36. yes indeed!

so many DUers frantic about their friends during the hurricanes

I was a mod then and had a list i checked every day for "recent posts"

:hug: ya did good Maddy!

[Maddy McCall]

37. Thanks, AZDem...

I am sorry I put you all through distress in the aftermath of the hurricane. :hug:

[NMDemDist2]

39. you actually were one of the first to check back in

my list had several people on it......

[RevCheesehead]

18. It just goes to show you....

that all the heroes didn't go to Iraq. :hug:

[Maddy McCall]

23. Naw...nothing heroic about it...

I just happened to have a few extra dollars, and I just happened to encounter a local soldier at the same time.

Like I said, anyone would have done it. :hug:

[RevCheesehead]

30. But not everyone does, Maddy.

Heroes are ordinary people who do simple things that not everyone else would do. Almost all of them claim "I didn't do anything special."

To me, a hero is someone I would like to emulate. And that act of kindness is one which is a classic example of kindness.

[Maddy McCall]

31. You're making me blush.

You are such a sweetheart. :hug:

[Swamp Rat]

21. Kiss kiss kiss hug hug hug!!!

:* :* :* :hug: :hug: :hug:

[Maddy McCall]

24. When you get back to NOLA...

and I have some free time, I'm going to buy you an oyster po-boy at Acme.

By the way, as you eat your way home, you MUST stop at Middendorf's in Manchac, and eat a plate of their fried oysters. Oh. My. God. They are to die for.

:hug: :loveya:

[jonnyblitz]

26. he will talk about what you did for days to come, trust me..

as a vet i know these things...:hi: a bit off topic, but I received a nice lengthy email yesterday from our mutual friend we were discussing the other night. your ears were probably burning.

[Maddy McCall]

29. Would you PM me her email addy?

I need to email her. Really badly. She has probably put a big X on my name for not staying in contact with her. :cry:

[jonnyblitz]

32. sure thing!!

i seriously doubt she would do that though..

[johnnie]

33. But we liberals hate the troops...

Isn't that the lies that the pukes put in those bullshit emails they send off to the troops?
Sorry for that, when they say that it really pisses me off.


Seriously, that was very cool of you Maddy. I'm sure the soldier was very surprised and appreciative of your gesture. I don't think what you are doing is bragging, we need to hear of these types of things here.

I have a friend who has a son over there right now and it is very hard on her. These are the stories that she likes to hear so she can feel that her son is appreciated. She too is from Texas and hears about how we don't support the troops.

Nice going Maddy, you are a class act. :thumbsup:

[Maddy McCall]

34. I'm in Mis'sippi...I'm a native Texan...

I think being a liberal is about caring for people...and not being afraid to be demonstrative about our feelings, even to total strangers.

Best wishes to your friend's son. I hope he comes home soon, too. :hug:

[chknltl]

35. There is much wrong with America these days....

...but you Maddy, are a prime example of what is still right with this country. With your permission I wish to bookmark this thread and bring it up periodically in support of an argument I am trying to make about healing the rift within America.
:patriot: to you Maddy McCall

[Maddy McCall]

38. Sure...you can use it.

And I agree--there is much that is right about America. :hi:

[chknltl]

41. I placed a VERY lengthy explanation in your in-box.

:patriot:

[sundog]

43. thanks maddy

good stuff :)

:thumbsup:

[merh]

44. thanks Maddy

:yourock:

:hug: :loveya:

[maddezmom]

45. very nice

:hug: random acts of kindness are the best gifts

[FreedomAngel82]

46. Aww

That was so sweet of you! :hug: