BBurns Loc: South Bay, California

I talked with an 80+ year old man today.
I asked him if there was anything I can get him while this Coronavirus scare was gripping America.
He simply smiled, looked away and said:

"Let me tell you what I need! I need to believe in, at some point, this country my generation fought for.
I need to believe this nation we handed safely to our children and their children...
I need to know this generation will quit being a bunch of sissies.
I need to know that they respect what they've been given.
I need to know that they've earned what others sacrificed for."

I wasn't sure where the conversation was going or if it was going anywhere at all. So, I sat there, quietly observing.

"You know, I was a little boy during WWII. Those were scary days.
We didn't know if we were going to be speaking English, German or Japanese at the end of the war.
There was no certainty, no guarantees like Americans enjoy today.
And no home went without sacrifice or loss.
Every house, up and down every street, had someone in harm's way.
Maybe their Daddy was a soldier, maybe their son was a sailor, maybe it was an uncle.
Sometimes it was the whole damn family...fathers, sons, uncles...
Having someone, you love, sent off to war...it wasn't less frightening than it is today.
It was scary as Hell. If anything, it was more frightening.
We didn't have battle front news. We didn't have email or cellphones.
You sent them away and you hoped...you prayed.
You may not hear from them for months, if ever.
Sometimes a mother got her son's letters the same day Dad was comforting her over their child's death.
And we sacrificed. You couldn't buy things. Everything was rationed.
You were only allowed so much milk per month, only so much bread, toilet paper.
EVERYTHING was restricted for the war effort.
And what you weren't using, didn't need, you threw away were saved and sorted for the war effort.
My generation was the original recycling movement in America.
And we had viruses back then...serious viruses. Things like polio, measles, and such.
It was nothing to walk to school and pass a house or two that was quarantined.
We didn't shut down our schools. We didn't shut down our cities.
We carried on, without masks, without hand sanitizer. And do you know what? We persevered.
We overcame. We didn't attack our President, we came together.
We rallied around the flag for the war. Thick or thin, we were in it to win.
And we would lose more boys in an hour of combat than we lose in entire wars today."

He slowly looked away again. Maybe I saw a small tear in the corner of his eye. Then he continued:

"Today's kids don't know sacrifice.
They think a sacrifice is not having coverage on their phone while they freely drive across the country.
Today's kids are selfish and spoiled. In my generation, we looked out for our elders.
We helped out with single moms whose husbands were either at war or dead from war.
Today's kids rush the store, buying everything they can...no concern for anyone but themselves.
It's shameful the way Americans behave today. None of them deserve the sacrifices their granddads made.
So, no I don't need anything, but I appreciate your offer.
I know I've been through far worse things than this virus.
But maybe I should be asking you, what can I do to help you?
Do you have enough pop to get through this, enough steak?
Will you be able to survive with just 113 channels on your TV?"

I smiled, fighting back a tear of my own...now humbled by a man in his 80's.
All I could do was thank him for the history lesson.
Leave my number for emergency and leave with my ego firmly tucked in my rear.

I talked to a man today. A real man. An American man from an era long gone and forgotten.
We will never understand the sacrifices. We will never fully earn their sacrifices.
But we should work harder to learn about them. Learn from them...to respect them.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

LOVE IT!

If you decide to put it Facebook, send me a link, and I'll share it.

nimbushopper Loc: Tampa, FL

That's why they are called the greatest generation!

NMGal Loc: NE NM

The greatest generation has no competition from today’s generation.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

The greatest generation also knew what it meant to put in a hard day's work. Being on time. Not creating distractions (no cell phones, video games, texting....).

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Thank you very much for the post.
My thoughts exactly, I just wish I could state them so eloquently.

I turned 80 last Oct, just barely remember WW2 , I do remember the rationing, and scrap drives,I remember Grand Ma telling about her friend standing at a Street car Stop and having the draw string (elastic was not available) in her bloomers come loose and her bloomers falling to her ankles, she just calmly stepped out of her bloomers and said @@@ damned Japs.
Dad worked at an ammunition plant and needed tires for the 1936 Plymouth he only had ration stamps for 2 tires one of his co-workers who didn't drive GAVE him stamps so he could get a set, Dad bought tire from two different dealers and brought them home and mounted them with the "help" of some neighbors who stood around and gave advise, Boy Dad was patient !!!

Harl-Man

Amen to all the comments above

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Exactly!

jerold222 Loc: Southern Minnesota

I would love to share this, but did the OP write it?

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Old folks do tend to ramble, don't they.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

berchman Loc: South Central PA

It's the same old sentimental horsesh*t. Every single thing was wonderful in the good ole' days. Right!

ltatko

He lived HISTORY!!

He survived HISTORY!!

He wants all of us to learn from HISTORY!!

I'm 85, I know what he's talking about. I was there!!

Len

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States