Ten Dollar Poppies

Every year my family and I try to get a few poppies for Memorial Day, and this year is no exception. My mom was out one evening picking up a few last minute things for dinner and as she walked out of the store there was a WWII veteran selling poppies. My mom took two, one for her and one for Caleb who was with her. Then she remembered all she had in her purse was a twenty dollar bill. "Oh, well" she thought "at least it is going towards a good cause." With that she pulled out the money and handed it to the elderly gentleman. "Oh ma'am this is to much" he said. My mom replied, "It's ok, it's going for a good cause. My Father was in WWII and when I was a young girl I sold poppies every memorial day weekend." With these thoughts in mind my mom got tears in her eyes. The old veteran then asked, "Where did your Father serve?" My mom shared with him my Grandpa's tour in Northern Africa, and Italy. Then the gentleman then shared that he was in the navy and was over in the South Pacific...he remembered how having come out of the depression he just could not believe how much food the natives in the South Pacific had. Caleb who was standing by listening turned to my mom and asked if this man was his Grandpa, my mom explained to Caleb that no he isn't but this man served in WWII just like Grandpa did. She then explained to the old veteran that my Grandpa passed away before Caleb was born. This brought a tear to the gentleman's eye. With that my mom paid more for a poppy than she ever has before.