I was a homesick 19-year old assigned to the 43rd SPS. It was Christmas Eve 1982 and I was working the main gate on the late afternoon shift. It had been a pretty slow evening; most folks were home getting ready for the next day. It left me with a lot of time to think, which is not necessarily good for a homesick pup. I remember glancing up into the eastern sky; the sun had just about set and some stars were visible. It was the end of another beautiful day on The Rock. A car passed the gate shack on the outbound lanes and swung back around to re-enter. The lady parked off to the side and got out, carrying a tray of cookies toward the gate shack. She handed the tray to me with a smile and a “Merry Christmas,” and turned to walk back to her car practically before I could say, “thanks.” A few minutes later, another car stopped and delivered another tray of cookies. Another car brought a cake. Another carload of people dropped off a case of soda. People brought pumpkin bread, nut bread, pound cake, pies. People I’d never met. Pretty soon the inside of the gate shack looked like a Brooklyn deli and smelled like an Amish bake shop. I called the Law Enforcement Desk and told them to send a couple of cars to relieve me of some of the food. I was overwhelmed, not just by the amount of food and drinks, but by the enormous generosity of all the folks who had stopped by. Most stayed a few minutes to talk and wish my partner and me a happy holiday and a safe shift. But they all had taken time out from their already busy Christmas schedules to think about us out there on the job. These amazing, kind folks brought a little piece of home to a homesick kid at the Andersen Main Gate. I learned a lot about America that evening. It struck me that America is not a place, it’s a state of mind. No matter where we are, we carry America with us. If any of the folks who brought food to the gate that night are on here now, I want you to know that the memory of that Christmas Eve will remain with me for the rest of my days. You made a difference. Thank you, and Merry Christmas.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 19:20:10 +0000
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