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Posted by djingodjango on Thursday, January 20, 2011
I had bought an extra donut. I only wanted one, so I wasn't sure why I bought two.
Wait. That's a lie. I know why I wanted two. To scarf them both down so that my borderline diabetes would spike.
Then I heard a muffled thumping/clanking sound outside my window. It was a sound I had been hoping I would hear soon.
It was the oil man. A sharp dip in temperatures is forecast for this week-end. And I had less then an 1/8 of a tank in the basement.
I had cleared away some snow for him so that he could get to the oil tank inlet spout. It's not easy. He has to crawl up a small, steep hill on the side of our house; dragging a hose behind him. Then he has to get a frozen oil cap off. Then clamber down to the truck again to turn it on. Then fill, repeat procedure, and make out a bill.
He came to my back door to leave the receipt and I gave him one of my donuts. I told him I knew it must be a b**ch doing that kind of work in the winter. He graciously accepted my caloric infusing device and said, with a half-smile that it was. He paused as he stepped off the porch and turned to thank me.
He said there were dozens of stops today that he, and other drivers, would be making that were treacherous at best. And dangerous at most.
I asked his first name. He told me it was Brian. I said I would pray for him.
Brian is one of my hero's today, along with countless other real life folks who labor in sometimes dull, dangerous, thankless but most times necessary jobs that keep this old world of ours moving.
Fuel truck drivers. Drivers of eighteen wheelers who crisscross our nation everyday in every kind of weather. Firemen. Policemen. Ambulance drivers. EMTs. Health care workers and technicians, from those in the ER to the ones taking x-rays or blood samples. Carpenters and laborers who are forced to work in this weather because someone has to finish siding the house. Or clearing the roofs.
Coal miners. Copper miners and oil-riggers. Tug boat skippers and the men below in the engine rooms.
All our men and women in the military.
Taxi drivers and fork lift operators. People in toll booths. They are all hero’s. And so many more. They do their jobs with little complaint because they have people depending on them for support.
Waitresses who are heaped with abuse from time to time. Bus boys. Dishwashers. The people in Walmart and Walgreens who might wish for a better job, but suit up and go to work everyday because it is the right thing to do.
And, yes. Those living without jobs. The ones whose benefits have run out and they are over fifty years old and must do whatever it takes to make a living. Putting on a suit and trying to look brave and confident going in for their 25th interview in as many weeks. And being told at the end that someone will get back to them. And knowing they didn’t get the job and going back home to wash-dishes, take out the trash, be a comfort for their spouse, if there is one, and children, if they have any. That night they field phone calls from creditors; look through the paper again under the “help wanted” section, and arrange another interview.
Those are heroes. Those who keep at it, day after day. They may have moments of despair or feelings of futility but they refuse to let life’s curve balls prevent them from swinging away and they pray that next time the pitcher will give them something they can hit.
Heroes are who we are. And with some straight-from-the-shoulder spiritual assistance, we will be able to say at the end of all things.
“We honestly gave it all we could!”.
(
C) 2011 George Locke
4 comments on “I Met A Hero This Morning”
banjotef Says:
Thursday, January 20, 2011 @8:20:45 AM
Well said!
rinemb Says:
Thursday, January 20, 2011 @7:08:31 PM
Nice read. Thanks, Brad
Paul R Says:
Monday, January 24, 2011 @6:31:12 AM
Very well put.
Frisco Fred Says:
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 @12:23:49 PM
Good heart George
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