Why Was Alexander the Great - So Great. Here's Why!

Alexander III was born in 365BC.  He ascended to the throne of Macedonia when his father died; Alexander was only 20. As a young boy he was tutored by Aristotle and by the age of 30 he had conquered most of the known world from Greece to India.

On his death bed, Alexander the Great ... was said to have summoned his army generals and told them his three ultimate wishes before his death:

1. Only the best doctors should be allowed to to carry my coffin to the grave site.

2. All the wealth I have accumulated (money, gold, precious stones) in my life should be scattered along the procession route on the way to the cemetery.

3. My hands should be let loose and hang outside my coffin for all to see !!

One of his generals was surprised by these unusual requests and asked Alexander to explain.

Here is what Alexander the Great supposedly told his generals:

1. "I only want the best doctors to carry my coffin to demonstrate that in the face of death, even with all their knowledge and skills they do not possess the power to heal all”

2. "I want the road to be covered with my personal fortune so that everybody will see that all the material wealth one acquires on earth will always remain on earth - you can't take it with you to the afterlife.”

3. I want my hands to swing in the wind, so that people will understand we all come to this world empty handed and we all leave this world empty handed.

I want people to understand the most precious treasure of all is: TIME.

TIME is so precious because it is LIMITED. We can always produce more wealth, but we cannot produce more time.

When we give someone our time, we actually giving them a portion of our life - for our time is our life!

The best present we can ever give our families and friends is our TIME.

Why the Heck do They Sell Those Dumb Poppies Every Year?

Most of us expect to see some old veteran or some “nice lady of the auxiliary” standing in front of a grocery store - a street corner or in front of the courthouse later this month. They will be out there trying to sell us a Poppy. 

Every year the VFW’s and American Legion’s ask us to buy and wear a Red Poppy, yet few people actually know why? With Memorial Day fast approaching (Monday, May 29th) I thought I would share amazing trivia about the Poppies. 

The reason we are asked to wear Poppies is to remember fallen soldiers. Sadly many people who buy Poppies don’t know this. Second, few if any who buy Poppies know how to properly wear them. A Poppy should always be worn on the ‘right side’ of one’s chest – as near to the heart as possible. 

The red of the Poppy is meant to represent the blood each veteran shed when they gave their life. Sometimes black is seen on a Poppy. The black represents the mourning the loved ones endured when their soldiers did not return home. Finally, the green leaf on the poppy represents the grass and crops now growing, and the prosperity that came, after the war - even though the fields where battles were fought were destroyed.

If there is one thing to remember from reading this article it’s this - Remember the green leaf on the Poppy should always be positioned at the 11 o'clock position. This position represents the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month - the actual time that World War One officially ended.

The idea of wearing a Poppy was inspired by a simple poem - a poem written by Colonel John McCrae, a Canadian surgeon with Canada's First Brigade Artillery during World War I. Colonel McCrae wrote his poem shortly after visiting an old battle field which had been transformed into a cemetery. Hit with sadness he needed to express his grief after seeing "row upon row" of graves - for all the soldiers who had died on Flanders' field - a major battlefield - located in western Belgium and northern France.

The poem he wrote created an image of what he saw - bright red flowers growing among the rows and rows of white crosses on the field. His poem about Flanders Field made the Poppy a rallying cry for all who fought in the First World War. Below Coloneil McCrae's actual poem:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
between the crosses, row on row,
that mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly.
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Colonel McCrae’s poem was first printed in December 1915, in a British magazine and it had a huge impact in Europe - especially on two women - Anna E. Guerin of France and Moina Michael a Georgia native now living in Western Europe. Both ladies worked tirelessly to initiate the sale of poppies. Their goal was to raise money to help orphans, widows and others impacted by the war. In 1920, with the help of the American Legion, Mrs. Guerin, was able to establish the first annual Poppy sale in the U.S.

The Poppy, already a well known flower in all the allied countries - Britain, France, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – was known as the "Flower of Remembrance." In 1922 the VFW adopted the Poppy as the official memorial flower at its national convention in Seattle, Wash. However in 1923, there was a shortage of Poppies so the VFW decided to rely on unemployed and disabled veterans to produce the artificial Poppies needed. Today, the VFW and American Legion Auxiliary sell roughly 14 million Poppies.

All the proceeds generated from the sales their Poppies go to help veterans, their widows, widowers and orphans all over the world. Amazingly, the Poppy itself still survives and grows each year in Flanders’s Field as a perpetual tribute to those who gave their lives for freedom so many years ago.

So this year during the Memorial Day weekend, if you see an old veteran or a beautiful woman standing outside somewhere selling Poppies try to make a point to buy one. There is no set fee required - a nickel, dime or quarter would be fine, but if you can – try to throw in an extra buck or two and please, please, please wear your Poppy correctly.

Note:  Seldom, if ever, do I ever ask any post of mine be shared; but this is one post I respectfully ask you to share so people know about the significance of the Poppy.

Gabe

The Socratic Test of Three - Something All Public Officials Should Think About

Socrates was a respected citizen, statesman and philosopher of ancient Greece. Many say he laid the seeds for modern western civilization.  He was revered by his neighbors and fellow Greek citizens for both his wisdom and high moral character. 

One day an acquaintance of his ran over to approach him and asked "Socrates, have you heard the latest news about Marcus?"  Socrates raised his hand slowly and said "Wait! Before you tell me what you have to say about Marcus, let's see if it passes - The Test of Three." 

"The Test of Three?" inquired the man. “Yes” said Socrates. "The Test of Three."

"The first test" Socrates explained "is the test of Truth. Are you absolutely sure that what you are about to share with me about Marcus is the truth?" "Well no I don't know," replied the man, "I just heard it a few minutes ago."

"So," said Socrates "you want to share with me something about Marcus that you yourself have not confirmed as being true". The man replied "Yes".

"Well let's apply the second test" Socrates said, "the test of Goodness". Is what you are about to share with me about Marcus good?" "No, on the contrary Socrates ..." the man began; but Socrates cut him off and said "So You want to tell me something bad about Marcus even though you are not certain it is true?" The man shrugged his shoulders as though he were a little embarrassed.

Socrates smiled and said "Don't be disappointed you may still pass the third test - the test of Usefulness. Will what you share with me about Marcus be of any use or value to me?" "No, not really said the man." 

"Well then," commented Socrates, "If what you want to share with me about Marcus is neither True, nor Good and has no Use or Value for me - why in the world do you want to tell me this?" 

The man, then hung his head, obviously ashamed and just stood silent.  Finally he turned around and just walked away.

As elected officials, civic leader, or business owners would not all of our places of work - especially our seats of local government - be a much better off if we all just remembered and employed the Socratic Test of Three?

Airman First Class (A1C) Clerow "Flip" Wilson US Air Force (Served 1950-1954)

Yes its true Flip Wilson was in the Air Force and he lied about his age to enlist. He was stationed on the Island nation of Guam and assigned to the Strategic Air Command.

View his Service Profile

on TogetherWeServed.com at http://airforce.togetherweserved.com/profile/171488

Short Bio: Clerow dropped out of school in the 8th grade because he was embarrassed by the poor clothing he had to wear to school each day. 

At 16, he lied about his age and joined the U.S. Air Force. It was while serving in the Air Force that he got the nickname "Flip." While he was stationed on the Island of Guam, he entertained his buddies at night with jokes and humor.  One of they guys in his unit remarked, "He has 'flippeth' his lid" and the name stuck - ever since.

After Flip was discharged from the USAF he began to try his comedic talent in small night clubs and bars. Finally he built up the courage to try out for the Chitlin Circuit in hot spots like the Apollo Club in Harlem, New York.  Flip would often sleep in pay toilet stalls because he did not have enough money for a motel or hotel. He made ends meet by working as a bellhop and paid for the birth of his oldest son by working as a truck driver during the day. 

Flip was quoted as saying "But I was happy because I knew where I was going with my life."

What Goes Around ... Comes Around

He almost didn't see the old lady who was standing on the side of the road; but even in the dim evening light he could see she needed help standing there in the rain. He pulled his old car next to her shining new Mercedes and got out. 

Even with the smile on his face as he approached her she began to look worried. No one had stopped to help her for the last hour or so. What was this man going to do? He didn't look safe; he looked poorly dressed and very rough.

He could see that she was frightened and cold. He waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, I'm here to help you, ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan Anderson."

Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady on a raining night it was no easy task to fix so Bryan crawled under her car. Looking for a level spot to place the jack, he skinned his knuckles a few times. However in no time he was able to change the tire. But he had gotten dirty and his hand was bleeding.

As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was just passing through after visiting her sister who was in the hospital and she couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he put the jack back in the trunk and closed it.

The lady asked how much do I owe you young man. She would have gladly paid any amount he wanted for what he did as she imagined all the awful things that could have happened had this nice young man not stopped. Bryan never thought twice - "Not a thing Ma'am - I was just glad I was here to help someone in need". God knows there were plenty of times when people had given me a hand in the past and I just wanted to pay them back.

However he told her that if she really wanted to pay him, the next time she saw someone who was in need of help, she could give that person the assistance they needed, and then he added, "Just think of me!" He stood next to her car until she drove off. It had been a cold and another depressing day for Bryan, but he felt good as he headed for home.

About six miles down the road the old lady saw a small cafe. She went inside to grab a bite to eat as it was still a long ride home for her. It was a dingy looking restaurant however the waitress came right over with a dry clean towel and said "Here, you might want to use this to wipe that wet hair". The waitress had a sweet smile.

The lady noticed the waitress was pregnant and when she returned with a menu the lady asked "How far are in your pregnancy". "8 ½ months the waitress replied". The lady thought if must be hard for her to be working at 8 ½ month pregnant, but the waitress never let the strain or aches of her pregnancy affect her positive attitude. The old lady wondered how someone so young and carrying a child could be so giving and friendly to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan.

After the lady finished her meal, she handed the the waitress a one hundred dollar bill and said will be kind and take care of my tab for me. The waitress smiled and said sure.  The waitress quickly went to get cash register paid her bill and then walked back to bring the lady her change. However when the waitress returned to the booth the old lady was gone; she had slipped out the side door. The waitress then noticed something written on a napkin next to the lady's plate. Tears swelled in the waitress’ eyes when she read the note the lady left - it said: "You don't owe me anything. I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, so let me help you out. Under the napkin the old lady left four more $100 bills.

There were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another night at midnight the diner closer. When the waitress got home she undressed and climbed into bed; however she couldn’t stop thinking about that nice old lady and the hand-written note and money left. 

She thought how could the lady have known how much her and her husband had really needed that money? He had been laid off since the mill closed and with the baby due next month, it was going to be hard for them.

She looked over at her husband who was sound asleep.  She knew how worried he was the past few weeks not being able to find steady employment.  As he laid there sleeping she leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek. She then whispered soft and low, "Don’t worry honey - every thing's going to be all right. I really do love you, Bryan Anderson."

How to Acquire Knowledge?

The Gift Of Flying

Once upon a time there was a little boy who wished he could fly like a bird.  It was difficult for him to understand why he could not fly. He saw birds at the zoo much bigger than he was and they could all fly. "Why O’ why can’t I fly he asked himself".

Across town was another little boy; this boy had contracted polio when he was an infant and could not walk.  His wish was that some day he would be able walk and run like all the other boys and girls.

One day the little who wanted to fly like a bird became upset with his parents decided to run away from home.  After walking several hours he came upon a city park where he saw the little boy who could not walk playing in the sandbox.

He walked over to the little boy and asked him if he had ever wanted to fly like a bird.  "No," said the little boy “however I have always wondered what it would be like to walk and run like other boys and girls." "That is very sad," said the little boy who wanted to fly.

"Would you like to be friends so we can play together in the sandbox?  "Sure," said the other little boy come on in the sandbox.

The two boys played for almost an hour making sand castle after sand castle. Then the little boy's father walked over pushing a wheelchair.  He was there to pick up his son and take him to the car. The little boy who had always wanted to fly ran over to meet his new friend’s father and whispered something into his ear.  "I guess that would be OK," said the boy’s father.

The little boy who had always wanted to fly like a bird ran over to his new friend in the sand box and said, "You are a good friend to me; I wish that there was something I could do to make you walk and run like other little boys and girls. But I can't; however there is something I would like to do for you – if you will let me."

He then turned around, squatted down and told his new friend to climb on his back. When the little boy was secure on his back the other boy began to run across the grassy field.  Faster and faster he ran.  The faster he ran the more the wind just brushed across the faces of the two little boys.

Suddenly the little boy's father with the wheelchair began to cry … he started to cry uncontrollably.  For as he watched his beautiful son riding on the back of his new friend he saw his young son flap his arms up and down in the wind and begin  shouting at the top of his lungs…"LOOK DADDY- I'M FLYING – I REALLY AM FLYING DADDY!"

All The Mayor Wanted Was a Quickie

A Mayor from Texas went to attend the Annual Mayor’s Conference which was held in Wisconsin. While in Dairy State the Mayor he entered a small restaurant that served beer.  The hostess seated him at a table and handed him a menu and said your waitress will be with you shortly.  Sure enough in a few minutes an attractive waitresses walked over and asked, "What would you like, sir?" 

The Mayor put down the menu - looked at the waitress. He starred at her beautiful complexion, her amazing facial features and her stunning figure. Then he smiled and said "I think I would like to have a quickie”?

Not amused the waitress turned around and walked away in disgust. After she regained her composure she returned to his table a few minutes later and asked again, "Sir, what would you like?"  The Mayor flashed her another broad smile and answered, "a quickie" is what I really want.

This time the waitress' anger took over; she reached out and slapped the Mayor across the face as hard as she could.  The result was a resounding "SMACK!" and then she stormed away.

An elderly gentleman who was sitting at the next table, sipping on a glass beer overhead everything that transpired.  He leaned over to the young man and said "your not from these pars are you?".  "No I am not, I am from Texas and I am up here on official business."  "I thought so said the gentle; well up here in Wisconsin we pronounce it 'quiche', ". 

Remembering President Harry Truman

Sadly, President Harry Truman does not often receive the credit many people think he rightfully deserves. Below are some interesting facts about Harry Truman our 33rd President many people may not be aware of.

President Truman was a different kind of President for three primary reasons:

First - and foremost, he was not elected to his first term of office; he inherited the position of President after the death of President Franklin Roosevelt.

Second - While serving as President of the United States, he chose to pay all of his travel and living expenses such as the food his family ate out of his Presidential salary.

Third - he placed a sign on his desk in the Oval Office which read - ‘The Buck Stops Here’

Ironically, President Truman probably made as many, if not more, important decisions regarding our nation as any as the other 32 Presidents who preceded him. Most notably on August 6th, 1945 he, and he alone, ordered the dropping of the 5 ton Atomic Bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

However, his true measure of greatness actually does not begin until after he left the White House in 1952.

After President - Elect Eisenhower was inaugurated into office as the new President of the United States, Harry and his wife Bess drove themselves back home to Independence Missouri in their personal automobile. There was no such thing as a Secret Service escort which followed them.

When they left Washington the only source of income they had was a small U.S. Army pension Harry earned and the only asset he and his wife Bess had to their name was a small house in Independence Missouri which Bess inherited from her parents. Other than the six years Harry and Bess spent in the White House, this was the only house the two of them ever knew during their entire married life.

Almost immediately upon returning to Missouri large corporations from across the county began to contact Harry Truman. They all wanted to offer his positions with huge salaries to come work for them. However Mr. Truman declined every offer he received saying "You don't want me, Gentlemen you want the office of the President, and that unfortunately doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and I am sorry but that office is not for sale."

Several Congressmen soon noticed the former President was paying for all the stationary and the stamps he was using to respond to letters her received from US citizens and people around the world who wrote him. Not only that, President Truman personally licked every stamp he placed on an envelope. Congress voted to grant President Truman the very first 'Retired Presidential Allowance. The following year, Congress voted to give him a retroactive Presidential pension of $25,000 per year.

In May 1971, Congress was preparing a bill to award President Truman the Medal of Honor on his 87th birthday; however President Truman wrote a letter to Congress in which he stated he would refuse to accept any such medal. He said "I don't consider what I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise – all I did was my job."

The one Truman quote I will personally never forget was the one he gave during an interview with the New York Times. When asked why he had gotten into politics in the first place he said "My choices in life were simple, either become a piano player in a Missouri whore house or enter politics. And to tell the truth, the way I saw it there was hardly any difference – so I choose politics."

Many Presidents and numerous political figures that followed President Truman found new levels of success by cashing in on their time in Public Office. Many used creative ways to accumulate untold wealth as a result of their time serving in public office.

It might be wise for us to take a moment now and then to remember President Harry Truman.

Who The Heck Is Betty Crocker?

Betty Crocker is a household name that is pretty much known around the world today.  For over a century, Betty has created delicious recipes and proven baking methods that help even the most novice cooks and newlyweds can follow to easily bake scrumptious desserts and a variety of other baked goods.  Betty’s kitchen advice is trusted and followed by many.  But perhaps there is something you may not be aware of regarding Ms. Betty Crocker.

In 1880, the forerunner of the General Mills Company entered its newly milled flour in the International Miller’s Competition; surprisingly it won the ‘Gold Medal’. The small company was so proud to have won the gold medal; it changed the name of its flour to “Gold Medal Flour.”  Even though the original company changed hands several times, the name Gold Medal Flour has always remained the flagship flour; in fact it’s the largest selling flour in the U.S. today.

Back in 1921, one of the predecessors to today’s General Mills decided to run a special promotion regarding its Gold Medal Flour brand. The company asked housewives in America to submit any questions they had about Gold Medal Flour and it assured them everyone who submitted a question would receive a handwritten response from the company.  

Unbelievably, the company was soon overwhelmed with letters coming in from all across America from mothers and homemakers.  The company wanted to ensure continuity in responding to all the women who sent in questions so the company came up with the name Betty Crocker – because it just sounded like a good name to reply.  Every response to the questions submitted regarding Gold Medal Flour were answered by numerous women who all signed their replies - Betty Crocker.

Although Betty Crocker, was and always has been a fictionalized character, she became so popular with housewives and bakers around the world demanded to know what she actually looked like.  So back in 1936, after General Mills bought the company it commissioned a well known artist to create a likeness of what he thought Betty Crocker would look like if she were real - thus the first Betty Crocker image as we know today was created.

Over the years General Mills has continued to update Betty’s looks -  several times in fact. Each update provided Betty with a contemporary hair style and a modern, fashionable wardrobe. The last makeover Betty received was in 1996.  Betty however was initially portrayed as a matronly looking mother; today though she looks much younger, resourceful and confident.  In addition, Betty has always been committed to her family, her community and most of all she loves to bake.

What most people do not realize is that there is always a "Betty Crocker" on duty 24/7 at the General Mills Company headquarters in Golden Valley, Minnesota.  Betty is always there to answer any phone call and reply to any questions that arises regarding Gold Medal Flour.

What’s even more amazing is that according to AdWeek - one of the giant publications in the advertising industry,  has concluded that Betty Crocker reigned as “The Most Famous Fictional Female in the U.S." for almost a century.  She was recently bumped to second place by a younger upstart fictional character many of you might know.  According to AdWeek, the four most famous fictional females ever created by corporations in the U.S. are:

            1) Flo – The insurance spokeswoman from Progressive Insurance

            2) Betty Crocker – The wise baker/kitchen consultant 

            3) Mrs. {Joy} Butterworth – The syrup icon from Pinnacle Foods,

                                                           and

            4) Catalina – A beautiful, fun loving Chicken of the Sea mermaid 

The Day Mrs. Thompson Quick Teaching

Mrs. Thompson stood in front of her fifth grade class on the first day of school and told a lie, a big lie - the biggest lie she had ever told as she welcomed the students.  She said that she would treat all the students the same.  But she knew there was one student she would not treat the same - his name was Teddy Stoddard.

The school district had hired Ms. Thompson the year before and she couldn't help but notice Teddy’s behavior throughout the last year.  He was a known problem child with a lousy academic record. He didn’t play well with other children; his clothes were always a mess; everyday he looked like he needed a bath, and he had a bad attitude regarding everything.

Throughout the beginning weeks of the semester, Mrs. Thompson delighted in marking Teddy’s papers with a broad red pen and placing big bold 'X's on all his wrong answers.  She smiled every time she put a large 'F' at the top of his papers as she wanted the other students in class to be able to see his grade when she handed them out.

Unfortunately school policy required every teacher to review the academic records of their students during the first week of December.  Mrs. Thompson held Teddy's file off until last.  When she finally sat down to review his file, she was taken aback.  Teddy’s first grade teacher had written, "Teddy is a bright child who does neat work and has excellent classroom manners. He is a joy to have in my class - I will miss him next year."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an above average student who is well liked by his classmates. He has been having trouble lately at home because of his mother’s illness and life at home is really a struggle for Teddy." 

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's recent death has been very hard on Teddy.  He tries hard to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest in him and I believe his home life is going to be negatively impacted by these events."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a withdrawn child who doesn’t show much interest in school.  He has very few friends, often comes to class unprepared and is frequently disruptive in class.  He generally wears dirty clothes and looks like a mess."

Mrs. Thompson now felt ashamed of her behavior. She felt even worse a few weeks later when her students all brought in their Christmas presents for her.  All were wrapped in brightly colored holiday papers and tied with fancy ribbons except for one. Teddy's was gift was clumsily wrapped in brown paper from a grocery bag and it had no ribbon.  Mrs. Thompson decided to open Teddy’s present first.  Many of the children laughed when they saw a small rhinestone bracelet with several stones missing and an old bottle of perfume which was barely one 1/4 full; but Mrs. Thompson quickly stifled their laughter by commenting on how beautiful the bracelet was as she put in on.  She then dabbed some of the perfume on each of her wrist, inhaled deeply and said it smells wonderful Teddy – Thank You so much for this lovely gift.

Before he left class that afternoon, Teddy slowly walked up to Mrs. Thompson's desk, leaned in and said, "I just want you to know you smell just like my Mom use to."  Then he quickly ran out of the classroom.  When all the other students left, Mrs. Thompson put her head down at the desk and cried. This was the day she vowed to quit teaching.  Never again she said would she teach her students reading, writing or arithmetic, instead she would start teaching children how to live.

The following Monday morning she began to pay special attention to Teddy in class.  As she worked with him, his mind came alive.  The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded.  By the end of the school year, Teddy was one of the brightest students in her class. Despite "her lie to treat all students the same," it was obvious Teddy was Mrs. Thompson pet.  The following year, Teddy transferred to the middle school and Mrs. Thompson never saw Teddy again.

Towards the end of the next school year, Mrs. Thompson found a note under her door one night.  It was a note from Teddy.  The note said “Dear Mrs. Thompson you were the best teacher I ever had in my whole life – signed Teddy”. 

Seven years passed before she received another note.  This time Teddy wrote he had just finished high school - third in his class - and that he would be going off to college - and that, by the way Mrs. Thompson, you are still the best teacher I ever had in my whole life.  

Four more years went by when a third note from Teddy arrived.  It stated “I have just graduated from college and am now going to medical school in this fall - and by the way Mrs. Thompson, you are still the best teacher I ever had”.

Several years passed before another letter arrived.  In this typed letter, Teddy stated he met a woman, a beautiful young lady, and he was going to get married in June.  He explained that his father had died a few years earlier and was wondering if she, Mrs. Thompson, would agree to sit in the place of honor reserved for the groom's parents at the head table on the night of his wedding. This letter was signed Theodore J. Stoddard M.D.

Of course Mrs. Thomson agreed. When arrived at the plush wedding ceremony wearing a beautiful dress on her wrist was an old rhinestone bracelet which had several rhinestones missing.  As she walked in the room she carried a scent of a perfume that a young boy once said reminded him of his mother.

Dr. Stoddard saw her and immediately came forward and gave her a big hug.  As he inhaled the fragrance of her perfume, he whispered in her ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for making me feel so important and thank you for making a difference in my life."

With tear filled eyes Mrs. Thompson whispered back "No Teddy you have it wrong.  I need to thank you. I want to thank you for what you taught me. Teddy you taught me I could make a difference in other people’s lives."

THE LAST CAB RIDE ... A Powerful Life Lesson Shared by a Cab Driver

I arrived at the address and honked the horn.  After waiting a few minutes, I honked again.  Since this was my last fare for this shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked hard. "Just a minute," answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor; after a long pause, the door opened. A small woman who must have been in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and an old fashioned pillbox hat with a veil, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.    By her side was a small suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks on the shelves or utensils on the counters.  In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.    "Would you carry my bag out to the car young man?" she asked. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to help the woman walk to the cab.  She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb; all the while she kept thanking me for my kindness.  "It's nothing," I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated."  "Oh, you're such a good boy," she said.     When we got in the cab, she gave me the address she wanted and asked if I could drive through downtown before we got there?  "Ma’am, it's not the shortest way," I answered.  "Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice center."  I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening.     "I don't have any family left," she continued in a soft voice. "The doctor says I don't have very long with all this cancer."  (I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.)    "What route would you like me to take?" I asked. "Any one you want," she replied. For the next two hours, we just drove through the city. She pointed out a building where she once worked as an elevator operator.  Then we drove through a neighborhood where she said she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds.     She had me pull up and stop in front of an old furniture warehouse that she said had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a young girl when she was in high school.  As we drove, she would often ask me to drive slow in front of a particular building or around a corner;  sometimes she would ask me to just park and then she would stare into the darkness and say nothing.    At the first hint of sunlight she suddenly said, "I'm tired; can we go to the Hospice Center now?"  We drove in silence to the address she had given me. When we arrived it was a low building, kind of like a small convalescent home with a long driveway that passed under a portico.  As soon as I pulled in, two orderlies came running out. They were solicitous and very intent; they watched her every move.  They obviously were expecting her. I hopped out and opened the trunk and took her small suitcase to the door.  The orderlies had already seated her in a wheelchair. "How much do I owe you young man?" she asked reaching into her purse.  "Nothing," I answered.  "That’s not fair; you have to make a living," she said.  "There are plenty if other passengers," I responded.    Almost without thinking, I bent forward and gave her a hug and kissed her on the cheek. She held onto me tightly. "Young man, you gave an old woman a lot of joy tonight," she said. "Thank you," I said as I squeezed her hand and walked back to my cab. Behind me, I heard a center door shut; it sounded like the closing of a life.  For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. I thought what if that woman had gotten an angry cabbie or a driver who was impatient and wanted to end his shift quickly?  What if a driver would had refused to take that late night run, or had honked only once, then driven off?    Looking back on last night, I don't think that I have ever done anything more important in my entire life.   Many of us think our lives revolve around great moments; but the truly great moments in our lives often catch us when we least expect them – they are often hidden in what others consider to be small things.    Remember; people may not always remember what you did for them or what you said to them but I no one ever forgets how you made them feel.   I am not going to ask you to share this story.  All I want you to do is think about The Last Cab Ride  and remember try to always remember that even though life is not always the party we had always hoped for while we are living it, we might as well dance every chance we get.

The Beauty of a White Rose

I was killing time walking through a Big Bazaar type store, when I overheard a cashier tell a young boy who couldn't have been more than 6 or 7 years old, “Son, I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll.”

The little boy looked at the cashier and asked, “Are you sure?''

 The cashier politely took time to count the boy's money again and replied, ''You know that you don't have enough money to buy the doll, dear.''

The little boy stood silent while still holding the doll in his arms. I walked over and asked him who he wished to buy the doll for. “My sister.  It is the doll she loved and wanted so much. I wanted to give it to her for her birthday on Friday.”

He went on to say; “I have to have the doll today so I can give the doll to my Mommy tonight so that she can give it to my sister when she goes to live with her tonight.  My sister has gone to live with God and Daddy says that Mommy will be going to live with God soon too so I thought Mommy could take the doll with her to give it to my sister on Friday.''

My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said, "I asked my Daddy to tell Mommy to wait until I come back with the doll.” Then the little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out a picture of him laughing with a little girl and said, “I want Mommy to take my picture with her so my sister won't forget me. I don’t want Mommy to leave me, but Daddy says that she has to go to be with my sister." Then he squeezed the doll against his chest as tears fell from his eyes.

I slowly put my hand in my pocket and grabbed a few bills I had and said, "Son, suppose we count your money one more time just in case you do have enough money for the doll?''

"Okay he said. I sure hope I do have enough." As we counted his money, I discreetly added several of my dollar bills to his pile. When we were done counting, low and behold there was enough for the doll and even some money to spare.

The boy looked up and quietly said, "Thank you God for giving me enough money!" Then he looked at me and added, "Last night before I went to sleep I asked God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll for my sister.” I also wanted to ask him for some money to buy a white rose for my Mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for that because I thought I would be asking too much. But look what God did. He gave me enough to buy the doll and also enough to buy a white rose for Mommy because she loves white roses."

I finished my shopping with a totally different state of mind from when I started. I couldn't get that little kid out of my mind. As I was checking out, I suddenly remembered a newspaper article from a few days earlier which mentioned a drunken driver hit a car occupied by a young woman and her little girl. The girl died at the scene but the mother was taken to the hospital and was in a critical condition. The family, I recall, was asked to make a decision whether to pull the plug on the life support machine because the woman would not be able to recover from her coma. I wondered if that was the family of the little boy who wanted to buy his sister a doll.

The next day on my way to work I bought a paper.  A story featured on the front page was about a young woman who passed late last night because her family had instructed her doctors to pull the plug. I don’t know why but during my lunch break - I went to a nearby florist and bought a dozen white roses and drove to the funeral home that was listed in the paper. The room was full and up front was a casket for family and friends to make their last visit before the burial would occur.

I walked towards the casket and as I neared it I saw a young lady holding a beautiful a white rose in her hand. Next to the rose was a photo of a little boy and a girl laughing and over her chest was placed a doll – a doll I had seen the night before. I immediately turned around and left the funeral home as my eyes filled with tears. On that day I learned the simple beauty of a while rose and a little toy doll.

The First Presidential Limousine - You Won't Believe It!

It's been a while since I have posted on this blog.  December was hectic and January just took off.  I am sorry.  Hopefully you will find this story fascinating and share it with your family and friends.  Gabe   

Just hours after Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941, the Secret Service found itself with a major dilemma - an unusual problem. President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked to speak to an emergency session of Congress on Tuesday morning, December 9.  He chose to wait until Tuesday to address Congress as he wanted as many of the elected state representatives present and wanted to give them time to get back to Washington when he made his address to the nation. This joint session on December the 9th is where he gave his powerful “This is a Day That Will Live on in Infamy” speech. 

Though the actual trip from the White House to Capitol Hill was short, Secret Service agents at the time were concerned about his personal safety. Standard vehicles had always been used to transport the President wherever he travelled; however now with the possibility of war pending, they thought a more secure and safer mode of transportation should be used.

Federal Laws in place at the time prohibited government agencies and departments from purchasing vehicles that cost more than $750. The only recourse the Secret Service had was to get emergency authority and funding from Congress to purchase a safer vehicle; however with all the mayhem erupting in Washington, nobody had time for that. 

As luck would have it, one of the older (or should we say long-term) agents working for the Secret Service, remembered the US Treasury Department had seized a bulletproof car from a mobster a few years ago that might work. 

The mobster they seized the vehicle from was none other than Al Capone - the famous Chicago crime boss. Capone, you may recall, was sent to prison in 1931 for tax evasion.  He failed to file and pay taxes on $150,000 of income he earned from his illegal operations. The car the Treasury Department seized from Al Capone was now sitting in a Washington D.C. warehouse.

Capone’s seized car was a 1928 Cadillac Town Sedan which had a V-8 engine. 

Interestingly, Capone had his car painted black and green to look identical to the Chicago police vehicles of that era. Capone also had the 1928 Cadillac Town Sedan modified with 3,000 pounds of armor plating and one-inch thick bulletproof glass. Furthermore, he had a police siren and flashing lights installed behind the front grille of the vehicle which he used often to speed his way through Chicago’s congested traffic quickly.
 

Throughout Sunday night, all day Monday, and all of Monday night mechanics and Secret Service agents labored to clean the car and make sure it was in perfect running condition. On Tuesday morning, December 9, they had Capone’s car ready to transport President Franklin Roosevelt to Capitol Hill. 

The point we should all remember from this fascinating little story is: The very first "Official" White House Limousine ever used to transport a US President was a bulletproof Cadillac, formerly owned by the notorious Chicago gangster, Al Capone.