As a crowded airliner is about to
take
off, the peace is shattered by a 5-year-old boy who picks that moment
to throw a wild temper tantrum. No matter what his frustrated,
embarrassed mother does to try to calm him down, the boy continues to
scream
furiously and kick the seats around him.
Suddenly, from
the rear of the plane, an elderly man in the uniform of
an Air Force
General is seen slowly walking forward up the aisle.
Stopping the
flustered mother with an upraised hand, the white-haired,
courtly,
soft-spoken General leans down and, motioning toward his chest,
whispers something into the boy’s ear.
Instantly, the boy calms
down, gently takes his mother’s hand, and
quietly fastens his seat
belt. All the other passengers burst into
spontaneous
applause.
As the General slowly makes his way back to his seat, one of the
cabin
attendants touches his sleeve. „Excuse me, General,“ she ask
s
quietly, „but could I ask you what magic words you used on that
little boy?“
The old man smiles serenely and gently confides, „I
showed him my
pilot’s wings, service stars, and battle ribbons,
and explained that they
entitle me to throw one passenger out the
plane door on any flight I
choose.“
