Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Non-Tech : The Critical Investing Workshop -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: RR who wrote (20256)	5/25/2000 9:35:00 PM
From: tracyx	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 35685

whoa, i ask a simple question about ira's - leave the room for a few minutes and world war 3 has broken out. trace

To: RR who wrote (20256)	5/25/2000 10:35:00 PM
From: RR	Read Replies (6) \| Respond to of 35685

A good story given the posts on here tonight. Read it. Tuesday night my 7th grade son had his big junior high band concert for the year. All the parents were there. Place was packed in our rural Arkansas community. The kids were all cleaned up, dressed up, nervous, and proud. They were on the stage getting ready. All grins, smiles from ear to ear. You could tell this was a big thing for them. I was sitting there with my wife and 10th grade son. I was on an aisle seat. I noticed a small elderly man walk by me. He was moving ever so slow and being helped by an elderly lady, obviously his wife, and a younger lady, probably their daughter, on both sides of him. He was there to watch his grandson/granddaughter I'm sure. He could hardly walk. It was a struggle for him to get into a seat, even with help. I noticed that he was wearing one of those VFW hats that you rarely see folks wear anymore. He was a war veteran. Not sure which war, probably WWII. I thought of my Dad for a moment, who flew B-17 Bombers over Germany in WWII. I've posted about that in the past. I don't know how he had the guts to fly those "Flying Fortresses" and keep them in formation when they were getting blown out of the skies over there. Those particular planes had such a high casualty rate. Anyway, it made me think of my Dad for that moment and what he did for this Country. (Coonaz and Joel, this is like one of those times that I PM'ed you about when you think of a parent) The man finally got seated. His daughter on one side. His wife on the other. It was painful to watch him try to sit down. Looked like he was in pain. He took off his VFW hat and sat there sort of slumped down. The band started. Those little kids played their hearts out and really did a fantastic job for being so young. They had come a long ways. They played four songs. After each the crowd clapped and sometimes somebody would yell a little something for encouragement. Just a good ole school concert if you know what I mean. Great. The band came to their last song. It was America the Beautiful. The kids sat up erect, pulled their horns up and started playing their grand finale song. It was great. They were doing an outstanding job. Then, all of a sudden, about half way through the song, I noticed some movement down in front of me where that little old man was seated. I saw him moving, struggling. I thought something was wrong with him. I started to get up to go help him and then I realized he was struggling to get up by himself. That man pulled himself up and stood as erect as he could, out there in the middle of that entire auditorium of people, while the band played, and he put on that War Veteran's hat and started to sing America the Beautiful with the band. Other people around him started to stand and sing, then entire rows of people stood up and started to sing, and eventually, the entire auditorium of people were standing and singing America the Beautiful with the junior high band. I suspect those kids will never forget that moment as long as they live. The band got a huge ovation at the end. I looked down my row and I'm telling ya folks, everyone had tears rolling down their face. Heck, even the tough guy bubbas in the crowd were wiping their eyes and cheeks. It was moving. It made me feel so good, so proud to be an American. I'm sure it left a positive impact on everyone there, especially the young people. I probably didn't tell this story as well as if you had been there yourself, but I hope you got a little something positive out of it. It's good to have a reality check sometimes about what is really important in life. Rick