A license plate tells a story

As i was walking down my street today i noticed a faded red pickup truck with a trailer attached in the driveway at one of the vacant houses on the street.  I was being nosy so i decided to walk over.  Two guys, one older, one younger were sitting on the front porch, they had lawn equipment so it was obvious they were there to cut the grass.  I had never seen anyone cutting the grass there before so now i was truly curious.  As i walked into the driveway i saw that the back window had a pair of stickers from the United States Marine Corps.  I said hello to them and then inquired if the older man was a marine.  He told me a very interesting story.

Ed, the older man, had bought the truck for his lawn care business some years ago.  The marine he bought it was was serving and still is.  Ed told me when he bought the vehicle he asked the marine if he wanted the stickers and license plate since he knew they were important to those who served.  The marine told him that he had no place to put the stickers and plate so Ed could throw them away if he wished.  Ed stated right then and there that the plate and stickers would remain on the truck as long as he owned it.  He did so out of respect for the marine and his service.  Ed kept his word.  He was even offered $20 for the plate by someone but Ed refused the money, declaring that the the plate would remain where it was as he had promised.  Some time later when he got the name of his business stenciled on the back window the person who did the work said he could remove the stickers and make the sign bigger.  Ed told the man to make the sign smaller, and not to interfere with the stickers in anyway.

I was moved and impressed with Ed’s story so i asked if i could take pictures of the plate and stickers.  He allowed me to.  Ed is one of those great examples of humanity that reminds me that i need to be a better person as well.

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