A Soldier's Love Story

[omega0401]

Since it will be Valentine's day soon, I thought I would share this story. I believe it is true but I can not verify it. I can't even remember where I got it from. But none the less, I believe the message it imparts is an important one and worth reading.

John, a young soldier, stood up from the bench, straightened his army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through grand Central Terminal in New York City. He was looking for a woman whom he knew, but whose face he didn't. He would recognize her by a small rose in her lapel. Their story began several years before in a Florida used bookstore. He bought a poetry book. When he got home and started to read it, he became intrigued not by the words of the author, but by the notes that were penciled in the margin. The words in a woman’s handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and an insightful mind. In the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner’s name and hometown.

With a great deal of effort, he found her address. He wrote her a letter in which he introduced himself. The next day, Pearl Harbor was attacked. He enlisted and was soon shipped overseas. He wrote again. She finally responded. They developed a correspondence. A romance was budding. Every time he requested a photograph, she refused. She said that if it was really meant to be, it wouldn’t really matter what she looked like.

Finally, the war was over, and John was to return from overseas. They scheduled their long-awaited meeting on a Friday evening at 7 o’clock at Grand Central. She wrote, “You’ll recognize me by the small red rose that I’ll have in my lapel. He got there two hours early. Let’s let the young soldier tell the rest of the story:

“At just about 7 p.m. a young woman was walking toward me. I stood up. She was the most stunning woman I had ever seen in my life. I started moving toward her, and then I noticed that she wasn’t wearing a small rose in her lapel. When she walked past me she said, ‘Going my way, soldier?’

I was just about to follow her when I saw directly behind her another woman who was looking at me expectantly. She was much older than I had imagined and not as attractive as I hoped. She was wearing a small rose in her lapel. I wanted to follow the other woman. But I didn’t. I was clutching the book from the used bookstore that began it all. I was going to give it to her as a present.

“‘Hello, I’m John, I’m so glad to meet you.’ “ Even as I said these words, I was thinking of the other woman. ‘Would you like to go to dinner?’ “The older woman seemed confused and said, Son, I don’t know what this is all about, but that beautiful young woman who was walking in front of me pleaded with me to wear this small red rose in my lapel. She said if you were still going to take me out to dinner, I should tell you that she’ll be waiting for you in the restaurant in the hotel right across the street. She said it was some kind of test”

[confuzzled]

I have heard this story.....thanks for sharing!!

[dazed-and-confused]

I've never heard this story...thanks.

[omega0401]

I've never heard this story...thanks.

You're welcome. It's one of my favorite stories.

That soldier had integrity. He kept his word and wanted to take the older lady to dinner even though he would prefer to meet someone else. The young woman on the other hand wanted to peer into his soul to know his true heart.

[pam]

I've heard this story numerous times over the years. While I'm not sure it's a true story, it still is one of those nice sentimental stories I like to read.

[Xiong]

Have you ever read or heard of a story about a soldier going AWOL to come see his childhood friend get married? They take a walk and remember all the memories they had and they both fall asleep against a tree and when they wake up, they fall in love again?

[omega0401]

Have you ever read or heard of a story about a soldier going AWOL to come see his childhood friend get married? They take a walk and remember all the memories they had and they both fall asleep against a tree and when they wake up, they fall in love again?

Hi Xiong. I haven't heard that story. If you have it or if you find it, I hope you will post it. I would like to read it.