The Marine
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As a crowded airliner was about to take off, the peace is shattered
by a five-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 continued to scream furiously and kick the seats
around him.
Suddenly, from the rear of the plane, a man in a U.S. Marine Corps
uniform is seen slowly walking forward up the aisle. Stopping the
flustered mother with an upraised hand, the courtly, soft-spoken
Marine leans down and motioning toward his chest, whispered something
into the boy's ear.
Instantly, the boy calmed down, gently took his mother's hand, and
quietly fastened his seat belt.
All the other passengers burst into spontaneous applause. As the
Marine slowly makes his way back to his seat, one of the cabin
attendants touch his sleeve. "Excuse me, sir," she asks quietly, "but
could I ask you what magic words you used on that little boy?"
The Marine smiled serenely and gently confided, "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, and that I was just about to make my selection for
this flight." -
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