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I Have Been A Lucky Man
By Walt Hardester
Last edited: Monday, October 22, 2007
Posted: Sunday, October 21, 2007
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People I've met.....
I have been a very lucky man many times in my life. Not because I have been a survivor, but because of my gregarious nature I have met many people who were either famous, or near the ones who were.
I have met movie stars, War heros, WWII aces, sports legends, and just plain ordinary folks who were "there" when something famous happened.
My latest chance meeting was a man who I was eating dinner next to in my favorite resturant, I won't mention the name, because they don't pay me to advertise for them.
I generaly eat at the bar, because the hostesses always look at me funny when I say, "Table for one please."
This particular night there was a black man at the bar, who I swear looked just like Evander Hollyfield, the former heavyweight world boxing champion.
I mentioned this to him, and he said he had heard that before.
However, there was an elderly couple next to me, and the lady said, "Yeah he does except for one thing."
"What is that?" I asked. Her retort was, "He ain't missing half his ear!"
I almost fell off my chair laughing at her quick wit.
After engaging them in conversation I found out her husband was on Iwo Jima and had actually witnessed the the raising of the flag on Mount Surabachi.
He told me the story that the first flag raising was of a very small flag, and the photographer wanted to get a picture of a bigger flag. They found another larger one, and the raising of that one is the famous picture, and the model for the memorial in Washington, D.C. I then asked him if he knew Ira Hayes, the man who is not quite touching the flagpole and made famous by that picture.
He said, "Yeah, I knew Ira, he was a drunk." To which his wife replied,
"But honey, you all were drunks then."
Again, I almost fell off my chair laughing.
This story is not so much about the event, but the people I have met by serendipity, who were in a situation of importance to our history in some form or another.
I consider myself a very lucky man indeed. Most people don't appreciate what something like this means, but I do.
Walt
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Reader Reviews for
"I Have Been A Lucky Man"
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| Reviewed by Randall Barfield |
12/5/2007 |
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| Good read. Enjoyed. Cheers |
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| Reviewed by Rebecca Lerwill |
12/1/2007 |
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This got to be my favorite short story of yours, Walt. Indeed, you are a lucky man. What a great tale.
People who have done extraordinary things and stay humble, that does it for me.
One thing's sad, though: Hopefully someday there will be someone special you share a booth with instead of dining at the bar like some lone wolf.
R~ |
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| Reviewed by Dean Blanchard |
11/8/2007 |
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| I have been working at the veteran's center for the past ten years. During this time I have met and become friends with some of the our unsung heros who did their job. War gave me the opportunity to meet and make odd friends, pleople who, when I was younger, would never be with. I thank God for my service not because I'm any man's hero. I was a 17 year old, snot nosed kid who thought I knew everything about life until I served in the navy. What an education! |
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| Reviewed by Michael Guy |
10/29/2007 |
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Serendipity indeed; I don't meet famous people, only a few famous animals in my time; but i like WW II stories and this is sort of one... if an unusual one.
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| Reviewed by Dana Reed |
10/23/2007 |
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The most famous people I meet are those who've done something extroardinary with their lives. That is besides the ones who appear in the newspaper.
Dana |
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| Reviewed by larry linville |
10/22/2007 |
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You have been a lucky man and I imagine others have felt lucky for having met you.
Larry |
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| Reviewed by Amber Moonstone |
10/22/2007 |
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This is an amazing story! I love that you were one of those people that knows when things like this happens, it's meant to be..Love this.
Peace, Love, and LIght,
Amber "V" |
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| Reviewed by Charlie |
10/22/2007 |
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| I'm with you, Walt. My father-in-law was shot down twice over Germany. He was just a kid. He had to get his partent's permission to marry Mom. He wasn't old enough to marry her, but he was old enough to die at the hands of a mad man to protect her and the rest of us. --Charlie |
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| Reviewed by Mr. Ed |
10/22/2007 |
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| Lucky is often better than Good! |
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| Reviewed by Felix Perry |
10/22/2007 |
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It is often with hindsight that we look back at the characters we met throughout our lives and realize how much of an impact they may have had on our way of thinking and our lives. Well done story here with a lot to be learned from it.
Fee |
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| Reviewed by Georg Mateos |
10/22/2007 |
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I don't know if it counts, but once I scared the jebazzes of a post office clerk, I looked almost exactly as the one on the enlarged photo gallery of the FBI 10 most wanted pasted inside the glass beside her, gulped so hard that if she had a Adam apple it would have hit the floor.
Georg |
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| Reviewed by Karen Vanderlaan |
10/21/2007 |
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| yes sir-you are a lucky man indeed-enjoyed |
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| Reviewed by High Country Girl |
10/21/2007 |
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Who has a terrific sense of humour and deep love of his country,
Bravo Walt, enjoyed!
:) Ch'erie |
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| Reviewed by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado |
10/21/2007 |
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Excellent story, Walt; very well written! BRAVO!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tx., Karen Lynn. :) |
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| Reviewed by Susan de Vegter |
10/21/2007 |
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You are always in the right place at the right time.
I DO know Evander. My ex was the chairman of the State Boxing ommission, He put the first middle weight belt on Evander. I was also a judge intern under Mills lane...a Savannhian. I know a little bit about boxing. In the reruns on HBO...I'm there at ringside with the judges...especially the holyfield fights and Quawi.
Okay...too much information already.
Love,
Susan |
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