This happened several years ago.But it has stuck with me so I wanted to share it. Every day on my way to work I would buy a newspaper from an elderly gentleman on the corner of the street.He would always smile and say,"Good morning."His smile always made my day. Most of the people who sell these papers are homeless or poor and they do it to make a few bucks. One  day Charlie wasn't there!Someone else was in his place! This other guy told me Charlie was in the veterans' hospital. It troubled me all day long.All I could think about was Charlie being alone in the hospital.I never knew he was a veteran who had served our country.I just knew his smile always made my day. I asked my girlfriend if she would go with me to visit him and she agreed.When I showed up in Charlie's room he began to cry.He told us he had been feeling very lonely and was convinced no one would ever visit him.He said that we were his only visitors. We told him we were glad to do it and thanked him for all that he had done for others. I never saw Charlie after that,although I heard he moved to California.That was thirty years ago but I haven't forgotten my smiling friend.A big thankyou to those who serve our country and protect us and thank you Charlie,wherever you are! Why did Charlie cry at the hospital?
Because he was afraid of his death. Because the doctor didn't treat him well. Because he had someone to visit him at last. Because he couldn't afford to pay the operation.