Sunday, November 6, 2016

Human Nature and Remembrance Day

With Remembrance Day almost upon us, I thought about a story of my own regarding that special day; and its special symbol: The poppy.

In early November in the late 1980s (I'm thinking 1989), I hopped onto a TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) subway train car. With the seats being all but fully occupied I took the famous door position as the doors closed behind me. Sitting on the other side of the car, with his poppy box resting on his lap, and looking sharp in his uniform, was a veteran.

Immediately I remembered that a few minutes earlier I had shoved a two dollar bill (remember those?) into my shirt pocket. I approached the vet as I drew out the money. He got up from his seat and carefully pinned the poppy to my lapel. I thanked him and went back to my first position. Then, all of a sudden, and in the style of an over-directed film, several other riders popped open their purses and pulled out their wallets.

6 comments:

Jon said...

Reminds me of observing an encounter at Main Street station when a teenage girl, all slouch and attitude, bought a poppy from a wizened vet. I don't know what he said to her while pinning it on, but she straightened up as though about to salute (of course she didn't, being a civilian) and strode off looking like a different person.

Simon St. Laurent said...

Cool story.

Thanks for sharing!

Tibor said...

If that was my story it would end with..."and two days later walking down the street I noticed that the poppy wasn't pinned to my coat anymore. Like all the poppies I have bought, it fell off somewhere".

Simon St. Laurent said...

That poppy in my story was pinned on my Pierre Cardin jacket (which would make this story from 1989) and I remember it staying put.

But, yeah, you are right....

Adele Menegon said...

Better late than never deparment : you can keep your poppy in place by cutting a tiny piece of "rubber" - the kind used to grip a jar lid- and pushing it on to the pin after putting the poppy in place.This usually works.

Simon St. Laurent said...

Thanks for the tip!

One demonstrated by a fellow coworker of mine yesterday seems to do the trick: pop the pin back out from the garmet and pierce the poppy from underneath. It's a lock.