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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;bercrystal, post: 9562432, member: 88&quot;]Just don&#039;t be surprised if they can&#039;t understand why you bothered. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/smilies/frown.png" class="mceSmilie" alt=":(" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>Back in 2007, an elderly woman would come to the same beautician I used. She loved to tell stories of her very privileged upbringing. Her father worked on the Island of Bataan which is where she met her future husband a pilot in the Army Air Corps. His last assignment was here in SC &amp; he retired as a Brigadier General. </p><p><br /></p><p>Whenever I saw her she was dressed to the nines &amp; I always complimented her on some part of her ensemble. Sometimes it was the obviously wonderful vintage handbag or some gorgeous piece of costume jewelry. She would just laugh &amp; say &quot;I&#039;ve had this for ages&quot;. </p><p><br /></p><p>When she would walk away I would lament that her children (she had 2 sons) were going to throw it all away. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie14" alt=":arghh:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie14" alt=":arghh:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie14" alt=":arghh:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> </p><p><br /></p><p>One Sunday afternoon I got a call from my friend (the beautician) to tell me that they were putting it all out on the curb. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie56" alt=":jawdrop:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie56" alt=":jawdrop:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> </p><p><br /></p><p>When I arrived at her house I took note of the 12 to 15 black plastic garbage bags piled in the driveway out back. I knocked on the door &amp; introduced myself to her sons. I told them I would be glad to buy what was left in the house &amp; they laughed saying there wasn&#039;t anything that was worth buying in the house. In the first 15 seconds, I knew that they were mistaken. </p><p><br /></p><p>We chatted for a while &amp; I mentioned that I knew their father was military &amp; that there was a very strong market for military items, especially WWII stuff. They looked at me like I had 3 heads &amp; said with a laugh what like old uniforms? When I replied that yes very much like old uniforms. That&#039;s when I knew where they were. </p><p><br /></p><p>I made an offer for the contents of the house &amp; told them I would be back the next day to get everything. I then asked if they would like me to haul away the garbage bags out back &amp; they were thrilled. </p><p><br /></p><p>Turns out the first pile got put out to the curb &amp; the neighbors called the police because of the mess that was made when the street shoppers showed up. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/smilies/rolleyes.png" class="mceSmilie" alt=":rolleyes:" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/smilies/rolleyes.png" class="mceSmilie" alt=":rolleyes:" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>In those bags I hauled home I found all of his uniforms &amp; many other items. I also found a clear plastic box that contained all of his medals &amp; the ribbons from his uniforms along with a set of dog tags. The medals include the Silver Star he was awarded for flying General Carlos Romulo from the Island of Bataan just before it fell to the Japanese. </p><p><br /></p><p>They had to have seen what was in the box &amp; they threw them away anyway. </p><p><br /></p><p>My friend later told me that the guy was a real horse&#039;s rear-end &amp; the younger son especially did not get along with him. </p><p><br /></p><p>You also would not believe what I saw come through the auction house in the 20+ years I have been working/attending the auctions. </p><p><br /></p><p>I will never in my life understand how someone lets go of a Purple Heart that belonged to someone in their family. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/smilies/frown.png" class="mceSmilie" alt=":(" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/smilies/frown.png" class="mceSmilie" alt=":(" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie56" alt=":jawdrop:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /><img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie22" alt=":bigtears:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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