Two barely 18-year-old wounded soldiers

C and I are going to Irish Feast this weekend in Milwaukee.  So we had to drop off Dublin with my parents.  What my parents and I usually do is meet half way at the O'Hare cell phone parking lot.  Its a 1 hour drive (without traffic) to my parents, so meeting half way is always great.

As soon as I get to the cell phone lot (I was previously warned by my father) I see several police cars, a news crew, and about 50 or so motorcycles. Turns out, 2 soldiers just landed in Chicago to go home.  They were injured in Afghanistan and both walked with canes.  My father had already shook the hands of the two soldiers and thanked them for serving, so after I dropped off Dublin, I did the same.

I asked a bystander who the soldiers were.  I should have known, they were the only 2 injured individuals in the group of people.  I went up to the soldiers and shook their hands.  I said "I was just in the neighborhood, and I saw what was going on.  I wanted to thank you for serving...."

The boys were so young, younger than me, and they didn't look like they could legally drink.  I felt awful for them.  Granted they had all their legs and arms, but they both looked like they had injured their knees.

Shortly after I shook their hands, it was time for them to leave.  I sat in my car and waited for the procession.  It was so amazing.  There were about 3 Chicago police cars.  They led and ended the whole procession.  Then there were about 50 motorcycles.  Half were in the front of the soldier in the car, the other half were behind the soldier in the car. All of the motorcycles were honking their horns.

Needless to say, I think this was a perfect way to welcome home the soldiers.