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He Marched Up Italy to Defeat Hitler: Now He Just Needed a ‘Lift’
“I’ve had a wonderful life,” Andy told me over the phone as I stood hours after our encounter in front of a CVS several days ago. The circumstances that led to this meeting and its afterglow is the magic movies produce about two unlikely travelers: George Bailey and an angel named Clarence.
A strip mall featuring a drug store with cars whizzing by is not the picturesque setting of a Frank Capra film, but on this December day, it will have to do. I was taking my long walk for exercise in my little town of Encinitas — just north of San Diego. I mention this because my truck was left at home, a good 30 minutes away by foot, as I briskly passed the front door of the local drugstore.
I spotted an elderly man leaning against a brick column. He was holding a small bag in his hand and keeping an eagle eye on the maze that was the parking lot. What made him stand out to me was his cap. It was a dark blue U.S. Army hat with gold letters that spelled out WWII, and beneath those poignant letters was a series of colors that seemed to indicate to me that this man was highly decorated. I walked right past him — keeping my pace and then suddenly I stopped. Could I walk past a man like this when it was apparent that he was looking for someone?
