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Bring the bowl. X boom. America is changing. And so is the world. But what's happening in America isn't just a cause of global upheaval.
It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere. I'm a smakhalid in Washington, D.C. I'm Tristan Redman in London and this is the global story. Every weekday, we'll bring you a story from this intersection, where the world and America meet. Listen on bbc.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
Good morning. Welcome to Today. From back to school to tackling your to-do list, the Today Show is your best start to the day. It's a new season and every morning. We're here to help you take it all along.
as the forecast calls for football all across the country. Blockbuster stars, live concerts, and so much more. Wake up to where it's all happening. We're getting back to all of it, and the best way to start is together. Watch the Today Show, weekday mornings at 7 a.m.
on NBC. The 2025 NFL season is underway. Don't miss your chance to be a part of the action. Tickets to all regular season games are on sale now. Be there live to support your favorite team.
See every epic showdown, every classic rivalry, and every prime time game. 17 games for all 32 teams. Visit nfl.com/slash tickets to purchase tickets today. Verified tickets are available through the NFL Ticket Network, including Ticketmaster, SeatGeek, and Sports Illustrated tickets. This is Lee Habib, and this is Our American Stories.
Up next, a story from Laurie Cohen. about how she met the love of her life. Lori is a writing student of our frequent contributor Leslie Leyland Fields. and we thank her for turning us on to this story. Take it away, Laurie.
Uh In 1972, the cafeteria of the high school was loud. always with an undercurrent of muffled conversations, high-pitched squeals of newly pubescent girls, and the scraping of aluminum chair feet across the linoleum floor. There lies in my brain the familiar sounds and smells of that cafeteria. Those pistachio colored plastic lunch trays with their tidy compartments clattered as students smacked them forcefully against the large trash can to collect the remains of our pizza burgers paired oddly with corn and orange jello salad. I was about to have my first public date with the seniors of my dreams.
As a sophomore, my pulse raced and my stomach fluttered in anticipation of our time together. Me was a senior. Through mutual friends, we met on a blind date the previous weekend. Not having much experience with upperclassmen, I did my due diligence by stalking them in the hallways before her date. When I first met him coming out of a classroom, I thought to myself, huh, not my type.
I was used to choosing my dates by how much they resembled the 1970s rock stars I admired, with long hair and those who carried themselves with that bad boy swagger. But after the date I had to say there was just something about him. I eagerly accepted his lunch date for the following week. He was clean cut. perhaps shorter than me, wearing white Adidas sneakers with red stripes, paired with cuffed straight-legged navy pants and a button-down light blue shirt cuffed at his wrists.
He sported the ever-stylish Rods Belt, smartly displaying the classic shotgun shell at the buckle. As I looked down at my hip hugger bell bottoms, enhanced by my friend's sewing skills, reframed with Indian themed cloth, expanding them to the appropriate elephant bell size, My white knit bodysuit, and my grandfather's oversight plaid shirt. I saw it.
Well Might as well try something different. I was hoping that my hesitation in his wholesomeness might turn out to be unfounded. As we carried our lunches to a nearby table, a group of loud, rowdy kids was congregating. One of the boys nodded toward me as I passed by. How do you know those guys?
Gary asked as we scooted out the chairs at the lunch table. They hang out with Steve, I said. I more intimately knew them to be my brother's druggie friends. We were sitting at a table that was parallel to the exit of the lunch line, giving us an unobstructive view of the entire cafeteria. We watched as this one girl made her way through the line, pistachio-colored tray in her hand.
She turned to find a seat after paying the lunch ladies, and as she did, she skirted the table near the group of rowdy boys who were acting out by indiscriminately yelling random things at those passing by and punching on each other. I didn't know the girl. but had seen her in the hallways, as had everyone, I guess. She kept to herself for the most part. Rarely did she make eye contact as she led along, always close to the wall for support, dragging her leg behind her because of the glance.
I later found out she was one of the few remaining people our age who had, in fact, gotten polio as a child.
Well, I'm ashamed of this now, and I don't believe it was on purpose, at least for most of us in high school at the time. We just didn't go out of our way to befriend her. In fact, We didn't really acknowledge her at all. Selfish in the narcissism of adolescence, I'm sure now that our lack of empathy left her feeling perpetually isolated and different. Whether it was deliberate or not, we may never know for sure, but.
As the girl exited the lunch line and neared the boys' table, Bruce, my brother's friend, stuck his long legs out in the middle of the aisle, tripping from. With great fanfare, the food careened upwards, Pizzaburger flipping over in the air as if in a trapeze act. and landing with a splash. on top of the gyrating orange jello salad. Suddenly, all the background noise in the crowded cafeteria came to an abrupt stop.
As the girl fell to the floor, the corn sprinkled unceremoniously amongst her ringlets, landing against her upturned face. It seemed that everyone in the cafeteria had heard the commotion and the clattering of the lunch tray. and they turned to stare at her in dead silence. As the sound returned to the cafeteria, I remember hearing the slow rising roar of awkward laughter. Bruce, the one culpable for the mishap, was standing, clapping, pointing with delight, shouting, She's down, she's down.
I sat with my own pizza burger paralyzed, trying not to stare. It was then that it happened. Gary Rose looked at me and said, Be right back. Just like that. This clean-cut man-child.
with his Adidas sneakers, button-down shirt, and rods belt. left our table as if he had been summoned by an unspoken call of duty. He grabbed a handful of napkins. and bent down in front of the girl. He gently wiped the food off her brow.
He cupped her face with both hands and with his thumbs wiped the tears from her eyes. Supporting her by her arms, he helped her stand up, and carefully walked with her to the safety of a more private corner. He spoke quietly next to her as they walked. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but she was looking gratefully up at him, and she smiled at his words. Then he went back through the lunch line to replace her meal.
He carried the lunch out into the cafeteria in silence.
Well, I'm not sure if the others in the room. My eyes were solely focused on him. He brought the girl her lunch. Bend down. and spoke quietly in her ear again as she smiled and nodded.
He stood and lasered his sight on the offending group of boys who had gone back to their loud and rowdy behaviors. He walked quickly and directly, which caused most of the group to step back. He grabbed Bruce by the front of his shirt in a fist, forcing their faces only inches apart. There was no yelling. Because he spoke so calmly and quietly, I'll never know what was said in that moment.
Yet I was able to see Bruce's face pale. and the rest of the group of his peers suddenly just walked away. Gary released him. and Bruce sat there, now alone and quiet. Gary then looked directly at the girl eating her lunch and gave her a quick nod of his head.
Again, she smiled at him. He turned then and sat down next to me, saying, How's the pizza burger? and gave me a wink. In that moment I said to myself, I'm gonna marry this boy. I was fifteen at the time.
We've had 54 years together since that day when two girls in the cafeteria needed a hero. and found one. And a special thanks to Lori Cohen for sharing this story. but how she met The love of her life. Where?
When And why? And what a story Lori told. And we've all been there in high school. I love the way she described that meal on that. Pistachio plastic tray, a pizza burger.
Corn and an orange jello salad sounds great. And well, she talked about this young girl who suffered from polio. and how she regrets that she didn't go out of her way to befriend her. or to reach out to her at all. And then came that agonizing act of cruelty by Bruce tripping this young girl.
And what happens, that boy named Gary just immediately gets up, as if summoned by some unspoken call of duty. and Laurie thinking, I'm going to marry that boy some day. fifty-four years later. Married. The Story of the Cafeteria Hero.
who won Laurie Cohn's heart. Here on Our American Stories. Time for a sofa upgrade? Visit washable sofas.com and discover Anibay, where designer style meets budget-friendly prices, with sofas starting at $699. Anibay brings you the ultimate in furniture innovation with a modular design that allows you to rearrange your space effortlessly.
Perfect for both small and large spaces, Anibay is the only machine-washable sofa inside and out. Say goodbye to stains and messes with liquid and stain-resistant fabrics that make cleaning easy. Liquid simply slides right off. Designed for custom comfort, our high-resilience foam lets you choose between a sink-in feel or a supportive memory foam blend. Plus, our pet-friendly stain-resistant fabrics ensure your sofa stays beautiful for years.
Don't compromise quality for price. Visit washable sofas.com to upgrade your living space today with no risk returns and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Get up to 60% off plus free shipping and free returns. Shop now at washable sofas.com. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.
Stop settling for weak sound. It's time to level up your game and bring the boom. Hit the town with the ultra-durable LGX Boom portable speaker and enjoy vibrant sound wherever you go. Elevate your listening experience to new heights because let's be real, your music deserves it. The future of sound is now with LG X Boom.
And for a limited time, save 25% at lg.com with code FALL25. Bring the bowl. X Boom. America is changing. And so is the world.
But what's happening in America isn't just a cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere. I'm a smah in Washington, D.C. I'm Tristan Redman in London and this is the Global Story. Every weekday will bring you a story from this intersection, where the world and America meet.
Listen on bbc.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Fox One is now live. It's the new way to stream all your Fox favorites all in one place. That means NFL Sundays and college football games, breaking news with the Fox voices you trust, and your favorite shows streamed as they happen so nothing gets spoiled. With Fox One, you get it all live: edge-of-your-seat plays, jaw-dropping moments, and that feeling like you're right there in the action.
Start your seven-day trial today. Offers are subject to change. Go to Fox One for complete terms and conditions. Fox One: We Live for Live. Streaming now.
This is Danielle Fischel from Pod Meets World. Parents, quick question. When is the last time you won snack time? The other day, I handed my son a perfectly portioned Pinterest-level snack and And he traded it for a Mott's applesauce pouch. I'm not mad, just impressed.
And that's why Mott's No Sugar Added Applesauce pouches are perfect to keep on hand. They're made with real apples, packed in a super easy pouch, perfect for tossing in a lunchbox, keeping in the car, or grabbing as you're running out the door. Plus, they're a good source of vitamin C, and kids love them. Win-win! Make sure your kid wins snack time with Motts.
Real apples make real good applesauce. Learn more at Motts.com. This is an iHeart podcast.
