"Every Day's a Bonus"
Marty Berman
Boy's if you survive the crash you gotta live your life like
Every Day's a Bonus
It began with a crash.
My father was a gunner on a B29 Bomber during WII. The most profound story he shared with me had to do with the last flight of his B29 Bomber: Black Jack.
On the return trip from a bombing mission over Japan his airplane was hit by anti-aircraft fire. The plane’s landing gear was hit and damaged to the point where it was inoperable. Without landing gear the plane would be forced to make a dangerous “belly” crash landing.
The young soldiers aboard knew what this meant. There was a chance that they would not survive the crash landing. All of the airmen shared an intercom system aboard which allowed them to communicate with each other while in the air.
As Black Jack descended one of the crew members spoke to all the others. He said:
“Boys, if you survive this crash you gotta live every day like it’s a bonus”
The B29 belly landed. Jarring, metal twisting and ripping. Airmen tossed around. The plane came to a landing and the damage was assessed. The young airman who spoke those words did not survive the crash. Neither did several other of the soldiers.
Marty in his B29 Bomber, Black Jack.
My father was fortunate to survive, although in the aftermath of the crash a piece of metal sheared and sliced off a section of his nose. He underwent multiple surgeries to repair his nose. Surgeons took a section of his rib and rebuilt his nose with this cartilage.
For the rest of his life he had nasal breathing issues. He viewed that injury as a small price to pay.
The words of the young airman who spoke those fateful words stuck with my father for the rest of his life. They became his mantra. They were the guiding philosophy of his life. He shared that saying numerous times with many many people over the course of his life. Anyone who knew Marty knew his tagline and had it imprinted upon them.
That phrase stuck with me from my youth and throughout my life. I’ve shared with many people as my father had done. It resonates with people and I want to share it with the world.
“Every Day’s a Bonus”
Every Day's a Bonus Photo Collection
one last time
I heard my father say “Every Day’s a Bonus” many times during his 96 years of life.
One of the most memorable occasions occurred when he was 92 years old, a few years before he had to move to a senior living facility. He and my mother were living in an apartment quasi independently. His mobility was compromised. He had assorted health issues. Financially he and my mother were in a difficult situation. Yet he fought to be as independent as possible as long as he could. He could not drive a car due to issues with his sight. So, on a weekly basis I would drive him to 2 supermarkets to do food shopping for him and my mother. He had an envelope with the shopping list my mother would write up and assorted coupons that they’d cut out of the Sunday newspaper. First we’d go to the Giant Supermarket and get the items that were the best deal there. The we’d go to the Shop Rite and complete filling the shopping list with the best deals they had. Usually after that, as a treat, we’d go thru the Arby’s drive thru and get 2 sandwiches that he had coupons for.
Our final stop would be the bank drive thru where he’d get cash for his and my mother’s Social Security checks. The drive up teller would ask him for his password that they required in order to cash his checks. He’d tell the teller the password and as we sat in my car waiting for the envelope of money to be sent through the pneumatic tube he’d hold my hand. And he’d squeeze it. I get teary eyed recalling those times.
He’d tell me that he loved me and that he so loved spending time with me doing the food shopping and any other errands we had to do. I’d say: “Pop, I love you too!”
And he’d say: “Remember, Every Day’s a Bonus Larry”.
I’ll never forget him and never forget his motto.