This is Rough Translation from NPR, and our new season, Homefront, about the civilian military divide.

One way that people cross that divide? Romance.

I just saw my targets on her and she was the mission.

What was your mission essential task list?

Winner over somehow.

Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun.

Matt Lammer's had been out of active duty for two years when he rolled into a bedbath and beyond in Tucson, Arizona.

You show up on my store, a bedbath and beyond.

Very late at night.

Alicia Arhelia was a store manager.

And you know, when you want to close the store, you don't want customers to run, so you go and help them.

So, yeah, what can I do for you?

I'm going to go on.

Alicia sees Matt, this big Asian guy with lots of tattoos, who uses a wheelchair.

He's got a 10th mountain division patch with the two cross swords, a huge smile, and a long shopping list.

He wants sheets, bath towels, maybe placemats.

Alicia doesn't even remember everything that was on it, just that she helped him aisle by aisle.

The ex-wife took half of this stuff, and so he was shopping for extra sheets, and the things that he needed for his apartment.

So, we came very good friends first, and then he sent me flowers.

He sent flowers to the store.

To the store.

And he called the same night, asked me if I received the flowers, and they say, yes, thank you.

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