Billy Coffey
Billy Coffey

Send me

April 28, 2010  

image courtesy of photobucket.com

image courtesy of photobucket.com


Despite all of its tourism, Virginia Beach has always been a military town. The naval base was just down the road and to the right of our hotel, and the Oceanic Naval Air Station was just a few miles beyond that.

I guess it was all that testosterone that nearly got me into a lot of trouble Tuesday morning.

My wife and I decided to have an early breakfast at a nice little restaurant down from our hotel. One that didn’t promise the kind of food you could neither pronounce nor eat without proper instruction.

We decided to make our return trip via the sidewalk rather than the boardwalk, thereby avoiding the daily throng of joggers, walkers, and rollerbladers. After all, a good breakfast should always be followed by some good peace and quiet. And that’s exactly what we had for a while. Until I looked up and saw the four men jogging toward us.

“What are these guys doing?” I asked. “Don’t they know to run on the boardwalk with everyone else?”

“Don’t worry about it,” my wife told me.

But I did.

Maybe it was the fact that they weren’t following the rules. Maybe it was the identical blue T shirts with fancy emblems all four of them were wearing. I didn’t know. I did know, however, that there was no way four little jogging club nerds were going to make me move. Oh, no. They were going to get out of my way.

My wife began to veer off to the side, giving them ample room to maneuver past us. I stayed put. Our locked hands went from slack to taut, nearly pulling her off her feet.

“Let them move,” I said. “The sidewalk’s ours.”

She rolled her eyes. It was not the first time she had done so, and very likely not the last. Nonetheless, she surrendered to my macho idiocy.

The four runners crossed the road and onto our block. The two in the lead saw us in the way. Their brows wrinkled.

Uh-huh, I said to myself, I know you see me. I ain’t movin’, either.

The six of us met in front of the Atlantic Sands Oceanfront Hotel.

“Excuse us, sir,” one of the lead men said.

I didn’t move.

“You guys are supposed to be on the boardwalk with the rest of the beautiful people,” I said. “Sidewalk’s ours.”

My wife poked me in the ribs with an elbow. I ignored her.

“Our apologies, sir,” the other lead man said.

Our apologies? I thought. Oh yeah, these guys are SO intimidated by me.

Another poke by my wife. Harder.

“Sheesh,” I said, “I know city folk don’t care about manners and all, but you guys take the cake. You think you–

(poke poke POKE)

–can waltz around anywhere you want!”

(POKE POKE POKE POKE)

“What?” I whispered to my wife. “I have some manly mojo going on here.”

She ignored me. Her eyes were instead fixed on the T shirts of the men in front of us. The blue ones. With the fancy emblems.

I then realized two things. One was that there was another, very unique military base not too far from where we were standing called Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek. The other was that the fancy emblems on the shirts of those four men said “U.S. Naval Special Warfare.”

I was picking a fight with four Navy SEALs.

My manly mojo drained along with the color from my face.

“Beg your pardon, sir,” the first man said again. “We just like to run out here because there aren’t many folks out this time of morning. We like to keep a quick pace, and that isn’t always easy with all the people on the boardwalk.”

I tried speaking, but all that came out was “Whhh…” I cleared my very dry throat and tried again. “Oh…well, um…good. That’s just…real good.”

“We appreciate that, sir,” he said, then shook my hand. When he did, I noticed the tattoo on his forearm. Written in old script beneath a sword was written, “Isaiah 6:8.”

“Hooyah,” I said.

“Hooyah,” he smile and answered. And off they went.

I didn’t say much on the way back to the hotel, and my wife was kind enough not to say much, either.

I wasn’t thinking about the nasty taste left over from having my foot in my mouth. I was thinking about the scripture tattooed on that Frogman’s arm. Isaiah 6:8. There are other verses in the Bible that carry more meaning for me, but that verse has always been my favorite.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

For four days I relaxed in the sun and the sand, staying up late and sleeping in with little worries and few cares. Yet around me all week were people who dedicated themselves to nothing more than ensuring I could do just that. Rest. Without worry or care. Because they manned the walls and filled the breaches. Men and women who flew the Blackhawks and the fighters, who rose before the sun to run the beaches, who stood watch on the ships so we could sleep in peace.

They endure and train and fight. They are separated from families and loved ones. They live under the constant threat of mortal danger.

Not because they must. Because they choose.

Because each of them said, “Don’t send him. Don’t send her. Send me.”

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Comments

  • http://aspiretoleadaquietlife.blogspot.com A Simple Country Girl

    I reckon this one is my favorite post…for a number of reasons.

    Blessings.

  • http://topsy.com/trackback?utm_source=pingback&utm_campaign=L2&url=http://www.billycoffey.com/2010/04/send-me-2/ Tweets that mention Send me : Billy Coffey — Topsy.com

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Glynn Young, Sarah Salter. Sarah Salter said: RT @gyoung9751: Send me, new post by @billycoffey http://bit.ly/dwmGSQ [...]

  • http://lexiconluvr.blogspot.com L.T. Elliot

    Thank you for this. My brother is a United States Marine serving in Afghanistan right now and has already served twice in Iraq. I know He chooses to do this, considers it an honor to do so, but it still means a lot when people see that choice and show their gratitude for it. So thank you, Billy. It means so much.

  • http://kmwilsher.blogspot.com KM Wilsher

    Needed a little scripture tonight, so I headed over here. Thank you!
    First this spoke to me:
    “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
    How often do I say, Hear am I? I usually say, wow look at her go, or he is doing a wonderful
    job. . .Not much, Here am I.

    Then you made me think of soldiers, and the policeman out their policing the streets, the nurses watching over the sick, the prison guards walking th halls, , ,while I get my much needed scripture.

    Great post. I cannot for the life of me see you demanding the sidewalk be cleared LOL

  • http://www.pridelandsmommy.blogspot.com *~Michelle~*

    “My manly mojo drained along with the color from my face.”

    sorry, but I busted out laughing at that. LOVE it!

    and after I laughed….I found myself humbled when reading of that SEAL’s tattoo. (I have a special place for Scripture tattoos, as I have shared my sons’ forearms before….) Something about having a certain verse impact you enough to have it permanently written on your body for you (and others) to always reflect on.

    Thank you for reminding us all about all the people in our world who are making sacrifices for everyone else.

  • http://cheriehillblog.blogspot.com Cherie Hill

    Okay, I’m starting to sound like a broken record (most people probably don’t know what those things are anymore LOL) …another AMAZING post…I love the journey God is taking you on and how we get to experience it with you…Isaiah 6:8 is a favorite of mine as well…one thing to keep in mind…”be careful what you ask for!” He may in fact, take us up on our offer…and then, we must go. The good news is…He is with us always and nothing can separate us from His love. : )
    Blessings brother,
    Cherie

  • http://www.ubervu.com/conversations/www.billycoffey.com/2010/04/send-me-2/ uberVU – social comments

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by sarahmsalter: RT @gyoung9751: Send me, new post by @billycoffey http://bit.ly/dwmGSQ…

  • http://www.effectualmag.com Bidemi

    Great post Billy. I don’t have any problems with Here I am send me, my struggle is always send me where I want to go… but these SEALS do they have that luxury? Didn’t I enlist in the Lord’s Army? So next time I say send me I will try not to choose the path or the experience. Go Billy you rock!

  • http://elainaavalos.blogspot.com Elaina

    This is one of my favorite posts of yours.

  • http://joyce-fromthissideofthepond.blogspot.com Joyce

    Oh I just loved this.

    It makes me proud. And a little teary eyed too.

  • http://dutchhillnews.blogspot.com Annie McMahon

    Simply beautiful.

  • http://katshappyathome.blogspot.com Kathy

    I am so proud of our military

  • http://writingwithoutpaper.blogspot.com Maureen

    Rarely a week goes by that I fail to hear a flyover. Every one comes from Arlington and zooms straight over our house, usually breaking all other sound. Every time I know why and have to pause.

    Each one deserves the honor.

  • http://sandraking-beholding-god.blogspot.com/ Sandra Heska King

    Oh. Billy.

  • http://robinmarnold.blogspot.com Robin Arnold

    I don’t actually believe you were any less than a gentleman yourself and your wife didn’t really poke you, that much. I think we can’t be grateful enough for our men and women in the military, or support services. Thanks for blessing them with some well deserved words.

  • http://highcallingblogs.com/about/marcus-goodyear Marcus Goodyear

    I grew up a military brat. What I like here is the picture of discipline and respect that these SEALS showed. We could learn a lot from that.

  • http://blog.breakthroughalaska.com jasonS

    Still one of my favorite posts of yours- for the humor and the lesson. Thanks Billy.

  • http://bethinnc.blogspot.com Beth

    Ahhhhh, I remember this one. Loved it the first time and loved it again.

  • http://adifferentstory.net Lyla Lindquist

    Ouchie.

  • Katdish

    I know you love your mountains, but there’s something about the sand and salt air that agrees with you. This story and the others you wrote from VA Beach are among my favorites.

  • http://www.nebraskagraceful.blogspot.com Michelle @ Graceful

    You continue to knock my socks off with the quality of your writing and storytelling. I don’t know how you do it.

    And I can’t believe you didn’t budge off that sidewalk — man, what were you thinking?!

  • http://soiledwings.com Sherry Meneley

    (speachless)

    thank you

  • http://www.endeanmom1.blogspot.com Beth E.

    This post brought me to tears…well, except the parts where I was laughing at you and your “many mojo”! ;-)

    Love this, Billy. I think it’s one of your best posts.

  • http://www.zimmages.blogspot.com BeckeyZ

    Also one of my favorites. I really love the way you bring the reader into your stories, I could almost smell the sea breeze and feel the sand in my shoes.

  • Ralene

    Def one of my favorite posts of yours. I grew up a military brat, then married a soldier–so this post touched my heart in many, MANY ways. Thank you for sharing!

  • Keystone

    When you first wrote this, I took a funeral card from my mom’s funeral, and bookmarked her picture with Isaiah 6:8. She had chosen another Isaiah quote for her own card.

    And, because it is April, I think back to 5 years ago, and my friend Bob. His daughter, Sam Huff, NOT Samantha, met up with an IED in Operation Iraqui Freedom. She was his only child, and the entire family strongly supported the military. Mom and dad served in Vietnam.

    Sam died at age 18. Google her name, Pfc Sam Huff, and there are tributes galore, pictures, movies and the like. None will show her at 23 as she would be this year. She’s in Arlington.
    Since that April, her mom died of cancer and is buried in Arlington too (her mom was in the Marine Corp during Vietnam). Bob is in Tucson awaiting orders from God to “Send Me” along with his family ….. to Operation Eternity in Heaven.

    This was the right month to republish this one. More on Sam can be found here:

    http://www.landstuhlhospitalcareproject.org/Honorees/Sam%20Huff/Sam%20Williams%20Huff.htm

  • http://mizwrite.com/2010/04/30/a-new-favorite-blogger/ A New Favorite Blogger. …

    [...] So I’ve started reading, every day, a new favorite blog of mine: It’s Billy Coffey’s What I Learned Today. [...]

  • http://www.freakinangels.blogspot.com Kim S

    Another spectacular, tear-jerking post.