As a cable tech, Gary often got called to work in different areas of DelMarVa when they needed relief. For a week in the summer of 2004, he was called to work in Aberdeen. I was always up for an adventure, so, when he asked me to join him, I jumped at the chance. It wasn't a place I'd ever been before, and even though he'd be working long days, I really looked forward to getting away, exploring, and destressing.
I followed him up from Annapolis and spent the first day sitting out by the pool. It was a windy day, and I was re-reading "Catcher in the Rye," under a big sun umbrella. It was hot and there were randomly strong gusts causing my book pages and umbrella to flutter and flap in the wind. At the other end of the pool was a group of Marines, cannonballing into the pool. Listening to their music, and having a great time. I kept trying to read my book; but the wind kept lifting the umbrella up and I kept having to get up and try to get it back into place. I could feel all the guys watching me as I struggled with the umbrella that was progressively becoming a parasail. They asked if I needed help, and I just waved them off, not wanting to draw attention to myself. After several times of blowing away, the umbrella finally collapsed on top of me in my chaise lounge. I was totally trapped underneath it; and dying of embarrassment, as I fought my way out from underneath it. A couple of the Marines came over and helped me out; and I'm certain I was bright red...because who gets eaten by an umbrella?! This damsel in distress apparently.
JJ, the group leader, and the one who'd asked before if I needed help, was the one to finally get the umbrella off of me and back in it's place. He was very nice and sincere, and since I'd been totally embarrassed by the umbrella situation, the ice was broken. And, I spent the next hour talking with them and hanging out. They invited us to join them that evening on base because Montgomery Gentry and Big & Rich were going to be performing. I was practically doing cartwheels, because I LOVED Montgomery Gentry and this was jusssst when Big & Rich were getting popular. I called Gary to let him know about our incredible luck; and of course he was like, "What are you doing hanging out with Marines? And, what concert?" So, he stopped working, drove back to the hotel, and came over to check out what was going on.
When he got there, JJ and a couple of guys introduced themselves and explained about the concert. And, Gary was soon put at ease knowing that they were a good group. Turns out they had just come over from the base to hang out at the pool; and were shipping off the next day to Iraq. They were enjoying their last afternoon stateside.
JJ told us to drive to the base that evening where he would meet us at the gate to get us in. We called him, and he hopped in the car with us, got us on base, and we parked, where he and another one of the guys walked with us to a fence that we squeezed through to get into the concert area where the other guys were sitting. We didn't have tickets, we weren't supposed to be there. But, it was all in good fun. We joined the group that had been at the pool, and spent the rest of the evening having an absolute blast, singing along, dancing, and clinking bottles of Bud Light.
After the concert, we said our goodbyes; and asked them how we could thank them for including us in an amazing spontaneous evening; and JJ said, "just by remembering us."
I've always wondered what happened to that group. About a year later, we saw a report on some Marines returning from duty, and called JJ's cell phone number to see if he would answer. The line had been disconnected. I don't know what happened to each of them; and I get sad and tear up thinking of these fun loving guys who rescued me from a rogue umbrella, who were nice, friendly, and courageous just on the brink of deploying to become even greater heroes. And, that the only thing that they wanted was to be remembered. It breaks my heart to know that so many who went to serve during that timeframe never returned, and that those guys were among them.
Semper Fi, boys I hope you are all well. And, know that you are remembered.
No comments:
Post a Comment