November 27 – “An unexpected live show”

We had lunch yesterday at Fisherman’s Wharf.  OK.  I know.  Doesn’t sound all that exciting.  But that’s where we had Kel and Christina’s wedding reception back in the day, so it has kind of a special place in our hearts.  This time the meal was a gathering of the Fire Department and Fire Marshall administrative staff and their spouses.  Well, some of their spouses.  Chris was kind of hesitant to go at first.  I guess she was feeling sort of “just a spouse”-like.  I’m sure she was really glad when the chief and assistant chief and administrative assistant all invited their spouses.  I was, too.  Hey, when Mama’s happy, everybody’s happy. 

We were the first ones there, so we were escorted to the reserved room upstairs.  It had windows overlooking the ship channel.  The Elissa was docked on one side and a huge yacht on the other.  And in between the two … we saw a dolphin.  Then another.  And another.  They were swimming around and around in circles, obviously feeding.  We kept our eye on them throughout the meal, and we weren’t disappointed.  Among the group we saw either a baby or a really short dolphin join the action.  Very cute. 

Everyone else finally arrived and we began the meal.  Actually Assistant Chief Olsen asked me to say a blessing before we got started.  Thanks for the nod there, Chief.  The food was quite the array of Fisherman’s Wharf delicacies.  Everything from fried and bacon-wrapped shrimp to some kind of pork chop stuffed with a seafood dressing.  Nah, I don’t get paid extra for advertising.  That’s just for those young, virile athletes who get paid to play their sports.  Not that I’m bitter, mind you, or even jealous.  Well, maybe a little. 

Just as we were finishing up our meal the whole crowd of us were stopped in mid-bite.  We saw something that I personally have never seen before in person.  Three of the dolphins started putting on a Sea World quality performance.  They did the whole jumping completely out of the water thing over and over.  They never did the Flipper thing, though.  That’s where they hold themselves above the water and flip themselves backwards as if they are walking.  Flipper.  Wow.  Hadn’t thought of that one in years.  For all you youngsters out there, Flipper was a dolphin that starred in a TV show many, many … many years ago.  A dolphin as the star of a TV show.  I know.  We were easily entertained back in the day. 

Many thanks to Trish for including both of us in the event and even picking up the tab for our meal.  That is one great group to have the honor of working with, and by extension, so is the group of fire fighters they represent.  Be thankful for and pray for all of those guys every day.  Or at least for three days in row.  They work in three 24-hour shifts, so it takes three days to cover them all.  The firefighting community is one group of people who really do deserve our thanks all year long.  Appreciate you guys … Thank you.

1 Chronicles 16:8-9 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.  Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.”

Father, thank you for fire fighters and food and families of fish.  Whew.  Alliteration in a prayer.  I know you’re not so impressed, but it was fun to stumble on it.  Thank you for treating my meager efforts at combining words – and my meager efforts at life in general - like a patient parent who proudly displays his child’s crude drawings on the fridge.  I love you back.  Amen.