The Chief

The Chief is my eldest brother who is a retired chief petty officer (CPO) living in Jacksonville with Mrs. Chief. The Chief has only one kidney (he actually has two, the other being in my little sister for the last 13 years. My brothers and I were vying to be the donor but the Chief’s kidney was deemed most worthy of our sister).

Around the time he gave up his kidney he gained a wife. A wonderful Catholic lady. And here is where this tale begins.

The Chief was going to go out with two of his Navy buddies for a bachelor celebration. Being a sober person I was asked to drive him to these destinations. Having been sober for ten years at the time, I saw some delivery systems for adult beverages of which I was unfamiliar. For example, waitresses would carry test tube racks containing test tubes filled with colored liquids. I believe these were called “shooters”.

After visiting a few of these places, the Chief was muevo boracho. That’s when his buddies talked him into going to a strip joint.

This was going to be tough for me. Since I got sober and started trying to get my situation straight with Jesus I’ve been staying out of those kinds of places. But I made a promise to the Chief and I had to keep it.

While driving to the strip joint I prayed to God. “God, I do not know how You are going to do it, but I need to get bailed out of this.”

Friends, there is surely a God who involves Himself with the affairs of men. The Lord answered my prayer by reaching down from heaven and touching my brother.

And the Chief threw up all over the inside of my car. He apologized, told me to take him home right before passing out.

I was never as happy as I was cleaning it up. Thank You Jesus for the puke!