Love, Oreos and birthday wishes from the desert by way of the Dixie
It was silly, really, this video of a Marine arranging the birthday song from Camp Fallujah.
Staff Sgt. Dan Norton stood at attention before the camera. In the background were sand-colored tents, an American flag waving. Norton called for support and four more Marines fell in behind him. The occasion? "My wife's 40th birthday," Norton said to the camera.
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Cindy Corell
Connections
In lieu of cake, the Marines produced Oreo cookies, and in lieu of a party hat, Norton produced one made from funny papers.
"When I give the command to sing, I want you to sing loud and in the military manner," Norton called.
"Sing!"
Apparently the military manner is boistrous and more than a little off-key.
Liz Norton sat in Theater 4 at the Dixie Theater Thursday night, wondering why her parents had dragged her to the movies on the night she had art class. When her husband's mug showed up on the silver screen, she put her hands to her face, wiped away tears and laughed and laughed.
"Oh my gosh," she said.
"I fully expect my wife to laugh the whole time I'm on the screen," Dan wrote me via e-mail. "I know she'll be surprised, but not as much as you'd think — she knows I'm an oddball. I think she expects me to come up with stuff like this. That's why we make such a good pair — we're both a little strange."
Liz's parents, Lila and Bill Schafer took turns watching their son-in-law on the screen and their daughter's face as she nearly howled with laughter. When it was done, Marnie Gibbs, one of the chief volunteers at the Dixie handed Liz her very own package of Oreos.
"Thank you so much," Liz said. "I can't believe this!"
Liz moved from Camp Pendleton, Calif., to to live with her parents in Greenville when Dan was deployed to Iraq in February. He didn't want her to be alone. When she had her birthday on Monday, he wanted to be with her, so he did it the only way he could — through technology.
I first learned of the plans when Dan called me, then sent an e-mail, asking me to publicly thank John Zinn for arranging the event at the Dixie. Zinn is Gibbs' husband and they, along with dozens of other volunteers, spend an inordinate amount of their time making the Dixie project work, turning it from a discount movie house to a state-of-the-art community theater.
Playing a short DVD to make a Marine's wife's day was just part of the job. In fact, Dan asked John how much this would cost:
"You are paying any cost we would charge and much more by serving in the Marines," was John's reply. "We will provide free passes to the movie to your wife and her parents. This will be done so she will not know. After the show, we will present your wife with the DVD.
"Thanks for what you are doing for all of us," John added.
Before he left for Iraq, Dan and Liz had taken a long walk in downtown Staunton. He said the idea for the DVD emerged when he remembered how much fun the two had had at the Dixie.
"At some point we spoke of a recent trip to the Dixie Theater, how we enjoyed it, and how Liz planned to see as many movies as she could there while I was gone. I'd also been trying to dream up something special for her birthday, and I guess the two thoughts came together naturally," he said.
"Liz is quite simply the love of my life," he wrote. "She is endlessly creative, and probably the most open-minded person I know. She is a very caring, selfless woman, who constantly puts the needs of others ahead of her own. She is brave and intelligent, able to face hurricanes, cars that break down, all of the bills, evil cats and needy dogs, and the endless, everyday emergencies that couples deal with — all by herself, in a strange state, for months on end.
"She loves sleeping in on the weekend, watching cartoons, and getting lost on back country roads. She has no idea what she wants to be when she grows up, and I hope it stays that way. She loves to discover new things, and has an endless appetite for the oddities, mysteries and conspiracies of our world, past, present and future. She is my Sweetie, my WifeUnit, my inspiration, and again, and always, the love of my life."
"He's loony," Liz said, standing in the lobby of the theater after the show. "I don't know what else to say.
"He's Boomer, that's what everyone knows him as. He's a wonderful husband, he's funny and good-hearted. He's a family man."
"He's a real Marine," Lila added. "I'm proud to say he's my son-in-law."
Marnie walked the family across the street from the Dixie as they exited. Turning around, Liz saw on the marquee: Thank you Dan. I love you, Liz."
More hugs and thanks from the woman holding Oreos and still a bit overwhelmed by her trip to the movies, and we all went home.
Reflecting on it, it was so much more than a husband sending birthday wishes — it was a man in love with his wife, a community theater going the extra mile because it can, a mom and dad going out of their way to ease the heartache they know their little girl is facing and a Marine far away hoping everyone who deserves it gets recognition.
Yes, it was silly, the image of this goofy Marine in a funny papers hat singing off-key but loudly, even when at the end his voice broke as he said, "Happy Birthday, Liz. I love you. I miss you. God bless."
Very silly.
So why were there tears in my eyes?