SECRET AGENT MAN!

Tomorrow Dev and I are headed to Sea World with Jared, Amanda, Jack, Laura, Jeremy, and Dylan. So earlier this week, I sent out an email to my co-workers requesting help finding some coupons to SeaWorld. Didn't matter if it was on the back of a Sprite Can or on a Doritos bag. I wasn't expecting much, if anything.

Oddly enough, I received a text message from an unknown San Antonio number on Thursday saying...

(Note: for the dialogue, the red color indicates the unknown person's text and the blue is my text response. The ** are my thoughts during the process.)

"Working on Sea World coupons. Do you need them Friday or Saturday?"

"Saturday."
**Had no clue who it was but didn't tell them that.

A few days later, I received this from the same number...

"Got you two passes. How can we get them to you?"
"Seriously? I can meet ya'll somewhere. Who is this?"

This was a total wig out moment in the Chapman house. Sheer excitement was plastered on my and Dev's faces.

"Who is this? Well that just makes it all the more fun, doesn't it?"
"Ha. I'll come get them. Just tell me where."
**Man! Why can't we just do this the easy way?

"HEB. Leon Springs. In one hour. Unmarked bills. No police. Don't be late."
"Done."

At this point, I figured - If they wanna play hardball, I'm game. I dressed up in the my 007 uniform. I had the hair, the glasses, the exploding pen, the black clothes, the ear piece, the works...

"I'll know if you brought backup. Any funny business and I'm walking."
"Flyin solo in the lil red wagon."
**I'm in disguise. No need for backup.

"Ask for a manager named Richard. He has the package."
**Just peed in my pants. I got my private eye disguise on. No way I can go into HEB this way. They didn't know this but I brought them a gift.
"Wait! In the back of parking lot with a package for you."

"Nope. Gotta go in HEB. I need a crowd. This is not my first rodeo cowboy."

At this point, I'm desperate. I'm trying everything from doing the 'truffle shuffle' in public.

"I'm near Broadway Bank."

"Your new to this aren't you? You're the one who has to go into HEB and ask for a manager named Richard. Get a move on it Aggie."
"You will scare away your payment. Can only hold on a few more minutes."
"Sigh."
**Please no, please no.

So, there is no way I am wearing my disguise in HEB. I took off my hair, glasses, and long-sleeved black shirt, leaving only my black shorts, red t-shirt, and black dressy shoes. Yes, the kind I wear to church. Truly classic.  

 
"There you go. See how this works?"

**They were watching me.
"Package is marked STU."

I proceeded into the store, and had a great conversation with Richard, the manager. He tried to get $100 out of me for the package, but I stayed strong.

"Got your package creepy."
At this point I hadn't opened the package...

"I see you got it. Happy Birthday. Have fun tomorrow."

So, then I opened the card and saw it was a BIRTHDAY CARD from Paul, Charlotte, Paul J, and David Wilson (the Senior Pastor, the original Children's Director, and their two kids) with, drumroll please, with two giftcards for full admission to SeaWorld! We get to see Shamu, YES!

I still had a something for them.
"Wait. Go to the back of the lot."
"I'm invisible."
"Gotta make the delivery."
**No way they are leaving without what I prepared for them. This present was too generous for them to get away.

"What are you still doing here?"
**They were watching me!  

"I can hear Asa crying and Dev calling for help. Can you hear that too?"

**In desperation, I'm trying to pull the helpless family card to get them to me fast.

"What delivery? We're done here. It's a birthday present. Go home."
**Caught them off guard. YES! 

In a nonchalant tone, I responded. 

"Could be worth it."

**He came alone! I assume he was doing the manly thing and dropped his wife and kids off to keep them safe. Good move.

I threw my disguise back on: the glasses, the hair, the black shirt. Jumped out of the car. Tossed a silver, metal briefcase on the parking lot ground as he pulled up. Opened it. Pulled out a hand written thank you note on computer paper from the house. Wasn't much of a thank you for such an incredibly generous gift, but it was done in style. Then we went our separate ways.

All that to say...
I work at a church with some of the most welcoming, generous, and caring people I have met. The church goes out of their way to serve people - love people.  The church is being led by a family that leads by example.  Thank you Wilson family for making my birthday special.

Nothing but love.

Stu, Dev, and a drooling baby named Asa.