Finding a Way Out
Chapter Four
Friends Come to Help
Johnny relaxed on the porch for quite a while eventually drifting off to sleep in the warm mid morning sun. As he had since coming home, he slipped into the same bad dream. The reality of his near death experience gripped his subconscious. He jerked awake sweating and breathless. He hadn't had a decent sleep since coming home from the hospital. While in the hospital he had been given a sedative to help him sleep. He was exhausted, but would not give in to sleep only to relive the terror that enveloped him on the roof. Johnny decided he would try to get a few things done around the ranch. He knew that if any of the guys were here with him they wouldn't let him because of his shoulder injuries, but fortunately for him they were on shift at the station. He also knew the range of motion exercises that he had been instructed to do when he had dislocated his shoulder before. True he hadn't started the exercises for at least a week after the previous injury, but he didn't care. In his mind the sooner he started the exercises the sooner his range of motion would improve. Deciding he would start in the barn cleaning out the tack room, Johnny strode across the yard with a new resolve.
He worked for over two hours arranging his equipment and cleaning the tack room. It was slow going, but he finally decided that he had done enough when he remembered the bedding that had been put in the wash. Johnny always dried his sheets outside in the fresh air. He went into the house to get the sheets. Having forgotten how heavy wet sheets can be he hoisted the laundry basket from the floor putting a lot of strain on his shoulders. If anyone had been there with him they would have known how much it hurt to lift the basket by the grimace on his face. 'Man that hurt. Maybe this is too much too soon,' he thought to himself. 'No I have to do this. I didn't survive that fire just to sit around while life passes me by.' Johnny was pushing himself too hard and somewhere in the back of his mind he knew it, but in his heart he couldn't stop. If he stopped he might not ever be able to start again. Johnny didn't realize the error in his thinking. He only felt the fear of not being able to return to his job, the fear of not having the nerve to face another fire and most importantly the fear of death. His ability to think clearly about his recovery was clouded by those fears.
Struggling with the basket of sheets he was finally able to get them out back beside the clothes line. Gradually pulling one sheet from the basket Johnny carefully lifted it onto the line. His dislocated shoulder and still sore ribs protested greatly. He tried to do most of the work with his other hand. Finally pulling the sheet completely open and securing it with clothes pins, he bent to grab the other sheet. Johnny lost his balance from the awkward way he tried to pull the second sheet from the basket. He tumbled down onto his dislocated shoulder and cried out in pain. Johnny rolled over onto his back and cradled his arm. He did not know how long he lay there in the yard before he heard someone call his name. He heard footsteps running towards him. Cracking open his deep brown eyes he peered up at his best friend's wife, "Joanne, what are you doing here?"
"Johnny! Are you okay? What happened? Do I need to call a squad? Do I need to call Roy?"
Sighing Johnny answered her, "No Joanne. I'm fine. I uh…I just lost my balance."
"John Gage you are not fine. You are injured. What on earth are you doing out here hanging sheets with your dislocated shoulder?" Joanne knew that Johnny would try to do too much too soon. That is exactly why she had decided to stop by and check on him.
"Well they needed drying. I just wanted to hang them up out here in the fresh air."
"You shouldn't be lifting these wet sheets Johnny. They are too heavy for your shoulder. By the way where is your sling and immobilizer?" She asked with her hands on her hips.
"Uh I…I don't need them anymore." Johnny had managed to get up on his knees and was slowly rising from the ground.
"Here Johnny let me help you," Joanne reached over and helped steady her friend. "Have you taken your pain meds this morning?"
"Aw Joanne they make me feel so tired. I just wanted to do a few things. You know I need to…."
"Need to what Johnny? Re-injure yourself? What exactly is it that you need to do that can't be done by someone else or wait until you have had time to heal? What Johnny? Just tell me!" Joanne was really worked up now.
Johnny was equally adamant about what he wanted and intended to do on his own ranch, but he didn't want to be rude to his friend. "Listen Jo, I just want to stay busy. I…I can't just sit here thinking about what happened. I w…won't let this…this little injury keep me down. I have to do this." He was on one of his tirades now and couldn't stop himself. "I have to. What if I can't? What if this near death episode is the last fire I can face? What will I do? Jo I…I don't….I don't know what to do."
Joanne understood now why he was driving himself so hard. "Oh Johnny." She reached out and took him in a sisterly hug. "It's going to be okay. You know you are meant to be a paramedic. It's in your blood. You will make it back. Don't you worry about it. You will. I just know it." She brushed the hair from his face and kissed him on the cheek. "Now John Gage you will go into the house and get a quick shower. I will hang the rest of these sheets and then come in and prepare us some lunch."
"Okay." Johnny didn't have any fight left in him. He turned and headed into the house to shower. Truthfully he was in pain from the overexertion. He made the water as hot as he could stand it and stepped into the shower letting the heat and steam wash over his sore joints and muscles.
While Johnny was in the shower Joanne finished hanging the sheets and making sure he wouldn't hear her she made a quick call to the station.
"Station 51 fireman Kelly speaking."
"Hello Chet, this is Joanne. Could I speak to Roy please?"
"Sure Joanne. Hang on a minute. Roy! Your wife is on the phone!" Joanne could here the clanking of the hand set as he laid it down on the desk.
"Hello." Roy wondered why his wife was calling him. "Joanne is everything all right?"
"Roy I'm at Johnny's."
"What's wrong Jo?"
"Well nothing really. He is…well you know Johnny he…he is trying to do too much."
"What did he do honey? What happened?" Roy was getting really worried now.
"I found him in the back yard by the clothes line. He had fallen. He said he lost his balance while trying to hang the sheets."
"Hang the sheets? With his shoulders banged up? What was he thinking?" Roy was getting mad now.
"Roy calm down. He is in the shower. He doesn't know I'm calling. I'm really worried about him. This accident really has him rattled. He's worried Roy, really worried that he will not make it back to being a fireman. I've never seen him this upset and afraid. I don't know what to do."
"Look honey. Johnny will be fine. He's just tired and hurting. Has he taken his pain medication?"
"He doesn't want to take it. He said it makes him feel bad. I'll fix us some lunch and try to get him to take it. I can't stay long because I have to pick up the kids in a little while. Is there someone coming by later? I don't think we can trust him to be alone without trying to do too much and hurting himself."
"Craig Brice is coming by later to tend the animals."
"Oh Johnny will just love that."
"Yeah he will but Craig's off shift today, and he did put the list together so we had to let him be one of the first to help. They'll be okay Jo. Craig is a pain in the….. (Roy remembered he was speaking to his wife and didn't want to say the wrong thing) well he is kind of hard to take sometimes, but I think his heart is in the right place. Look honey just try to get Johnny to eat a good lunch and take his meds especially the pain meds."
"I will Roy. I love you Mr. Desoto."
"I love you too Mrs. Desoto."
Joanne busied herself preparing soup and sandwiches for lunch. Soup was always a good comfort food when someone was sick or injured. She had heard the water shut off some time ago and was beginning to wonder what was keeping Johnny. She decided she might need to check on him. When she peeked into his room she found him lying on top of the bed dressed in a navy LACFD t-shirt and tan shorts. He had also put the immobilizer back on his dislocated shoulder which screamed to anyone that knew him that he had hurt himself more than he had admitted. He was asleep. Joanne went to the linen closet in the hall and got a light blanket to cover her friend. When she slipped back into the room she saw that Johnny was not resting easy. His brow was wrinkled showing stress and his face looked…well he looked afraid. Joanne had never seen Johnny show fear at anything, and now in sleep he was obviously facing something that scared him very much. She sat on the edge of the bed and stroked his forehead whispering comforting words to her 'little brother'. His face seemed to relax. Joanne kept up her soothing actions for a few more minutes. Just as she started to get up she noticed that his bleary brown eyes were looking up at her. "I'm sorry Johnny. I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay Jo. I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"You need your rest sweetie."
"Can't stop remembering."
"I know. Are you hungry? I have some soup and sandwiches ready."
The two friends got up and headed downstairs for lunch. They didn't talk much throughout their meal. They both had a lot on their minds: Joanne wondering to herself how to help Johnny overcome his worries about returning to the job that made him who he is, and Johnny mentally beating himself up over how he had allowed himself to be affected by this whole situation.
"Johnny you need to take your medications including the pain pill. I know you don't like the way it makes you feel, but I also know by the fact that you put the immobilizer back on that your shoulder is bothering you a lot."
"Okay." Johnny did not protest which concerned Joanne even more as to just how much he had hurt himself out in the yard.
"I have to run some errands before I pick up the kids, but I want you to call me if you need anything this evening. Roy said Craig Brice would be putting the animals up for the night, so I don't want you to over do it mister." She smiled at her friend.
"Yes Ma'am!" Johnny smiled back at her with his biggest crooked Gage grin.
"Now you go find somewhere comfortable to relax while I clean up these dishes."
Johnny stopped on his way out of the kitchen to give Joanne a hug. "Thanks Joanne your being here really means a lot to me."
"Oh Johnny I wouldn't have it any other way. You are part of our family. Roy would not be very happy with me if I didn't at least try to take care of you even though you prefer your independence. We love you Uncle Johnny." She teased him. "Now get out of 'your' kitchen and let me work."
He left the kitchen feeling better than he had earlier and headed for his recliner. Joanne finished the cleaning and had left to take care of her errands. Johnny put a movie in his VCR and relaxed for the remainder or the afternoon. Around 6 o'clock he heard a car pull up out front. Thinking it must be Craig he went out onto the porch to find not only Craig, but Bob Bellingham, Gil Robinson, and Charlie Dwyer getting out of Charlie's Jeep.
"Hey guys," he yelled from the porch.
"Hey Gage," Craig was the first to speak always calling people by their last name.
"Hey Johnny," Bellingham and Dwyer said at the same time.
"Hey old friend," Gil finished the greetings.
The group of men made their way over to Johnny on the porch. "What brings all of you out here? I knew Craig was coming, but to what do I owe this visit from the rest of you?"
"Doctor Brackett has requested that I do a check on your injuries and make a report of your vitals and check for temperature," Craig answered.
"And since Mr. Paramedic here is going to be busy with you the rest of us tagged along to do the real work," Bob teased his partner.
Craig rolled his eyes at Bob and moved to enter the house. "Well I could have done both Bob, but you all insisted on accompanying me. I got the idea that you thought I couldn't handle the horses, but I'll have you know I do have experience with animals."
"Cool you jets there Craigy I know your capable." They all laughed including Craig at Bob's statement.
"Craigy?" Johnny asked.
"Well Mr. Rule Book here has softened up a bit after your little episode on top of that roof there Mr. Gage. I just don't know what got into him. He is such a little teddy bear now," Bob continued to tease Craig.
"Look Bellingham," Craig had to get his partner under control before he embarrassed him anymore.
"Okay relax partner. We have work to do. While you check out Gage here the real men will handle the chores. Come on Dwyer let's you and I handle the horses. I'm sure they would like a good rub down. Gil, Roy said something about the windows. You want to take care of that and any other household chores Johnny hear might need doing? Oh yeah and he said something about sheets on the line," Bob led Charlie to the barn.
"How did you all know about the sheets?" Johnny asked. "And who talked to Brackett?" Johnny knew it had to be Joanne. She must have called Roy. He would have to talk to his friend. She ratted on him. He smiled to himself knowing that she cared enough to be sure he got the help she decided he needed. In the house Johnny protested the check up from Craig. "I don't need you to check me out. I am a paramedic too you know."
"Well John you are not cleared for work right now. I have been given direct orders from Dr. Brackett to do a thorough check up. He also sent you a prescription for a light sedative if you are still having trouble sleeping. Now can we get this over with?" Craig was not taking no for an answer.
"John? Craig you called me John. Not Gage, but John. What has gotten in to you?"
Craig looked at his feet and scuffed his toe on the hardwood floor in Johnny's great room, "We um…we all thought…you almost didn't…I mean we could have lost you John. You are a good man, a fine paramedic and I…I would have missed having you on the team." Craig raised his eyes and met Johnny's. "I don't have many friends. I didn't want to lose one."
Johnny was very surprised and moved by Craig's comment. "Well thank you." He didn't know what else to say. He reached his good arm out and patted Craig on the shoulder. "I'm glad to call you friend Craig."
After the check up of Johnny's shoulder to make sure it had not slipped out of the socket again and getting all of his vitals reported to Dr. Brackett, the chores all finished, the group of men relaxed on Johnny's deck.
"Man Johnny I don't think I would have been able to think as clearly as you did to find a way out of that situation. The department heads are probably rewriting the procedure books to include different uses for fire hose," Gil told his friend. "I'm really glad you found that hose."
"Me too Gil. Me too."
"So Johnny how long is Brackett going to keep you off from work," Charlie asked.
"I don't know. Until my shoulder heals I guess. I hope I don't have to stay off long enough to have to recertify."
"Well guys I hate to bust up this party, but I have to get home to the misses. She expects me to take her out to dinner," Charlie rose from his seat.
"Take care of yourself Gage," Craig had gone back to using Johnny's last name in front of the others.
Johnny laughed at his friend, "Okay B-r-i-c-e. I guess I'll be seeing you guys. Thanks for your help today. I really appreciate it." Johnny walked his friends to Charlie's Jeep and watched them as they pulled out of his drive. Turning back to the house he felt good about the afternoon. He knew he had many good friends. Walking slowly enjoying the cool evening breeze he stopped to look up at the clouds. He didn't want to miss anything ever again. Live is too short.
He worked for over two hours arranging his equipment and cleaning the tack room. It was slow going, but he finally decided that he had done enough when he remembered the bedding that had been put in the wash. Johnny always dried his sheets outside in the fresh air. He went into the house to get the sheets. Having forgotten how heavy wet sheets can be he hoisted the laundry basket from the floor putting a lot of strain on his shoulders. If anyone had been there with him they would have known how much it hurt to lift the basket by the grimace on his face. 'Man that hurt. Maybe this is too much too soon,' he thought to himself. 'No I have to do this. I didn't survive that fire just to sit around while life passes me by.' Johnny was pushing himself too hard and somewhere in the back of his mind he knew it, but in his heart he couldn't stop. If he stopped he might not ever be able to start again. Johnny didn't realize the error in his thinking. He only felt the fear of not being able to return to his job, the fear of not having the nerve to face another fire and most importantly the fear of death. His ability to think clearly about his recovery was clouded by those fears.
Struggling with the basket of sheets he was finally able to get them out back beside the clothes line. Gradually pulling one sheet from the basket Johnny carefully lifted it onto the line. His dislocated shoulder and still sore ribs protested greatly. He tried to do most of the work with his other hand. Finally pulling the sheet completely open and securing it with clothes pins, he bent to grab the other sheet. Johnny lost his balance from the awkward way he tried to pull the second sheet from the basket. He tumbled down onto his dislocated shoulder and cried out in pain. Johnny rolled over onto his back and cradled his arm. He did not know how long he lay there in the yard before he heard someone call his name. He heard footsteps running towards him. Cracking open his deep brown eyes he peered up at his best friend's wife, "Joanne, what are you doing here?"
"Johnny! Are you okay? What happened? Do I need to call a squad? Do I need to call Roy?"
Sighing Johnny answered her, "No Joanne. I'm fine. I uh…I just lost my balance."
"John Gage you are not fine. You are injured. What on earth are you doing out here hanging sheets with your dislocated shoulder?" Joanne knew that Johnny would try to do too much too soon. That is exactly why she had decided to stop by and check on him.
"Well they needed drying. I just wanted to hang them up out here in the fresh air."
"You shouldn't be lifting these wet sheets Johnny. They are too heavy for your shoulder. By the way where is your sling and immobilizer?" She asked with her hands on her hips.
"Uh I…I don't need them anymore." Johnny had managed to get up on his knees and was slowly rising from the ground.
"Here Johnny let me help you," Joanne reached over and helped steady her friend. "Have you taken your pain meds this morning?"
"Aw Joanne they make me feel so tired. I just wanted to do a few things. You know I need to…."
"Need to what Johnny? Re-injure yourself? What exactly is it that you need to do that can't be done by someone else or wait until you have had time to heal? What Johnny? Just tell me!" Joanne was really worked up now.
Johnny was equally adamant about what he wanted and intended to do on his own ranch, but he didn't want to be rude to his friend. "Listen Jo, I just want to stay busy. I…I can't just sit here thinking about what happened. I w…won't let this…this little injury keep me down. I have to do this." He was on one of his tirades now and couldn't stop himself. "I have to. What if I can't? What if this near death episode is the last fire I can face? What will I do? Jo I…I don't….I don't know what to do."
Joanne understood now why he was driving himself so hard. "Oh Johnny." She reached out and took him in a sisterly hug. "It's going to be okay. You know you are meant to be a paramedic. It's in your blood. You will make it back. Don't you worry about it. You will. I just know it." She brushed the hair from his face and kissed him on the cheek. "Now John Gage you will go into the house and get a quick shower. I will hang the rest of these sheets and then come in and prepare us some lunch."
"Okay." Johnny didn't have any fight left in him. He turned and headed into the house to shower. Truthfully he was in pain from the overexertion. He made the water as hot as he could stand it and stepped into the shower letting the heat and steam wash over his sore joints and muscles.
While Johnny was in the shower Joanne finished hanging the sheets and making sure he wouldn't hear her she made a quick call to the station.
"Station 51 fireman Kelly speaking."
"Hello Chet, this is Joanne. Could I speak to Roy please?"
"Sure Joanne. Hang on a minute. Roy! Your wife is on the phone!" Joanne could here the clanking of the hand set as he laid it down on the desk.
"Hello." Roy wondered why his wife was calling him. "Joanne is everything all right?"
"Roy I'm at Johnny's."
"What's wrong Jo?"
"Well nothing really. He is…well you know Johnny he…he is trying to do too much."
"What did he do honey? What happened?" Roy was getting really worried now.
"I found him in the back yard by the clothes line. He had fallen. He said he lost his balance while trying to hang the sheets."
"Hang the sheets? With his shoulders banged up? What was he thinking?" Roy was getting mad now.
"Roy calm down. He is in the shower. He doesn't know I'm calling. I'm really worried about him. This accident really has him rattled. He's worried Roy, really worried that he will not make it back to being a fireman. I've never seen him this upset and afraid. I don't know what to do."
"Look honey. Johnny will be fine. He's just tired and hurting. Has he taken his pain medication?"
"He doesn't want to take it. He said it makes him feel bad. I'll fix us some lunch and try to get him to take it. I can't stay long because I have to pick up the kids in a little while. Is there someone coming by later? I don't think we can trust him to be alone without trying to do too much and hurting himself."
"Craig Brice is coming by later to tend the animals."
"Oh Johnny will just love that."
"Yeah he will but Craig's off shift today, and he did put the list together so we had to let him be one of the first to help. They'll be okay Jo. Craig is a pain in the….. (Roy remembered he was speaking to his wife and didn't want to say the wrong thing) well he is kind of hard to take sometimes, but I think his heart is in the right place. Look honey just try to get Johnny to eat a good lunch and take his meds especially the pain meds."
"I will Roy. I love you Mr. Desoto."
"I love you too Mrs. Desoto."
Joanne busied herself preparing soup and sandwiches for lunch. Soup was always a good comfort food when someone was sick or injured. She had heard the water shut off some time ago and was beginning to wonder what was keeping Johnny. She decided she might need to check on him. When she peeked into his room she found him lying on top of the bed dressed in a navy LACFD t-shirt and tan shorts. He had also put the immobilizer back on his dislocated shoulder which screamed to anyone that knew him that he had hurt himself more than he had admitted. He was asleep. Joanne went to the linen closet in the hall and got a light blanket to cover her friend. When she slipped back into the room she saw that Johnny was not resting easy. His brow was wrinkled showing stress and his face looked…well he looked afraid. Joanne had never seen Johnny show fear at anything, and now in sleep he was obviously facing something that scared him very much. She sat on the edge of the bed and stroked his forehead whispering comforting words to her 'little brother'. His face seemed to relax. Joanne kept up her soothing actions for a few more minutes. Just as she started to get up she noticed that his bleary brown eyes were looking up at her. "I'm sorry Johnny. I didn't mean to wake you."
"It's okay Jo. I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"You need your rest sweetie."
"Can't stop remembering."
"I know. Are you hungry? I have some soup and sandwiches ready."
The two friends got up and headed downstairs for lunch. They didn't talk much throughout their meal. They both had a lot on their minds: Joanne wondering to herself how to help Johnny overcome his worries about returning to the job that made him who he is, and Johnny mentally beating himself up over how he had allowed himself to be affected by this whole situation.
"Johnny you need to take your medications including the pain pill. I know you don't like the way it makes you feel, but I also know by the fact that you put the immobilizer back on that your shoulder is bothering you a lot."
"Okay." Johnny did not protest which concerned Joanne even more as to just how much he had hurt himself out in the yard.
"I have to run some errands before I pick up the kids, but I want you to call me if you need anything this evening. Roy said Craig Brice would be putting the animals up for the night, so I don't want you to over do it mister." She smiled at her friend.
"Yes Ma'am!" Johnny smiled back at her with his biggest crooked Gage grin.
"Now you go find somewhere comfortable to relax while I clean up these dishes."
Johnny stopped on his way out of the kitchen to give Joanne a hug. "Thanks Joanne your being here really means a lot to me."
"Oh Johnny I wouldn't have it any other way. You are part of our family. Roy would not be very happy with me if I didn't at least try to take care of you even though you prefer your independence. We love you Uncle Johnny." She teased him. "Now get out of 'your' kitchen and let me work."
He left the kitchen feeling better than he had earlier and headed for his recliner. Joanne finished the cleaning and had left to take care of her errands. Johnny put a movie in his VCR and relaxed for the remainder or the afternoon. Around 6 o'clock he heard a car pull up out front. Thinking it must be Craig he went out onto the porch to find not only Craig, but Bob Bellingham, Gil Robinson, and Charlie Dwyer getting out of Charlie's Jeep.
"Hey guys," he yelled from the porch.
"Hey Gage," Craig was the first to speak always calling people by their last name.
"Hey Johnny," Bellingham and Dwyer said at the same time.
"Hey old friend," Gil finished the greetings.
The group of men made their way over to Johnny on the porch. "What brings all of you out here? I knew Craig was coming, but to what do I owe this visit from the rest of you?"
"Doctor Brackett has requested that I do a check on your injuries and make a report of your vitals and check for temperature," Craig answered.
"And since Mr. Paramedic here is going to be busy with you the rest of us tagged along to do the real work," Bob teased his partner.
Craig rolled his eyes at Bob and moved to enter the house. "Well I could have done both Bob, but you all insisted on accompanying me. I got the idea that you thought I couldn't handle the horses, but I'll have you know I do have experience with animals."
"Cool you jets there Craigy I know your capable." They all laughed including Craig at Bob's statement.
"Craigy?" Johnny asked.
"Well Mr. Rule Book here has softened up a bit after your little episode on top of that roof there Mr. Gage. I just don't know what got into him. He is such a little teddy bear now," Bob continued to tease Craig.
"Look Bellingham," Craig had to get his partner under control before he embarrassed him anymore.
"Okay relax partner. We have work to do. While you check out Gage here the real men will handle the chores. Come on Dwyer let's you and I handle the horses. I'm sure they would like a good rub down. Gil, Roy said something about the windows. You want to take care of that and any other household chores Johnny hear might need doing? Oh yeah and he said something about sheets on the line," Bob led Charlie to the barn.
"How did you all know about the sheets?" Johnny asked. "And who talked to Brackett?" Johnny knew it had to be Joanne. She must have called Roy. He would have to talk to his friend. She ratted on him. He smiled to himself knowing that she cared enough to be sure he got the help she decided he needed. In the house Johnny protested the check up from Craig. "I don't need you to check me out. I am a paramedic too you know."
"Well John you are not cleared for work right now. I have been given direct orders from Dr. Brackett to do a thorough check up. He also sent you a prescription for a light sedative if you are still having trouble sleeping. Now can we get this over with?" Craig was not taking no for an answer.
"John? Craig you called me John. Not Gage, but John. What has gotten in to you?"
Craig looked at his feet and scuffed his toe on the hardwood floor in Johnny's great room, "We um…we all thought…you almost didn't…I mean we could have lost you John. You are a good man, a fine paramedic and I…I would have missed having you on the team." Craig raised his eyes and met Johnny's. "I don't have many friends. I didn't want to lose one."
Johnny was very surprised and moved by Craig's comment. "Well thank you." He didn't know what else to say. He reached his good arm out and patted Craig on the shoulder. "I'm glad to call you friend Craig."
After the check up of Johnny's shoulder to make sure it had not slipped out of the socket again and getting all of his vitals reported to Dr. Brackett, the chores all finished, the group of men relaxed on Johnny's deck.
"Man Johnny I don't think I would have been able to think as clearly as you did to find a way out of that situation. The department heads are probably rewriting the procedure books to include different uses for fire hose," Gil told his friend. "I'm really glad you found that hose."
"Me too Gil. Me too."
"So Johnny how long is Brackett going to keep you off from work," Charlie asked.
"I don't know. Until my shoulder heals I guess. I hope I don't have to stay off long enough to have to recertify."
"Well guys I hate to bust up this party, but I have to get home to the misses. She expects me to take her out to dinner," Charlie rose from his seat.
"Take care of yourself Gage," Craig had gone back to using Johnny's last name in front of the others.
Johnny laughed at his friend, "Okay B-r-i-c-e. I guess I'll be seeing you guys. Thanks for your help today. I really appreciate it." Johnny walked his friends to Charlie's Jeep and watched them as they pulled out of his drive. Turning back to the house he felt good about the afternoon. He knew he had many good friends. Walking slowly enjoying the cool evening breeze he stopped to look up at the clouds. He didn't want to miss anything ever again. Live is too short.