Little Boy
Lost
Part Seven
by GCS
DISCLAIMER: "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. and Universal Studios. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction, and any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental. This story is only written for entertainment. No financial gain is being realized from it. The story, itself, is the property of the author.
Lost
Part Seven
by GCS
DISCLAIMER: "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. and Universal Studios. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction, and any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental. This story is only written for entertainment. No financial gain is being realized from it. The story, itself, is the property of the author.
Chapter Nineteen
Jimbo and Rita watched as Johnny inhaled his burger barely
taking the time to wash it down with milk and talking nonstop the whole time.
“I need to go to the bank and take out enough money for the deposit.” He
suddenly stopped chewing. He looked up at his new friends with wide eyes. “She
never told me how much. I don’t even know how much deposit on an apartment is.
Do you know how much that is?” He looked at Jimbo who opened his mouth to
respond, but was cut off by Johnny. “Oh well it doesn’t really matter. I’ll
just take out a lot.” He shoved the last bite into his mouth. “Man, it sure
will be good not to have to go to the shelt…” Johnny suddenly realized he had almost
admitted to sleeping at a shelter. He chewed slowly, swallowed and took a sip
of milk before looking up.
Jimbo knew what Johnny had been about to say, but he wouldn’t press him to open up. He wanted Johnny to keep the good feeling he had since coming back from the grocery. “No worries kid. Let’s just concentrate on the good things. We’ve had enough bad in the past two days to last a long time. Don’t you think?”
Johnny looked down at the now empty plate, thought about it for a few seconds and looked up with a grin on his face. “I can’t believe it, a place of my own, a job...” His eyes widened, and he jumped up from his seat; turning this way and that; panic shown in his eyes. “The application, I don’t know what happened to it!” He walked over to the counter. It wasn’t there. He practically ran into the kitchen and burst back through the door seconds later. “What am I going to do? I have to fill it out. I wonder if I left it at my apartment.” He ran his hand through his hair leaving it standing up. He turned and walked back into the kitchen returning again before the door had a chance to close. “I can’t believe this.”
Rita and Jimbo stood watching the bundle of energy as he paced frantically. All signs of his having been mugged or still suffered from a bad cold seemed to have disappeared until without thinking Johnny turned and coughed into his shirt sleeve. Jimbo whistled at the kid. “Hey!”
Johnny stopped in his tracks and stared like a deer in headlights.
“It’s right here.” Jimbo pointed to the paper on the bench seat of the booth Johnny had been eating at. Both Rita and Jimbo burst out laughing.
Johnny ducked his head and smiled slightly. He shuffled over to the booth and picked up the application. “Thanks.”
“Well, I have some potatoes to peel.” Jimbo grabbed the plate and empty glass and headed to the kitchen. “Rita, don’t you have some work to do?”
“Uh…yeah boss…coming.” Rita winked at Johnny as she handed him her pen.
When Jimbo finally let Johnny leave after an after lunch snack of apple pie, a vanilla shake and a promise to return for that steak dinner at 6, he couldn’t decide what to do first. He needed to drop off his completed application to Mr. Wong. He knew he needed to check on the lawns he’d been supposed to tend. Thankfully, it had rained; he hoped his customers hadn’t made other arrangements. Now that he had an apartment he would have bills to pay; he needed all the money he could earn. He wanted to stop by the shelter before everyone was admitted for the night so he could let Gus and Bobby know he was okay. The two older men had looked after him for a while now; always saving him a place in line and making sure none of the bigger guys messed with him. He needed to get his things from the bus station and hopefully make it back to his new apartment before dark. He didn’t want to come in late and wake his new landlord. That thought brought a crooked grin to his face. ‘His apartment’ had a nice ring to it. With that idea he picked up his pace. He had a lot to do before going…home.
“I’m going to miss having Johnny around to help.” Rita smiled as she and Jimbo stood on the sidewalk in front of the diner watching as Johnny hurried away.
Jimbo rubbed his shoulder, “Yeah, but I’m gonna enjoy being back home in my own bed.”
“What’s the matter boss? Getting too old to sleep on a cot?” Rita teased.
Jimbo chuckled. He turned and held the door open for Rita. “I’ve been too old for a long time, but that kid’s worth it. He’s going to make a great firefighter someday. Too bad he didn’t want to be a cop. The department could really use more people like him.”
“Forget it, Jimbo. You’ll never get him to change his mind.” Rita patted her boss on the shoulder as she passed. “I wonder when we’ll see him again.”
Jimbo hesitated before following Rita. “I don’t know.” He said softly as he watched Johnny turn the corner at the end of the block.
Johnny’s first stop was Mr. Wong’s grocery to drop off his application. He’d only planned to stay for a minute, because he had several stops to make. When he got to the store his earlier impression of the store not being busy enough to need help was quickly erased. There was a line at the checkout. The cashier was trying to check the customers out, take their money and bag their groceries by herself. Mr. Wong was hurrying down an isle to help a customer. Johnny stood by the door for a few minutes wondering if he should come back later. Instead he folded the application and slid it into his pocket. Then he walked over to the checkout and began bagging groceries.
“Excuse me,” the cashier looked at him questioningly. “What are you doing?”
Johnny looked up at her and smiled, “I’m bagging these groceries.”
“Well I can see that, but why?”
“I was waiting to give my application to Mr. Wong. I thought I would help you while I waited. He’s kind of busy right now. I didn’t want to interrupt.”
A rough looking man near the back of the line spoke up, “Just let the kid bag already. I’m in a hurry.”
The cashier looked at the line and back at Johnny; then she started checking again, “I guess it would be okay.”
Mr. Wong was headed back to the front of the store to help get the line down when he saw Johnny helping. He stopped and watched for a moment before continuing to the register. Even thought it had been Jimbo’s idea to give Johnny a job, Mr. Wong was pleased with what he saw. The last customer in the line was in the process of paying when he walked up. “Hi, Johnny.”
“Oh…uh, I hope it’s okay…I mean, I just thought… she…” He waved his hand toward the cashier. “She needed some help. I was just standing there.” He pointed by the door. “I…um, I thought I would help…you know…while I waited.” He reached for the folded application. “I brought you this.” He handed it to Mr. Wong. “It’s my application.”
Mr. Wong opened the paper and smiled. “When can you start?”
“Start?” Johnny looked confused. “OH!” He smiled, and then tilted he head looking suspiciously at Mr. Wong. “You don’t need to interview me? Ask me a few questions? See if I’m qualified?”
Mr. Wong hesitated for a few seconds, thoughts running fast through his mind. Had he tipped Johnny off? Did the boy suspect something? Jimbo would not be happy with him if he messed this up. “No, you just showed me everything I need to know. You didn’t wait to be told what to do. You saw a need and stepped in just like you did this morning with Mrs. Sanders. You brought the application back completed as I asked. Unless you will have a problem getting to work or can’t work the schedule I ask you to, then the job is yours. It doesn’t pay that much, and it’s part time, but it’s yours if you want it.”
“If I…Yes! I want it!” Johnny was bouncing on his feet and grinning from ear to ear. “I can start tomorrow. I’m renting an apartment from Mrs. Sanders. We talked about it this morning. I’m moving in today, so getting here will not be a problem. It’s just down the street.”
“Okay then, how about you start tomorrow morning at 7. I have a delivery coming in. You can help me unload the truck and stock the shelves.” Mr. Wong reached out his hand to shake Johnny’s.
“Yes sir. I’ll be here.” Johnny smiled shaking the man’s hand.
The cashier smiled too. “Welcome aboard. I’m Angie.” She waved before helping another customer.
“Hi Angie. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. Thanks Mr. Wong. Thanks a lot.” Johnny waved as he headed out of the store. He looked up at the sky and realized he’d really have to hurry to get everything done now. He wondered if he should call Jimbo and tell him not to worry about the steak dinner. It would be hard to get back by 6, but he decided against it. He didn’t want to let Jimbo down. He’d been so nice letting him crash at the diner.
On the way to the bus station Johnny took a slight detour to check on one of his lawns. He had been supposed to cut it the day after he was mugged, and he wanted to be sure it was still waiting on him. He would have to schedule to do the work tomorrow afternoon if it was okay. As he approached the yard he could tell it hadn’t been cut. He went up to the door and knocked. He looked around while he waited. The sound of the door drew him back. “Hi Miss Betty. I just wanted to check with you to be sure it’s okay for me to cut your yard tomorrow afternoon when I get off from work.”
“What happened to your eye?” Betty asked with concern.
“My eye?” Johnny had almost forgotten about his black eye. “Oh my eye. It’s nothing.”
“It doesn’t look like nothing. Let me take a look at it.” Betty reached up to palpate the area around Johnny’s eye. He stepped back trying to avoid her touch. “It’s okay, Johnny, I’m a nurse. I just want to make sure there are no broken bones.”
“I didn’t know you were a nurse.” Johnny said while turning to cough into his shoulder.
“Yes, I work at Rampart Hospital. That’s a nasty cough you have too.” She felt around his eye and felt his head for a fever. “I don’t think anything is broken, and you don’t seem to have a fever.” She smiled. “I think you’ll live, but you should try not to get into fights.”
Johnny looked down at his feet. “They fought me. I was mugged.”
“Oh my. Did they hurt you anywhere else?”
“I’m okay. Um, about the yard?” Johnny asked nervously. “Is it okay if I cut it tomorrow?”
“Of course it is.” Betty smiled. “It’s been too wet; tomorrow is fine.”
“Thanks Miss Betty. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Johnny waved as he turned and started down her walk.
“Johnny,” Betty called to him. “If you need help; medical attention. You can find me at Rampart. I work in the emergency room. You be careful. Okay?”
“Yes ma’am.” He waved.
Betty watched him walk down the sidewalk. She couldn’t help the smile that spread. Her yard hadn’t looked better in a long time. When he had originally knocked on her door asking if she needed someone to do her yard work, she’d doubted his ability. He was so skinny, but he’d proved her wrong. When she couldn’t see him any longer, she turned and closed the door.
Nothing seemed to be going the way Johnny had expected. It was taking a lot longer than he had planned for each stop on his journey. If he didn’t hurry he would miss seeing the guys at the shelter. He still had to get his things from the bus station and stop at the bank. He picked up his pace.
Jimbo knew what Johnny had been about to say, but he wouldn’t press him to open up. He wanted Johnny to keep the good feeling he had since coming back from the grocery. “No worries kid. Let’s just concentrate on the good things. We’ve had enough bad in the past two days to last a long time. Don’t you think?”
Johnny looked down at the now empty plate, thought about it for a few seconds and looked up with a grin on his face. “I can’t believe it, a place of my own, a job...” His eyes widened, and he jumped up from his seat; turning this way and that; panic shown in his eyes. “The application, I don’t know what happened to it!” He walked over to the counter. It wasn’t there. He practically ran into the kitchen and burst back through the door seconds later. “What am I going to do? I have to fill it out. I wonder if I left it at my apartment.” He ran his hand through his hair leaving it standing up. He turned and walked back into the kitchen returning again before the door had a chance to close. “I can’t believe this.”
Rita and Jimbo stood watching the bundle of energy as he paced frantically. All signs of his having been mugged or still suffered from a bad cold seemed to have disappeared until without thinking Johnny turned and coughed into his shirt sleeve. Jimbo whistled at the kid. “Hey!”
Johnny stopped in his tracks and stared like a deer in headlights.
“It’s right here.” Jimbo pointed to the paper on the bench seat of the booth Johnny had been eating at. Both Rita and Jimbo burst out laughing.
Johnny ducked his head and smiled slightly. He shuffled over to the booth and picked up the application. “Thanks.”
“Well, I have some potatoes to peel.” Jimbo grabbed the plate and empty glass and headed to the kitchen. “Rita, don’t you have some work to do?”
“Uh…yeah boss…coming.” Rita winked at Johnny as she handed him her pen.
When Jimbo finally let Johnny leave after an after lunch snack of apple pie, a vanilla shake and a promise to return for that steak dinner at 6, he couldn’t decide what to do first. He needed to drop off his completed application to Mr. Wong. He knew he needed to check on the lawns he’d been supposed to tend. Thankfully, it had rained; he hoped his customers hadn’t made other arrangements. Now that he had an apartment he would have bills to pay; he needed all the money he could earn. He wanted to stop by the shelter before everyone was admitted for the night so he could let Gus and Bobby know he was okay. The two older men had looked after him for a while now; always saving him a place in line and making sure none of the bigger guys messed with him. He needed to get his things from the bus station and hopefully make it back to his new apartment before dark. He didn’t want to come in late and wake his new landlord. That thought brought a crooked grin to his face. ‘His apartment’ had a nice ring to it. With that idea he picked up his pace. He had a lot to do before going…home.
“I’m going to miss having Johnny around to help.” Rita smiled as she and Jimbo stood on the sidewalk in front of the diner watching as Johnny hurried away.
Jimbo rubbed his shoulder, “Yeah, but I’m gonna enjoy being back home in my own bed.”
“What’s the matter boss? Getting too old to sleep on a cot?” Rita teased.
Jimbo chuckled. He turned and held the door open for Rita. “I’ve been too old for a long time, but that kid’s worth it. He’s going to make a great firefighter someday. Too bad he didn’t want to be a cop. The department could really use more people like him.”
“Forget it, Jimbo. You’ll never get him to change his mind.” Rita patted her boss on the shoulder as she passed. “I wonder when we’ll see him again.”
Jimbo hesitated before following Rita. “I don’t know.” He said softly as he watched Johnny turn the corner at the end of the block.
Johnny’s first stop was Mr. Wong’s grocery to drop off his application. He’d only planned to stay for a minute, because he had several stops to make. When he got to the store his earlier impression of the store not being busy enough to need help was quickly erased. There was a line at the checkout. The cashier was trying to check the customers out, take their money and bag their groceries by herself. Mr. Wong was hurrying down an isle to help a customer. Johnny stood by the door for a few minutes wondering if he should come back later. Instead he folded the application and slid it into his pocket. Then he walked over to the checkout and began bagging groceries.
“Excuse me,” the cashier looked at him questioningly. “What are you doing?”
Johnny looked up at her and smiled, “I’m bagging these groceries.”
“Well I can see that, but why?”
“I was waiting to give my application to Mr. Wong. I thought I would help you while I waited. He’s kind of busy right now. I didn’t want to interrupt.”
A rough looking man near the back of the line spoke up, “Just let the kid bag already. I’m in a hurry.”
The cashier looked at the line and back at Johnny; then she started checking again, “I guess it would be okay.”
Mr. Wong was headed back to the front of the store to help get the line down when he saw Johnny helping. He stopped and watched for a moment before continuing to the register. Even thought it had been Jimbo’s idea to give Johnny a job, Mr. Wong was pleased with what he saw. The last customer in the line was in the process of paying when he walked up. “Hi, Johnny.”
“Oh…uh, I hope it’s okay…I mean, I just thought… she…” He waved his hand toward the cashier. “She needed some help. I was just standing there.” He pointed by the door. “I…um, I thought I would help…you know…while I waited.” He reached for the folded application. “I brought you this.” He handed it to Mr. Wong. “It’s my application.”
Mr. Wong opened the paper and smiled. “When can you start?”
“Start?” Johnny looked confused. “OH!” He smiled, and then tilted he head looking suspiciously at Mr. Wong. “You don’t need to interview me? Ask me a few questions? See if I’m qualified?”
Mr. Wong hesitated for a few seconds, thoughts running fast through his mind. Had he tipped Johnny off? Did the boy suspect something? Jimbo would not be happy with him if he messed this up. “No, you just showed me everything I need to know. You didn’t wait to be told what to do. You saw a need and stepped in just like you did this morning with Mrs. Sanders. You brought the application back completed as I asked. Unless you will have a problem getting to work or can’t work the schedule I ask you to, then the job is yours. It doesn’t pay that much, and it’s part time, but it’s yours if you want it.”
“If I…Yes! I want it!” Johnny was bouncing on his feet and grinning from ear to ear. “I can start tomorrow. I’m renting an apartment from Mrs. Sanders. We talked about it this morning. I’m moving in today, so getting here will not be a problem. It’s just down the street.”
“Okay then, how about you start tomorrow morning at 7. I have a delivery coming in. You can help me unload the truck and stock the shelves.” Mr. Wong reached out his hand to shake Johnny’s.
“Yes sir. I’ll be here.” Johnny smiled shaking the man’s hand.
The cashier smiled too. “Welcome aboard. I’m Angie.” She waved before helping another customer.
“Hi Angie. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. Thanks Mr. Wong. Thanks a lot.” Johnny waved as he headed out of the store. He looked up at the sky and realized he’d really have to hurry to get everything done now. He wondered if he should call Jimbo and tell him not to worry about the steak dinner. It would be hard to get back by 6, but he decided against it. He didn’t want to let Jimbo down. He’d been so nice letting him crash at the diner.
On the way to the bus station Johnny took a slight detour to check on one of his lawns. He had been supposed to cut it the day after he was mugged, and he wanted to be sure it was still waiting on him. He would have to schedule to do the work tomorrow afternoon if it was okay. As he approached the yard he could tell it hadn’t been cut. He went up to the door and knocked. He looked around while he waited. The sound of the door drew him back. “Hi Miss Betty. I just wanted to check with you to be sure it’s okay for me to cut your yard tomorrow afternoon when I get off from work.”
“What happened to your eye?” Betty asked with concern.
“My eye?” Johnny had almost forgotten about his black eye. “Oh my eye. It’s nothing.”
“It doesn’t look like nothing. Let me take a look at it.” Betty reached up to palpate the area around Johnny’s eye. He stepped back trying to avoid her touch. “It’s okay, Johnny, I’m a nurse. I just want to make sure there are no broken bones.”
“I didn’t know you were a nurse.” Johnny said while turning to cough into his shoulder.
“Yes, I work at Rampart Hospital. That’s a nasty cough you have too.” She felt around his eye and felt his head for a fever. “I don’t think anything is broken, and you don’t seem to have a fever.” She smiled. “I think you’ll live, but you should try not to get into fights.”
Johnny looked down at his feet. “They fought me. I was mugged.”
“Oh my. Did they hurt you anywhere else?”
“I’m okay. Um, about the yard?” Johnny asked nervously. “Is it okay if I cut it tomorrow?”
“Of course it is.” Betty smiled. “It’s been too wet; tomorrow is fine.”
“Thanks Miss Betty. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Johnny waved as he turned and started down her walk.
“Johnny,” Betty called to him. “If you need help; medical attention. You can find me at Rampart. I work in the emergency room. You be careful. Okay?”
“Yes ma’am.” He waved.
Betty watched him walk down the sidewalk. She couldn’t help the smile that spread. Her yard hadn’t looked better in a long time. When he had originally knocked on her door asking if she needed someone to do her yard work, she’d doubted his ability. He was so skinny, but he’d proved her wrong. When she couldn’t see him any longer, she turned and closed the door.
Nothing seemed to be going the way Johnny had expected. It was taking a lot longer than he had planned for each stop on his journey. If he didn’t hurry he would miss seeing the guys at the shelter. He still had to get his things from the bus station and stop at the bank. He picked up his pace.
Chapter Twenty
Johnny hurried to his next destination. At the bus station
he gathered his things from his locker. He didn’t have much. He’d left some of
his things at Jimbo’s to pick up later. The rest he could easily roll into his
sleeping bag, a few clothes, a blanket and pillow. The camping lantern he would
just carry. Once he had it all arranged he tucked the rolled bundle under his
arm and set out to the shelter hoping he would get there before his friends
were let inside.
By the time Johnny rounded the corner at the end of the block, the doors had already been opened. He couldn’t help but think that maybe he should have come there first. Men and boys had already begun to inch forward hoping to pass through the doors for a hot meal and place to sleep. Johnny started walking faster. If his friends were near the back of the line he might still get to see them. When he became even with the door, some of the people in line thought he was trying to cut ahead of them. One even pushed him making him stumble. His bundle of sleeping bag and clothes slipped a little, but he managed to hang onto it. “Hey, you gotta go to the back of the line,” the man snarled. Johnny knew better than to try to make the man understand. You couldn’t reason with a homeless man who thinks you are trying to get between him and food. Johnny directed his eyes toward the sidewalk and just kept moving away, but the man’s loud accusation had alerted the others to him making them think he was there to try to get in before they did. The shelter had limited space. He’d been left on the sidewalk before when the number allowed inside had been reached. It was not a good feeling especially to a young man with a high metabolism and nothing to eat. Wary of the angry eyes that looked at him as he walked down the sidewalk, Johnny stepped to the very edge just before the curb met the road. His friends were nowhere to be seen. He soon reached the end of the line and had to guess they were already inside. He got a better grip on the bundle under his arm before turning to make his way back to Jimbo’s or to his new apartment, if he had time. He’d promised Jimbo he’d be back in time for dinner, but he really hoped to drop off his things first.
The sun was already sinking lower in the sky, and Johnny still had several blocks to go when he heard sirens in the distance. He stopped on the sidewalk to listen. They sounded close. He couldn’t tell if they were the police or the fire department, but he thought they sounded like a fire truck. He scanned the skyline for smoke and saw some drifting up from a building not too far away. He hurried towards the rising smoke. As he jogged down the street the fire truck rumbled past. He could feel the wind left as the truck sped by. The excitement he felt at getting to see the firefighters at work filled his belly as he picked up his pace. There were several trucks parked around an office building. Men ran all over, pulling hoses from the backs of trucks and hooking them up to the hydrants. Before long, water sprayed from the hoses snuffing out the flames that tried to escape through the windows.
Johnny ran right up beside one of the trucks to watch.
Time stood still as Johnny watched the calculated moves, the crisscrossing of the spray from the hoses and the hands on the shoulders that supported the men on the front lines. His eyes moved from side to side. He spun on his heels and craned his neck around the truck trying to see as much as he could. It was like watching a well choreographed musical production to the tune of gallons and gallons of water. Red lights flashed against the shattered remains of windows like stage lights illuminating the scene with an eerie red glow and reflected off the water that rippled with each step the firefighters took. Smoke slithered from cracks in the walls as the fire breathed new life while reaching upward to consume the floors above.
A man with a white stripe on his helmet pointed and directed. He spoke into a radio while he seemed to be surveying the entire operation from his vantage point. One man stood by each fire engine turning dials and checking gauges, but they watched too. These men with the white stripes and by the engines seemed to be watching everything at the same time. All of a sudden it seemed that everyone’s eyes turned to the same thing; Johnny’s followed. At the front entrance to the building, two firefighters were coming out with something draped over their shoulders. Johnny squinted through the haze of smoke, water and ash trying to make out what it was they carried. As they drew closer to the row of engines, he could see that they carried people. He instinctively stepped a few steps forward before stopping again. The firefighters lowered the people to a yellow blanket that the man by one of the trucks had spread on the ground. Green cases soon landed beside the group of people. The firefighters flipped the latches on the cases and threw then open. They pulled what Johnny recognized as oxygen masks out and placed them over the people’s faces. One of the people on the yellow blankets began coughing as soon as the oxygen mask was placed over his face. The other one took longer, but eventually they too were coughing. Johnny heard one of the firefighters telling the man with the white striped helmet that the people were going to be okay. After that all eyes turned back to the fire.
Johnny stayed there watching longer than he should have. Before he realized it the sun was going down. The fire crews were packing up their hoses and gear. He started away from the scene when one of the men put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. “Hey son, it’s late. It isn’t safe to be out on these streets after dark even for a teenager like yourself.” Johnny turned to face the man, but didn’t look up. “Do you live nearby?”
“No sir.” Johnny answered honestly. “I was just going there when I saw the fire. It’s not that far.” He stepped away from the man’s grip on his shoulder and turned to leave.
“How ‘bout we give you a lift?”
Johnny’s eyes shot up to look into the man’s eyes. “On that?” He pointed to the fire engine.
The man smiled broadly, “Well it’s the only ride I have. So, how ‘bout it?”
“Sure, yeah, good deal.” Johnny bounced on his toes with excitement. “I…uh I was going to Jimbo’s diner. I was supposed to be there before now, but I still gotta go.”
“Jimbo’s huh? Okay, I know the place. You ride up here in the middle. I’ll just stow your stuff down here.” He reached for Johnny’s bundle and put them in a compartment on the side of the engine. Johnny climbed up into the cab and took the seat in the middle. When the man climbed up and took the seat beside him, Johnny noticed the white stripe on his helmet. “Okay Mike, take us by Jimbo’s diner on the way back to the house.”
“Yes sir,” the man at the wheel said, and then, he winked at Johnny before pulling the engine away from the scene.
Johnny could not believe he was riding in a fire engine. It was a short ride, just a few blocks, but it was enough to make Johnny even surer of his career choice. When he pulled up in front of Jimbo’s and climbed down from the cab, Jimbo was standing on the sidewalk with worry written all over his face. “What have you gotten into this time?”
“He was watching us at a scene. I think time got away from him. Is he your son? I didn’t know you had any kids.” The captain stepped down from the cab first and shook hands with Jimbo.
“No, I don’t. He’s a friend.” Jimbo looked back over at Johnny whose head was ducked in embarrassment. “And, he’s late for dinner. Thanks for bringing him guys.”
“No problem, Jimbo. When he told us where he was going, we thought dinner here might be quicker than cooking at the station.” The man who had been driving said as he opened the door and held it for everyone to enter. “Right, Cap?” He teased his superior knowing that stopping to eat had never been discussed, but also that his captain was a fair man and always ready for a good meal especially when one certain member of his crew was scheduled to cook.
“Right!” the captain smiled as he patted his engineer on the shoulder while passing him on the way into the diner. “Let’s eat fellas.”
Jimbo smiled and laughed at the antics of the crew. “Well come on, Johnny. You can help me feed this hungry brood.” He ruffled Johnny’s hair making him duck again.
Johnny followed the men into the diner and noticed that his things had been retrieved from the compartment on the engine and deposited on the counter near the kitchen door. He moved them to put them into the office out of the way. When he opened the office door he noticed that the cots were folded and his few things were folded and stacked on the corner of the desk. He was glad to know that Jimbo would be able to return home to his own bed.
“I’ll give you a ride to your apartment after everyone is fed and the diner closed, okay?”
“I can walk” Johnny looked Jimbo directly in the eyes this time.
“I know, but I’ll give you a ride.” Jimbo was not going to take no for an answer. Johnny smiled already knowing the stubborn look on Jimbo’s face and nodded in agreement. “Okay, let’s get this party started.” Jimbo turned and left the kitchen to take the food orders from the group of hungry firemen while Johnny washed up to help. “Can you get the drinks?” he asked as he disappeared through the doors to the dining area.
Johnny sat with the firefighters to eat his promised steak. He reveled at the stories they told of heroism and skill. He laughed at the funny tales they told of pranks and crazy rescues. His eyes widened at some of the injuries they described. Jimbo joined in and shared some stories of his days on the police force. Johnny marveled at the man he now called friend. These were the kind of people he wanted to align himself with, people who wanted to help others, people who were born to serve; people who faced fear and lived to tell about it. He felt a kinship he’d never felt before. The evening ended when the fire company was called to another fire. After helping Jimbo clear away all the dishes and secure the diner for the night, Johnny was glad he’d agreed to let Jimbo take him to his new apartment.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay here tonight? You want to go back for one of my cots?” Jimbo could have kicked himself for forgetting that Johnny didn’t have any furniture. He’d been so busy arranging the job and apartment, he didn’t even think about the fact that the kid didn’t have a bed.
By the time Johnny rounded the corner at the end of the block, the doors had already been opened. He couldn’t help but think that maybe he should have come there first. Men and boys had already begun to inch forward hoping to pass through the doors for a hot meal and place to sleep. Johnny started walking faster. If his friends were near the back of the line he might still get to see them. When he became even with the door, some of the people in line thought he was trying to cut ahead of them. One even pushed him making him stumble. His bundle of sleeping bag and clothes slipped a little, but he managed to hang onto it. “Hey, you gotta go to the back of the line,” the man snarled. Johnny knew better than to try to make the man understand. You couldn’t reason with a homeless man who thinks you are trying to get between him and food. Johnny directed his eyes toward the sidewalk and just kept moving away, but the man’s loud accusation had alerted the others to him making them think he was there to try to get in before they did. The shelter had limited space. He’d been left on the sidewalk before when the number allowed inside had been reached. It was not a good feeling especially to a young man with a high metabolism and nothing to eat. Wary of the angry eyes that looked at him as he walked down the sidewalk, Johnny stepped to the very edge just before the curb met the road. His friends were nowhere to be seen. He soon reached the end of the line and had to guess they were already inside. He got a better grip on the bundle under his arm before turning to make his way back to Jimbo’s or to his new apartment, if he had time. He’d promised Jimbo he’d be back in time for dinner, but he really hoped to drop off his things first.
The sun was already sinking lower in the sky, and Johnny still had several blocks to go when he heard sirens in the distance. He stopped on the sidewalk to listen. They sounded close. He couldn’t tell if they were the police or the fire department, but he thought they sounded like a fire truck. He scanned the skyline for smoke and saw some drifting up from a building not too far away. He hurried towards the rising smoke. As he jogged down the street the fire truck rumbled past. He could feel the wind left as the truck sped by. The excitement he felt at getting to see the firefighters at work filled his belly as he picked up his pace. There were several trucks parked around an office building. Men ran all over, pulling hoses from the backs of trucks and hooking them up to the hydrants. Before long, water sprayed from the hoses snuffing out the flames that tried to escape through the windows.
Johnny ran right up beside one of the trucks to watch.
Time stood still as Johnny watched the calculated moves, the crisscrossing of the spray from the hoses and the hands on the shoulders that supported the men on the front lines. His eyes moved from side to side. He spun on his heels and craned his neck around the truck trying to see as much as he could. It was like watching a well choreographed musical production to the tune of gallons and gallons of water. Red lights flashed against the shattered remains of windows like stage lights illuminating the scene with an eerie red glow and reflected off the water that rippled with each step the firefighters took. Smoke slithered from cracks in the walls as the fire breathed new life while reaching upward to consume the floors above.
A man with a white stripe on his helmet pointed and directed. He spoke into a radio while he seemed to be surveying the entire operation from his vantage point. One man stood by each fire engine turning dials and checking gauges, but they watched too. These men with the white stripes and by the engines seemed to be watching everything at the same time. All of a sudden it seemed that everyone’s eyes turned to the same thing; Johnny’s followed. At the front entrance to the building, two firefighters were coming out with something draped over their shoulders. Johnny squinted through the haze of smoke, water and ash trying to make out what it was they carried. As they drew closer to the row of engines, he could see that they carried people. He instinctively stepped a few steps forward before stopping again. The firefighters lowered the people to a yellow blanket that the man by one of the trucks had spread on the ground. Green cases soon landed beside the group of people. The firefighters flipped the latches on the cases and threw then open. They pulled what Johnny recognized as oxygen masks out and placed them over the people’s faces. One of the people on the yellow blankets began coughing as soon as the oxygen mask was placed over his face. The other one took longer, but eventually they too were coughing. Johnny heard one of the firefighters telling the man with the white striped helmet that the people were going to be okay. After that all eyes turned back to the fire.
Johnny stayed there watching longer than he should have. Before he realized it the sun was going down. The fire crews were packing up their hoses and gear. He started away from the scene when one of the men put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. “Hey son, it’s late. It isn’t safe to be out on these streets after dark even for a teenager like yourself.” Johnny turned to face the man, but didn’t look up. “Do you live nearby?”
“No sir.” Johnny answered honestly. “I was just going there when I saw the fire. It’s not that far.” He stepped away from the man’s grip on his shoulder and turned to leave.
“How ‘bout we give you a lift?”
Johnny’s eyes shot up to look into the man’s eyes. “On that?” He pointed to the fire engine.
The man smiled broadly, “Well it’s the only ride I have. So, how ‘bout it?”
“Sure, yeah, good deal.” Johnny bounced on his toes with excitement. “I…uh I was going to Jimbo’s diner. I was supposed to be there before now, but I still gotta go.”
“Jimbo’s huh? Okay, I know the place. You ride up here in the middle. I’ll just stow your stuff down here.” He reached for Johnny’s bundle and put them in a compartment on the side of the engine. Johnny climbed up into the cab and took the seat in the middle. When the man climbed up and took the seat beside him, Johnny noticed the white stripe on his helmet. “Okay Mike, take us by Jimbo’s diner on the way back to the house.”
“Yes sir,” the man at the wheel said, and then, he winked at Johnny before pulling the engine away from the scene.
Johnny could not believe he was riding in a fire engine. It was a short ride, just a few blocks, but it was enough to make Johnny even surer of his career choice. When he pulled up in front of Jimbo’s and climbed down from the cab, Jimbo was standing on the sidewalk with worry written all over his face. “What have you gotten into this time?”
“He was watching us at a scene. I think time got away from him. Is he your son? I didn’t know you had any kids.” The captain stepped down from the cab first and shook hands with Jimbo.
“No, I don’t. He’s a friend.” Jimbo looked back over at Johnny whose head was ducked in embarrassment. “And, he’s late for dinner. Thanks for bringing him guys.”
“No problem, Jimbo. When he told us where he was going, we thought dinner here might be quicker than cooking at the station.” The man who had been driving said as he opened the door and held it for everyone to enter. “Right, Cap?” He teased his superior knowing that stopping to eat had never been discussed, but also that his captain was a fair man and always ready for a good meal especially when one certain member of his crew was scheduled to cook.
“Right!” the captain smiled as he patted his engineer on the shoulder while passing him on the way into the diner. “Let’s eat fellas.”
Jimbo smiled and laughed at the antics of the crew. “Well come on, Johnny. You can help me feed this hungry brood.” He ruffled Johnny’s hair making him duck again.
Johnny followed the men into the diner and noticed that his things had been retrieved from the compartment on the engine and deposited on the counter near the kitchen door. He moved them to put them into the office out of the way. When he opened the office door he noticed that the cots were folded and his few things were folded and stacked on the corner of the desk. He was glad to know that Jimbo would be able to return home to his own bed.
“I’ll give you a ride to your apartment after everyone is fed and the diner closed, okay?”
“I can walk” Johnny looked Jimbo directly in the eyes this time.
“I know, but I’ll give you a ride.” Jimbo was not going to take no for an answer. Johnny smiled already knowing the stubborn look on Jimbo’s face and nodded in agreement. “Okay, let’s get this party started.” Jimbo turned and left the kitchen to take the food orders from the group of hungry firemen while Johnny washed up to help. “Can you get the drinks?” he asked as he disappeared through the doors to the dining area.
Johnny sat with the firefighters to eat his promised steak. He reveled at the stories they told of heroism and skill. He laughed at the funny tales they told of pranks and crazy rescues. His eyes widened at some of the injuries they described. Jimbo joined in and shared some stories of his days on the police force. Johnny marveled at the man he now called friend. These were the kind of people he wanted to align himself with, people who wanted to help others, people who were born to serve; people who faced fear and lived to tell about it. He felt a kinship he’d never felt before. The evening ended when the fire company was called to another fire. After helping Jimbo clear away all the dishes and secure the diner for the night, Johnny was glad he’d agreed to let Jimbo take him to his new apartment.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay here tonight? You want to go back for one of my cots?” Jimbo could have kicked himself for forgetting that Johnny didn’t have any furniture. He’d been so busy arranging the job and apartment, he didn’t even think about the fact that the kid didn’t have a bed.
Chapter Twenty One
Johnny sat his things down on the balcony that stretched across the length of the building in front of the second-floor apartments. He fished in his pocket for the key his new landlady had given him earlier that day. He smiled as the light from the streetlamp glinted on the shiny new key. He liked the way it felt in the palm of his hand. It was his first apartment, the key to his future. He slipped the key into the lock with ease, turning it slowly until he heard the click. Then he rubbed his hands on his pants. Nerves and excitement were making his palms sweat. Reaching out slowly, He gripped the door knob in his hand and gradually turned until the door opened. The room was dark, but light shown through the sheer curtains on the large window to his left, casting a glow into the empty space. Not wanting to call attention to himself in case anyone was watching, he just looked in the door without turning on the interior light. Across the room he could see the kitchenette area and the darker hallway to the bedroom. He stood there outside on the balcony for a few minutes just taking in the feeling of his first time opening the door to his new home. It felt really good.
Looking over his shoulder to see if anyone was watching, he giggled at himself. He knew he was being silly. It was just an apartment. Lots of people lived in apartments. He shook his head at his silliness and bent to grab his things, moving them inside the door. Then he stood tall, took a deep breath and stepped into the room. No matter how inane someone else might think he was being, Johnny just couldn’t help himself. A crooked grin spread across his face, he threw his head back and spoke loudly to the empty room, “hello, I’m home!” Then he stepped further inside, turned, peeked out the door to be sure no one had come out of their apartments at the noise, and softly closed the door.
It wasn’t until the door was completely shut and the deadbolt and chain slid into place that Johnny reached over and flipped on the switch that turned on the lights. He looked over at the sheer curtains and decided the first thing he would do is put up something that would keep others from seeing inside. There was an extra curtain rod that must have once had a curtain on it. He knew his aunt had used two curtains like that. One that was kind of see through for when you wanted sunlight, but privacy and the other for blocking out the sun or nosy neighbors. He could use his blanket, but he needed that to keep warm until he could get a proper bed. He reached up to the wall switch and turned it back off.
Then he picked up his bed roll and made his way down the short hall to the bedroom. It was dark. The curtain in that room was heavy and blocked any light from outside from coming in. He felt around on the wall for the light switch he knew would be there. Light filled the room from the fixture in the center of the ceiling and the fan attached began to slowly turn. It made a soft whirring noise. Two chains hung from the center that he knew would operate the fan or turn out the light if he wanted the fan to keep spinning. He dropped his bedroll in the center of the room and tugged at the chains, experimenting with them to see what setting he wanted. Then he just stood under the fan and let it blow down on his face making his hair move from the wind. Giggling again he reached up and pulled the cord to turn it to a slower setting. The last thing he needed was to get sick from too much air blowing down on him while he slept.
He unrolled his sleeping bag and spread it in the center of the floor under the fan. Then he spread the blanket on top and placed the pillow at the end that was open for him to slip inside if it got too cold. Stepping back and admiring his handiwork, Johnny then turned and went back into the main room to get his clothes. He would put them on the shelf in the closet if there were no hangers. Luckily when he opened the closet door there were several wire hangers like the cleaners used. He hung his best shirt and slacks on them and folded the other few things stacking them on the shelf. He put his good shoes and the camping lantern on the floor and kicked off his sneakers, arranging them beside the others. Next, he put his towel and wash rag in the small bathroom in the hall and slid his toothbrush into the ceramic holder that hung from the wall. He carefully removed the paper towels from the bar of soap he had been using to clean up and placed it on the soap dish in the shower. He would have to get a shower curtain, but until then he could take a bath. He then placed his shaving things, toothpaste, and comb in the drawer beneath the sink, stepped back and smiled at his reflection in the medicine cabinet over the sink. Reaching up he pulled open the front and placed his bottle of aspirin on the glass shelf inside and snapped the door back shut.
The last things to put away were the few things he had to cook with. He’d used them over camp fires, but they were all he had, so he stored them in the kitchen cabinet, rinsed the one cup he had and filled it with water. Moving in had made him thirsty. He drank a full cup, filled it again and moved to put it in the refrigerator. When he opened the refrigerator door the inside had two shelves and two big drawers at the bottom and several rows of small shelves on the inside of the door. It wasn’t a big refrigerator, but it was shiny and clean. Johnny put his cup in the middle of the top shelf and closed the door. Soon the water would be good and cold to drink, but for now he needed to wash up, brush his teeth, and get some sleep. Tomorrow morning, he had to start his new job at the grocery store. He double checked the locks on the door, turned around and looked at the room again. He felt a strong sense of accomplishment. In the past few days, Johnny had made some new friends, found a job, and moved into his new home. It had been a long time since things had been good for the young man, but now he had a renewed hope for the future.
Looking over his shoulder to see if anyone was watching, he giggled at himself. He knew he was being silly. It was just an apartment. Lots of people lived in apartments. He shook his head at his silliness and bent to grab his things, moving them inside the door. Then he stood tall, took a deep breath and stepped into the room. No matter how inane someone else might think he was being, Johnny just couldn’t help himself. A crooked grin spread across his face, he threw his head back and spoke loudly to the empty room, “hello, I’m home!” Then he stepped further inside, turned, peeked out the door to be sure no one had come out of their apartments at the noise, and softly closed the door.
It wasn’t until the door was completely shut and the deadbolt and chain slid into place that Johnny reached over and flipped on the switch that turned on the lights. He looked over at the sheer curtains and decided the first thing he would do is put up something that would keep others from seeing inside. There was an extra curtain rod that must have once had a curtain on it. He knew his aunt had used two curtains like that. One that was kind of see through for when you wanted sunlight, but privacy and the other for blocking out the sun or nosy neighbors. He could use his blanket, but he needed that to keep warm until he could get a proper bed. He reached up to the wall switch and turned it back off.
Then he picked up his bed roll and made his way down the short hall to the bedroom. It was dark. The curtain in that room was heavy and blocked any light from outside from coming in. He felt around on the wall for the light switch he knew would be there. Light filled the room from the fixture in the center of the ceiling and the fan attached began to slowly turn. It made a soft whirring noise. Two chains hung from the center that he knew would operate the fan or turn out the light if he wanted the fan to keep spinning. He dropped his bedroll in the center of the room and tugged at the chains, experimenting with them to see what setting he wanted. Then he just stood under the fan and let it blow down on his face making his hair move from the wind. Giggling again he reached up and pulled the cord to turn it to a slower setting. The last thing he needed was to get sick from too much air blowing down on him while he slept.
He unrolled his sleeping bag and spread it in the center of the floor under the fan. Then he spread the blanket on top and placed the pillow at the end that was open for him to slip inside if it got too cold. Stepping back and admiring his handiwork, Johnny then turned and went back into the main room to get his clothes. He would put them on the shelf in the closet if there were no hangers. Luckily when he opened the closet door there were several wire hangers like the cleaners used. He hung his best shirt and slacks on them and folded the other few things stacking them on the shelf. He put his good shoes and the camping lantern on the floor and kicked off his sneakers, arranging them beside the others. Next, he put his towel and wash rag in the small bathroom in the hall and slid his toothbrush into the ceramic holder that hung from the wall. He carefully removed the paper towels from the bar of soap he had been using to clean up and placed it on the soap dish in the shower. He would have to get a shower curtain, but until then he could take a bath. He then placed his shaving things, toothpaste, and comb in the drawer beneath the sink, stepped back and smiled at his reflection in the medicine cabinet over the sink. Reaching up he pulled open the front and placed his bottle of aspirin on the glass shelf inside and snapped the door back shut.
The last things to put away were the few things he had to cook with. He’d used them over camp fires, but they were all he had, so he stored them in the kitchen cabinet, rinsed the one cup he had and filled it with water. Moving in had made him thirsty. He drank a full cup, filled it again and moved to put it in the refrigerator. When he opened the refrigerator door the inside had two shelves and two big drawers at the bottom and several rows of small shelves on the inside of the door. It wasn’t a big refrigerator, but it was shiny and clean. Johnny put his cup in the middle of the top shelf and closed the door. Soon the water would be good and cold to drink, but for now he needed to wash up, brush his teeth, and get some sleep. Tomorrow morning, he had to start his new job at the grocery store. He double checked the locks on the door, turned around and looked at the room again. He felt a strong sense of accomplishment. In the past few days, Johnny had made some new friends, found a job, and moved into his new home. It had been a long time since things had been good for the young man, but now he had a renewed hope for the future.