Chapter Thirty One
Back on shift the station tones rang out before Captain Jones could even finish roll call.
Men scrambled for the various rigs as information broadcast over the loud speaker. Engineers stopped at the large map on the wall pinpointing their destination. Linemen slipped into their turnout coats and secured their helmets as they climbed into their seats and the vehicles spilled into the morning traffic.
Ahead of them stretched a long day of calls, but right now their minds tried to grasp the long list of companies called to the college dormitory. Calls like this were hard to face. The residents were just kids about the same age as Johnny. He shuddered to think how afraid they might be as the flames took away all their prized possessions or trapped them with mounting fears of no escape.
Johnny felt the adrenalin surging through his veins as he reached up and double checked the tightness of the chinstrap on his helmet. Glancing over at Bill he noticed the other lineman had a deep furrow in his brow; concern etched on his face. Bill too checked his gear and secured his SCBA straps preparing for the call.
Arriving at the scene Scotty pulled the engine alongside the hydrant. Johnny and Bill stepped of the rig to lay dual lines. They made quick work of connecting the hose as Scotty maneuvered the engine to a spot directly in front of the blazing structure. Bill jogged over to the engine to pull his line as Scotty stepped up to the side of the rig and motioned for Johnny to let open the flow of water. Engine two set up from the hydrant on the next block. The ladder truck set up to cover the roof attack. Captain Jones directed the other stations as they arrived on scene.
Students huddled together across the street watching as their dormitory went up in smoke before their eyes.
Captain Jones walked over to a group of students still in their night clothes and slippers. "Where is the Dorm Advisor? Does anyone know if everyone got out?"
What he got in return was bewildered looks from frightened college kids, until a frantic older man ran from the front of the building. "I need some help in here!"
Captain Jones met the man half way across the front yard of the four story building. "How many people are still in there?"
The man was bent over coughing harshly, one hand bracing himself on his knee as he hunched over with his other arm wrapped around his middle. Barely able to speak between the racking coughs, he looked at the fireman, "Three. I can't find them. I tried to get up to their rooms, but the stairs are blocked by the fire. There isn't an elevator. We have to get to them!"
"You need to calm down. These kids do not need to see us lose our heads here. Now you said they were upstairs. Which floor?"
The man nodded his understanding and turned to face the deteriorating structure. "Two on the third; one on four. Please, we need to help them."
"We will, but you have to stay out here and help keep the others together and calm. I don't have time to watch them and keep them from trying to go back in after their friends. I need you to do that. Okay?" Captain Jones gave the man instructions. He hoped by doing so that he would gain two things; first, to occupy the man and second, to maintain crowd control. Then he turned to his rescue men. "Tony, I need you and Joe on the fourth floor. We have one missing up there." He looked back at the building and knew the men would not have time to cover both floors before they would need to be called out. Scanning the situation quickly he saw the men from the other squads helping some of the kids over to the ambulances that had already arrived on scene. He guessed that some had minor burns and smoke inhalation. He decided to send in two other men to start checking the third floor while Tony and Joe headed up to the hottest part of the fire. His eyes landed on Bill and Johnny. "Gage!" He continued his scan and decided on Gotchalk, "Gotchalk!" he waved both men over. "I need the two of you to go up to the third floor and start the search for two missing kids while Tony and Joe go up to four for one more. Keep your HT handy. This thing is going up fast. It's an old building. Make it fast."
The four men nodded their understanding and turned toward the entrance.
Gotchalk grabbed Johnny by the shoulder, "I'm on lead Boot."
Johnny gave a short nod and the two men disappeared into the smoke filled lobby on the heels of their shift mates.
A group of policemen arrived and started assisting in getting the names of all the surviving students. Vince Howard was the officer in charge, "Burke, I need you to get the names of that group, and Stewart, you take the others over there. Captain Jones, what else do you need from us?"
"That's it for now Vince, but I'll call ya if anything comes up." Now knowing for sure the crowd would be taken care of Captain Jones made his way over to Engine One to check in with Scotty.
Inside the burning structure the four men made a quick ascent up the first flight of stairs taking them two at a time. Once they reached the second floor they immediately felt an increase in the heat. A fireman could tell the intensity of the fire as they approached its fury. Sweat began seeping into their turnout coats and sliding down their backs. The smoke filled the rooms started as a thick cloud that hovered near the ceiling creating a strange haze the men hunkered low to try to avoid. The crackle of the burning flesh of the walls mixed with the constant hiss of the life giving canned air they breathed. Pieces of the structure's framework fell beside the men as they continued climbing into the throws of purgatory. Were it not for their protective gear the ash and cinders would have left burning welts on their overheated skin.
As they climbed another flight of stairs Johnny's mind conjured up the idea that this experience would be similar to that of pigs in a blanket while baking in a preheated oven. His turnouts like the biscuits wrapped around the hot dog hugging tighter as the heat intensified. The sweat beaded on his arms like the juice that escaped the hot dog's outer skin. He shook himself and forced his thoughts back to the next flight of stairs. One more and he and Dale would fan off and begin their search.
Officer Drew Burke had finished listing the names of the group of students Vince had assigned him to and now had them moved to a shady spot beneath a large oak tree in the park at the corner. He walked back over to check in for his next assignment. "Officer Howard, I've moved my group over to the park. There are volunteers providing them with water and blankets. What do you need me to do next?"
Vince glanced over to his other officers and saw that they had everything under control. "Why don't you direct traffic away from the area? I suspect parents will start arriving soon. You take that intersection. Route all parents and family members to park in the student parking one block down. I'll have Stewart take the other side."
"Yes sir." Drew ran back over to his squad car and pulled out an orange reflective vest for himself and Stewart his partner. He jogged over to Stewart and gave him the vest before turning to the intersection he'd been assigned. As he jogged he pulled the vest on and just before stepping into the street he fastened it. As he stepped into the intersection with his hands raised to halt traffic tires squealed from braking vehicles. Drew's head shot up at the sound and he side stepped a bit as a motorist distracted by the fire nearly ran him over. As Drew's eyes locked with the shocked driver's the man held his hands in the air in apology. Drew waved the man through the intersection and began the arduous task of speaking with each motorist to enquire their intentions. He pointed several worried family members to the designated parking area.
The California sun beat down on the police and firemen as they worked in tandem to control the situation at hand.
Inside the first floor of the dorms several teams of linemen from several different stations maintained a stronghold against the encroaching flames. Hoses crisscrossed the stairs leading up to the upper floors where other teams had gone up to clear a safe exit for the rescue teams and the students they'd gone up to find. Chet Kelly and Marco Lopez passed their hose from side to side and traced a circular motion from time to time to extend the far reaching spray of water onto the surrounding walls. Jim and Cody Graves were mimicking the spray patters a few steps up the next flight to the fourth floor.
Tony and Joe had gone as far down the corridor as they dared. The far end of the hall bore evidence of pending collapse. One more dorm room was assessable to them; they silently prayed the victim would be in that room. If not they would be forced to retreat to the floor below to assist Johnny and Dale in searching for the other two students. Tony tapped Joe on the shoulder and pointed down the hall to the exit and then to the last door. Joe nodded his understanding. This was their last hope of finding the kid they had been told was up here.
Joe slipped off his glove and checked the door for heat. Finding no more than expected in the hot furnace the dorm building had become he slipped his glove back on and kicked the door open. Tony moved quickly into the room and across to the bed. Immediately they saw a form beneath the covers. Tony ripped off his glove and felt for a pulse. The kid was barely breathing and his pulse too slow. Tony pulled his helmet off and swiftly removed his facemask placing it over the boy's face. Then he replaced his helmet and scooped up the lifeless body throwing it over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.
The two men headed for the stairs where they knew instinctively the linemen would be waiting offering protection for them. Tony stumbled on a fallen timber and Joe immediately offered a stabilizing hand as they moved through the door into the stair well. As suspected they were greeted with Jim and Cody's relieved smiles.
Cody and Jim followed them down to the next level where they began to support Chet and Marco on keeping a path for Johnny and Dale. Their presence gave Chet and Marco the ability to move further down the hall fighting back the flames the threatened from the ceiling above. Johnny stepped out of the room at the end of the hall with a petite girl cradled in his arms. His face mask fastened tightly over her face. Dale followed behind him with her roommate; his mask over her face. Both men were already coughing. Their faces drenched with sweat and soot steaks from the involuntary tears that spilled from their eyes. Chet shut off the nozzle, and he and Marco laid down their hose to assist the two men and their precious cargo down and out of the building. Cody and Jim keeping the way clear for all of them. As they reached the first floor their HTs sprang to life with the call to clear the building. When they stepped out into the sunshine and felt the cooling spray from the hoses directed at the exit they could hear the tell tale sound of a building giving in to the beast. They quickened their pace to safety as the force of the rush of air from the collapsing structure pushed them to the ground.
Johnny threw out his hand to try to prevent himself from crashing down on the girl in his arms. He rolled to the side and cradled her closely protecting her from debris. Before he had time to react any further he felt hands on his arms lifting him up and supporting him across the lawn to the yellow blankets spread out by the Rescue Squads.
He felt the burden lifted from his arms as he sunk to his knees. His SCBA replaced on his face to help his breathing. He instinctively put his hand up and held it in place welcoming the clean air. He looked through gritty eyes to thank whoever it was that had helped him, but all he saw was the other lineman jogging back to the job; the name "Kelly" stenciled on the back of his turnout coat.
The next thing he knew a cup of water had been forced into his hand, and he looked up at the smiling face of Cody Graves. "Drink up Gage! You know Cap will be pissed if you end up at Rampart again."
Johnny rolled his eyes and lowered his mask. "Thanks." He choked out and raised the cup to his mouth. Took a few sips and then tried again. "Man that's good."
Cody took the cup, "I'll be right back with some more."
Johnny nodded and turned to see how the girls and Gotchalk were doing. Dale smiled back at him and raised his cup of water in salute. Jim stood up and grabbed his now empty cup to fetch him some more. His eyes traveled over to the two students as they were being loaded into the waiting ambulance. "Are they going to be all right?" He asked Tony.
"Yeah, I think so. They both have some pretty severe smoke inhalation, but Rampart will take care of that. I'll see you guys back at the station. I'm going to ride in with them and make sure they get there okay." With that he climbed into the ambulance and Joe shut the doors giving them a double tap to signify the all clear to the driver.
Then Joe turned to Johnny and Dale. "You guys okay?"
"Yeah." Dale answered for the both of them. "We just got a little hot and breathed a little smoke." He supported the last statement with a cough and then a chuckle. "It was a good rescue, but now I remember why I never wanted to do rescue."
Johnny felt a bit differently about the feelings running through him. He felt… accomplished… Like he'd ran a marathon and come in first place; like he'd just received a certificate of honor for a well received story in his high school newspaper. He was thrilled with the thoughts that he had given the girl a chance at life. The feeling was exhilarating.
The fire was now out and the cleanup had begun. Station 10 having been first on the scene was released from the cleanup task. Traffic had been successfully re-routed and roadblocks set up. All that was left for the police was to watch and make sure no one tried to move the barricades from across the road. Drew saw Johnny sitting on the running board of the engine and walked over to say hello.
Johnny walked over to the engine and sunk down on the running board to wait for Scotty, Bill and Captain Jones to join him before climbing up into his seat. He leaned back and closed his eyes. The heat had taken a lot out of him. A smile crossed his face as he thought about the pigs in a blanket.
"What's got you so all fired happy?" Drew asked as he leaned against the fire engine with his arms crossed.
Johnny opened his eyes and looked up at the officer. "Drew! What are you doing here?"
"Well I've been risking my neck out here directing these crazy drivers away from the scene. I nearly got ploughed down myself. Twice! I tell ya the job of a police officer is way more dangerous than yours." Drew looked smugly at Johnny.
"What? You've got to be kidding me! I just walked through the fire to bring out a pretty young college girl and you think a couple of over anxious drivers is more dangerous than that?" He rose up to his full 6'1" height and looked squarely in Drew's eyes. "There is no way you can top that Mr. Policeman!"
"Oh sure I can hose jockey… try that hold up we were called out to before we came over here. Shots were fired and everything. We were lucky the perp was a terrible shot." Drew smiled.
"Well at least you can see your perp. Have you ever seen a living breathing fire seep back into the cracks on the wall only to leap out at you again from somewhere else? Or run your ass off trying to escape a backdraft?" Johnny smiled too.
Scotty started laughing at the two young men bantering over whose job was the most dangerous. "Ah I see you two have begun the never ending debate of which job is the most dangerous… that of a policeman or that of a fireman. Boys let me tell you… neither of you will ever top the other and the contest changes all the time. It's a no win situation. You may as well give up now." He clasped them both by the shoulder and laughed again. "Come on Boot, time to go."
"Well we may not settle this argument, but I'm still gonna show you who is better at the lanes." Drew reached out a hand of truce.
Johnny shook Drew's hand. He liked this guy. "Sure you will… after I beat your pants off."
"You better get ready to buy those steaks." Drew called back as he walked back to his post.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah… you wish." Johnny called out as he climbed up to his jump seat.
Captain Jones and Bill joined Scotty in laughing at the two friends and their friendly banter. Johnny looked at his crew mates and started laughing with them. Captain Jones leaned back in his seat happy to see the change in his Boot. Johnny had grown from a timid recruit to an accomplished lineman and hopefully soon to be his newest addition to the Rescue Squad.
Back on shift the station tones rang out before Captain Jones could even finish roll call.
Men scrambled for the various rigs as information broadcast over the loud speaker. Engineers stopped at the large map on the wall pinpointing their destination. Linemen slipped into their turnout coats and secured their helmets as they climbed into their seats and the vehicles spilled into the morning traffic.
Ahead of them stretched a long day of calls, but right now their minds tried to grasp the long list of companies called to the college dormitory. Calls like this were hard to face. The residents were just kids about the same age as Johnny. He shuddered to think how afraid they might be as the flames took away all their prized possessions or trapped them with mounting fears of no escape.
Johnny felt the adrenalin surging through his veins as he reached up and double checked the tightness of the chinstrap on his helmet. Glancing over at Bill he noticed the other lineman had a deep furrow in his brow; concern etched on his face. Bill too checked his gear and secured his SCBA straps preparing for the call.
Arriving at the scene Scotty pulled the engine alongside the hydrant. Johnny and Bill stepped of the rig to lay dual lines. They made quick work of connecting the hose as Scotty maneuvered the engine to a spot directly in front of the blazing structure. Bill jogged over to the engine to pull his line as Scotty stepped up to the side of the rig and motioned for Johnny to let open the flow of water. Engine two set up from the hydrant on the next block. The ladder truck set up to cover the roof attack. Captain Jones directed the other stations as they arrived on scene.
Students huddled together across the street watching as their dormitory went up in smoke before their eyes.
Captain Jones walked over to a group of students still in their night clothes and slippers. "Where is the Dorm Advisor? Does anyone know if everyone got out?"
What he got in return was bewildered looks from frightened college kids, until a frantic older man ran from the front of the building. "I need some help in here!"
Captain Jones met the man half way across the front yard of the four story building. "How many people are still in there?"
The man was bent over coughing harshly, one hand bracing himself on his knee as he hunched over with his other arm wrapped around his middle. Barely able to speak between the racking coughs, he looked at the fireman, "Three. I can't find them. I tried to get up to their rooms, but the stairs are blocked by the fire. There isn't an elevator. We have to get to them!"
"You need to calm down. These kids do not need to see us lose our heads here. Now you said they were upstairs. Which floor?"
The man nodded his understanding and turned to face the deteriorating structure. "Two on the third; one on four. Please, we need to help them."
"We will, but you have to stay out here and help keep the others together and calm. I don't have time to watch them and keep them from trying to go back in after their friends. I need you to do that. Okay?" Captain Jones gave the man instructions. He hoped by doing so that he would gain two things; first, to occupy the man and second, to maintain crowd control. Then he turned to his rescue men. "Tony, I need you and Joe on the fourth floor. We have one missing up there." He looked back at the building and knew the men would not have time to cover both floors before they would need to be called out. Scanning the situation quickly he saw the men from the other squads helping some of the kids over to the ambulances that had already arrived on scene. He guessed that some had minor burns and smoke inhalation. He decided to send in two other men to start checking the third floor while Tony and Joe headed up to the hottest part of the fire. His eyes landed on Bill and Johnny. "Gage!" He continued his scan and decided on Gotchalk, "Gotchalk!" he waved both men over. "I need the two of you to go up to the third floor and start the search for two missing kids while Tony and Joe go up to four for one more. Keep your HT handy. This thing is going up fast. It's an old building. Make it fast."
The four men nodded their understanding and turned toward the entrance.
Gotchalk grabbed Johnny by the shoulder, "I'm on lead Boot."
Johnny gave a short nod and the two men disappeared into the smoke filled lobby on the heels of their shift mates.
A group of policemen arrived and started assisting in getting the names of all the surviving students. Vince Howard was the officer in charge, "Burke, I need you to get the names of that group, and Stewart, you take the others over there. Captain Jones, what else do you need from us?"
"That's it for now Vince, but I'll call ya if anything comes up." Now knowing for sure the crowd would be taken care of Captain Jones made his way over to Engine One to check in with Scotty.
Inside the burning structure the four men made a quick ascent up the first flight of stairs taking them two at a time. Once they reached the second floor they immediately felt an increase in the heat. A fireman could tell the intensity of the fire as they approached its fury. Sweat began seeping into their turnout coats and sliding down their backs. The smoke filled the rooms started as a thick cloud that hovered near the ceiling creating a strange haze the men hunkered low to try to avoid. The crackle of the burning flesh of the walls mixed with the constant hiss of the life giving canned air they breathed. Pieces of the structure's framework fell beside the men as they continued climbing into the throws of purgatory. Were it not for their protective gear the ash and cinders would have left burning welts on their overheated skin.
As they climbed another flight of stairs Johnny's mind conjured up the idea that this experience would be similar to that of pigs in a blanket while baking in a preheated oven. His turnouts like the biscuits wrapped around the hot dog hugging tighter as the heat intensified. The sweat beaded on his arms like the juice that escaped the hot dog's outer skin. He shook himself and forced his thoughts back to the next flight of stairs. One more and he and Dale would fan off and begin their search.
Officer Drew Burke had finished listing the names of the group of students Vince had assigned him to and now had them moved to a shady spot beneath a large oak tree in the park at the corner. He walked back over to check in for his next assignment. "Officer Howard, I've moved my group over to the park. There are volunteers providing them with water and blankets. What do you need me to do next?"
Vince glanced over to his other officers and saw that they had everything under control. "Why don't you direct traffic away from the area? I suspect parents will start arriving soon. You take that intersection. Route all parents and family members to park in the student parking one block down. I'll have Stewart take the other side."
"Yes sir." Drew ran back over to his squad car and pulled out an orange reflective vest for himself and Stewart his partner. He jogged over to Stewart and gave him the vest before turning to the intersection he'd been assigned. As he jogged he pulled the vest on and just before stepping into the street he fastened it. As he stepped into the intersection with his hands raised to halt traffic tires squealed from braking vehicles. Drew's head shot up at the sound and he side stepped a bit as a motorist distracted by the fire nearly ran him over. As Drew's eyes locked with the shocked driver's the man held his hands in the air in apology. Drew waved the man through the intersection and began the arduous task of speaking with each motorist to enquire their intentions. He pointed several worried family members to the designated parking area.
The California sun beat down on the police and firemen as they worked in tandem to control the situation at hand.
Inside the first floor of the dorms several teams of linemen from several different stations maintained a stronghold against the encroaching flames. Hoses crisscrossed the stairs leading up to the upper floors where other teams had gone up to clear a safe exit for the rescue teams and the students they'd gone up to find. Chet Kelly and Marco Lopez passed their hose from side to side and traced a circular motion from time to time to extend the far reaching spray of water onto the surrounding walls. Jim and Cody Graves were mimicking the spray patters a few steps up the next flight to the fourth floor.
Tony and Joe had gone as far down the corridor as they dared. The far end of the hall bore evidence of pending collapse. One more dorm room was assessable to them; they silently prayed the victim would be in that room. If not they would be forced to retreat to the floor below to assist Johnny and Dale in searching for the other two students. Tony tapped Joe on the shoulder and pointed down the hall to the exit and then to the last door. Joe nodded his understanding. This was their last hope of finding the kid they had been told was up here.
Joe slipped off his glove and checked the door for heat. Finding no more than expected in the hot furnace the dorm building had become he slipped his glove back on and kicked the door open. Tony moved quickly into the room and across to the bed. Immediately they saw a form beneath the covers. Tony ripped off his glove and felt for a pulse. The kid was barely breathing and his pulse too slow. Tony pulled his helmet off and swiftly removed his facemask placing it over the boy's face. Then he replaced his helmet and scooped up the lifeless body throwing it over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.
The two men headed for the stairs where they knew instinctively the linemen would be waiting offering protection for them. Tony stumbled on a fallen timber and Joe immediately offered a stabilizing hand as they moved through the door into the stair well. As suspected they were greeted with Jim and Cody's relieved smiles.
Cody and Jim followed them down to the next level where they began to support Chet and Marco on keeping a path for Johnny and Dale. Their presence gave Chet and Marco the ability to move further down the hall fighting back the flames the threatened from the ceiling above. Johnny stepped out of the room at the end of the hall with a petite girl cradled in his arms. His face mask fastened tightly over her face. Dale followed behind him with her roommate; his mask over her face. Both men were already coughing. Their faces drenched with sweat and soot steaks from the involuntary tears that spilled from their eyes. Chet shut off the nozzle, and he and Marco laid down their hose to assist the two men and their precious cargo down and out of the building. Cody and Jim keeping the way clear for all of them. As they reached the first floor their HTs sprang to life with the call to clear the building. When they stepped out into the sunshine and felt the cooling spray from the hoses directed at the exit they could hear the tell tale sound of a building giving in to the beast. They quickened their pace to safety as the force of the rush of air from the collapsing structure pushed them to the ground.
Johnny threw out his hand to try to prevent himself from crashing down on the girl in his arms. He rolled to the side and cradled her closely protecting her from debris. Before he had time to react any further he felt hands on his arms lifting him up and supporting him across the lawn to the yellow blankets spread out by the Rescue Squads.
He felt the burden lifted from his arms as he sunk to his knees. His SCBA replaced on his face to help his breathing. He instinctively put his hand up and held it in place welcoming the clean air. He looked through gritty eyes to thank whoever it was that had helped him, but all he saw was the other lineman jogging back to the job; the name "Kelly" stenciled on the back of his turnout coat.
The next thing he knew a cup of water had been forced into his hand, and he looked up at the smiling face of Cody Graves. "Drink up Gage! You know Cap will be pissed if you end up at Rampart again."
Johnny rolled his eyes and lowered his mask. "Thanks." He choked out and raised the cup to his mouth. Took a few sips and then tried again. "Man that's good."
Cody took the cup, "I'll be right back with some more."
Johnny nodded and turned to see how the girls and Gotchalk were doing. Dale smiled back at him and raised his cup of water in salute. Jim stood up and grabbed his now empty cup to fetch him some more. His eyes traveled over to the two students as they were being loaded into the waiting ambulance. "Are they going to be all right?" He asked Tony.
"Yeah, I think so. They both have some pretty severe smoke inhalation, but Rampart will take care of that. I'll see you guys back at the station. I'm going to ride in with them and make sure they get there okay." With that he climbed into the ambulance and Joe shut the doors giving them a double tap to signify the all clear to the driver.
Then Joe turned to Johnny and Dale. "You guys okay?"
"Yeah." Dale answered for the both of them. "We just got a little hot and breathed a little smoke." He supported the last statement with a cough and then a chuckle. "It was a good rescue, but now I remember why I never wanted to do rescue."
Johnny felt a bit differently about the feelings running through him. He felt… accomplished… Like he'd ran a marathon and come in first place; like he'd just received a certificate of honor for a well received story in his high school newspaper. He was thrilled with the thoughts that he had given the girl a chance at life. The feeling was exhilarating.
The fire was now out and the cleanup had begun. Station 10 having been first on the scene was released from the cleanup task. Traffic had been successfully re-routed and roadblocks set up. All that was left for the police was to watch and make sure no one tried to move the barricades from across the road. Drew saw Johnny sitting on the running board of the engine and walked over to say hello.
Johnny walked over to the engine and sunk down on the running board to wait for Scotty, Bill and Captain Jones to join him before climbing up into his seat. He leaned back and closed his eyes. The heat had taken a lot out of him. A smile crossed his face as he thought about the pigs in a blanket.
"What's got you so all fired happy?" Drew asked as he leaned against the fire engine with his arms crossed.
Johnny opened his eyes and looked up at the officer. "Drew! What are you doing here?"
"Well I've been risking my neck out here directing these crazy drivers away from the scene. I nearly got ploughed down myself. Twice! I tell ya the job of a police officer is way more dangerous than yours." Drew looked smugly at Johnny.
"What? You've got to be kidding me! I just walked through the fire to bring out a pretty young college girl and you think a couple of over anxious drivers is more dangerous than that?" He rose up to his full 6'1" height and looked squarely in Drew's eyes. "There is no way you can top that Mr. Policeman!"
"Oh sure I can hose jockey… try that hold up we were called out to before we came over here. Shots were fired and everything. We were lucky the perp was a terrible shot." Drew smiled.
"Well at least you can see your perp. Have you ever seen a living breathing fire seep back into the cracks on the wall only to leap out at you again from somewhere else? Or run your ass off trying to escape a backdraft?" Johnny smiled too.
Scotty started laughing at the two young men bantering over whose job was the most dangerous. "Ah I see you two have begun the never ending debate of which job is the most dangerous… that of a policeman or that of a fireman. Boys let me tell you… neither of you will ever top the other and the contest changes all the time. It's a no win situation. You may as well give up now." He clasped them both by the shoulder and laughed again. "Come on Boot, time to go."
"Well we may not settle this argument, but I'm still gonna show you who is better at the lanes." Drew reached out a hand of truce.
Johnny shook Drew's hand. He liked this guy. "Sure you will… after I beat your pants off."
"You better get ready to buy those steaks." Drew called back as he walked back to his post.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah… you wish." Johnny called out as he climbed up to his jump seat.
Captain Jones and Bill joined Scotty in laughing at the two friends and their friendly banter. Johnny looked at his crew mates and started laughing with them. Captain Jones leaned back in his seat happy to see the change in his Boot. Johnny had grown from a timid recruit to an accomplished lineman and hopefully soon to be his newest addition to the Rescue Squad.
Chapter Thirty Two
The vehicles lined up in front of Station 10 to back into the bay. Johnny and Bill jumped down from their jump seats to direct traffic while the rigs moved into position. Johnny still found himself mesmerized by the magnificence of the bright red parade as each vehicle swung out and reversed into the building. Pride welled up inside and he stood a little taller knowing the passengers in the cars he'd stopped could see that he belonged to this band of brave men.
'I don't know what Drew thought was so tough about stopping a few cars. This is a cinch.' He smiled to himself as he thought about his new friend's comments earlier. Then he followed the Squad as it trailed the other vehicles into the bay. The cars barely waited long enough for his feet to cross the curb before starting back down the road. 'Well maybe those drivers do get in a bit of a hurry.' He turned and looked back at traffic as cars rushed back to their busy lives. He shucked out of his turnout coat and tossed it into his seat when he walked by the engine; then he yawned and realized that even though it was just past noon he was already tired. His stomach growled reminding him of the lunch hour as he wandered toward the kitchen.
"Okay men," Captain Jones called to his crew. "It's past lunch, and since we didn't get assignments done this morning before the call out, we need to do that now." Captain Jones proceeded to dole out the chore assignments ending with cooking duties.
Johnny found himself on the team assigned to hang hose. The lunch crew said it would take at least thirty minutes to pull together the supplies for sandwiches, so he decided to start pulling the hoses they had used at the morning fire to be cleaned and hung with the ones already waiting. When he rounded the back of the engine he found that the others on his assignment had the same idea. Together the men made quick work of gathering all the hose and hauling them out back to the tower.
His throat still felt scratchy and he still had the occasional coughing spell, which led Cody to suggest that Johnny take a breather. They had reached the hottest part of the day and Johnny looked a little pale to his friend. "Hey Johnny, you sound a little rough there. Maybe you should take a break."
Squinting down at Cody from the top of the hose tower Johnny stifled a cough and waved him off. "Nah, I'm good. Just caught a little smoke back there; besides lunch will be ready in a few minutes. I want to finish this before they call us in."
True to things at a fire station, as soon as they finished hanging the hose and were called to lunch the tones rang out calling the station to an MVA. As he climbed into his jump seat Johnny's stomach growled loudly. "Wow Gage" Bill teased. "You better feed that thing first chance ya get." The men all shared a laugh as they pulled out of the station.
The Rescue Squad arrived first on the scene. Tony and Joe made quick work of checking the less damaged vehicles for survivors and moved on to the most damaged car. Tony raised the HT to his mouth to report back to Captain Jones. After reporting what appeared to be minor injuries in the other cars, requesting at least three ambulances unless someone refused transport and the jaws to extract the people in the car he and Joe were working on now, Tony also requested Johnny's assistance.
"Gage…" Captain Jones called.
Johnny shut off the nozzle to the hose he'd been using to wash down gasoline. "Yes sir?"
"Assist with extraction." Cap pointed to the car Tony and Joe were busy trying to gain access to. The roof appeared crushed as if it had rolled.
"Yes sir." Johnny passed his hose to another lineman and jogged over to the car. He got there at the same time as Jeff Swanson with the Jaws. "What've ya got?"
"Two women…they're pinned in pretty good; they're alive, but who knows if they will make it to Rampart. We need to get this roof off 'em." Tony explained.
Johnny reached for the jaws without hesitation. Together he and Jeff made quick work of removing the mangled roof and then assisted with lifting the women out of the wreckage and onto the waiting stretchers. "Can't we do anything for them?" Johnny asked. "My grandfather taught me how to make a splint."
"We're not authorized to do anything." Tony looked at Johnny with sad eyes. "Even if we know some simple things that would help them, we're not allowed." He reached out and gripped Johnny's shoulder. "But the quicker we get them out and to the hospital the more chance they have to survive. That's the best we have to offer them."
"There has to be something more." Johnny watched as the ambulance attendants wheeled the stretchers to the ambulances. "Some way…I mean we're right here." His shoulders sagged.
"We are here, and we've got them out. We are getting them the help they need. That's what we do in Rescue Johnny. We get the victims to safety. Then we turn them over to the hospital. That's the way this works. It's better than it used to be before the department had Rescue Squads. At least now we can concentrate on the rescue while you guys fight the fires." Tony did his best to help Johnny understand the importance of the Rescue Squad.
"Yeah…I guess." Johnny ran his hand through his hair, turned and walked back to the engine to see what else Cap needed him to do.
Jeff picked up the Jaws. "He's good at this. You should encourage him to take Joe's place."
"I don't know Jeff. He wants to do more. I don't know if I could stop him from doing things we aren't allowed to do." Tony scratched the back of his neck.
"One thing I can tell you about Johnny is that he will follow orders." The two men exchanged looks and started laughing. They both remembered Johnny going into that burning house to find the missing boy after Cap had ordered everyone out. "Well for the most part. He really wants to help people though." Jeff shrugged the heavy Jaws to a better position and carried it back to put it away. Tony headed to the Squad. He had to meet Joe at Rampart.
By the time Johnny reached his Captain they had already rolled the hose and were waiting on the tow trucks. "Need me to do anything else Cap?" Johnny asked despondently.
"We're just waiting on the tow trucks. Why don't you take a break? You look beat." Captain Jones couldn't help but notice the weary expression on Johnny's face and the drained tone in his voice. "How were those women?" He asked thinking by the way he was acting maybe they hadn't made it out of the car alive.
"They're hurt real bad. We did all we could to get them out quickly." Johnny ran his hand through his hair. "I wish…" He looked at Cap with sad eyes, but didn't finish his statement.
"You did a good job John."
"Yeah…thanks Cap."
"Hey Boot, you look like you could use some water." Scotty slung his arm over Johnny's shoulder and led him over to sit in the shade of the engine. Captain Jones returned his attention to the arriving tow trucks. They would stick around until the last car was loaded and all the glass and debris removed from the scene in case they needed to wash it down again. Then they would head back to the lunch they had left waiting on the table back at the station.
The rest of their day progressed in much the same busy way.
Finally, just after midnight the exhausted men fell into their bunks hoping they wouldn't get called out again, and that their shift would end quietly.
Around five AM Johnny woke up with a headache. That happened to him often after even mild smoke inhalation. Not wanting to wake anyone up before morning tones, he tried to lie quietly in his bunk, but the pounding in his head made the decision for him. He eased from beneath the covers and into his turnouts. Deciding that bare feet would be quieter than the heavy boots he picked them up and carried them as he padded toward the stairs and down to the bay below. When he reached the bay he could hear voices in the kitchen: Captain Jones and Scotty. Not wanting to intrude on their conversation he tiptoed across the bay to the locker room to find the aspirin he had in his locker.
Johnny cupped his hand under one of the faucets in the locker room sinks, raised it to his mouth and drank back the two aspirin, and then he sat down on the bench with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He pinched the bridge of his nose, a habit he'd picked up long ago when he was younger and trying to overcome the sedatives the doctors kept giving him after his father died. Somehow that seemed to lessen the ache, or if he pinched it hard enough he thought of that pain instead of the pounding in his head. It made for a good distraction.
"Got another headache Boot?"
Johnny jumped when Scotty's voice startled him. "Yeah, I took some aspirin."
"I just made a fresh pot of coffee. Come on in the kitchen. It might help." Scotty reached out and tugged Johnny by the arm to help him up from the bench. Johnny allowed his friend to pull him to his feet and then followed him slowly across the bay with his boots in his hand. "Have a seat. I'll pour."
"Are you all right John?" Cap looked at him with concern etched on his face.
"Just a headache Cap." Johnny softly answered and resumed pinching the bridge of his nose.
Scotty slid the steaming cup of coffee in front of Johnny and took the next seat at the table with his own cup. "Drink it while it's hot."
Johnny lowered his hand to the table and wrapped it around the cup pulling it closer. "Thanks."
"I have some aspirin in my office if you need it." Cap offered as he slid his chair back from the table and started to rise.
"I took some. Thanks." Johnny sat very still and now had both hands wrapped around the warm mug. His head hung down with his chin resting on his chest, and his eyes were closed.
Scotty nudged his arm. "Try the coffee."
Johnny looked to his friend and gave him a small smile. "Okay Scotty." He picked up the cup and took a sip to check its heat. Finding the coffee to be warm but not too hot he took a bigger drink. "Mmmm that's good." He took another drink before putting the cup back down. "You guys are up early."
"Couldn't sleep." Was the only explanation Scotty gave.
Cap didn't respond. He sat the coffee pot back down after refilling his mug and headed toward the door. "I'll be in my office."
"Johnny, can I talk to you about something for a minute?"
Johnny looked up into Scotty's eyes to see if he was upset, but he only saw sincerity. "Sure, what's up?"
"Well Cap and I were just talking about Joe. He's put in his notice. They finally sold their house, and with his wife due to deliver any time, they're planning on moving by the first of the year. Cap checked and there doesn't seem to be anyone ready to join the ranks of Rescue right now. There are a few in training, but none the Cap really wants to add to his crew." Scotty slid his chair back and refilled his and Johnny's cups.
"What does that have to do with me?" Johnny asked. He actually thought he knew what Scotty was going to say.
"You've been doing a lot of assisting to Tony and Joe. Cap thinks you would make a great partner for Tony. He wanted me to see if you might be interested in training for Rescue. He said with your on the job experience and performance in rappelling and such at the academy he could probably get you certified pretty quickly without you actually having to complete the whole training regimen."
"I don't know Scotty. I became a fireman to fight fires. I like it. I like riding the engine."
"And you're really good at it Johnny. You've only been here for a short time, and there isn't a man on this shift that doesn't trust your instinct when it comes to reading a fire. You're a natural, but we've seen you running back into a building and out again carrying a boy that no one else could find. That kid would've burned alive if not for you. We've seen you shimmy into spaces no one else could even think about getting in, and watched you hang off a bridge holding on to that truck driver. You have the hunger inside to help people. You would be good at Rescue." Scotty gripped Johnny's shoulder. "Just think about it."
Johnny stared at Scotty while he spoke. First he was stunned when Scotty called him Johnny instead of Boot. That in itself spoke volumes to the seriousness of the conversation, and then the compliments that Scotty poured out to him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You really think I'm that good?"
"Yes I do, and so does Cap." Scotty smiled. "Listen Boot, if you want to we can go over to the training center today after shift and check things out."
"Um…I…I can't. I promised a friend to go bowling and dinner at his place. I don't know what to think. I haven't even finished my probation, and I'm already being asked to move on in the department." Johnny rubbed his temples. "I just don't know."
"You don't have to decide right now. Like I said, just think about it." Scotty patted him on the back just as the morning tones sounded. "Better get the last of that coffee before someone else does."
Johnny slid his chair back and emptied the pot into his cup. He grabbed his boots and slipped out of the kitchen before any of the other men knew he was there. He went out in the back lot and up the hose tower with his coffee to think. He left his boots on the ground by the ladder.
The vehicles lined up in front of Station 10 to back into the bay. Johnny and Bill jumped down from their jump seats to direct traffic while the rigs moved into position. Johnny still found himself mesmerized by the magnificence of the bright red parade as each vehicle swung out and reversed into the building. Pride welled up inside and he stood a little taller knowing the passengers in the cars he'd stopped could see that he belonged to this band of brave men.
'I don't know what Drew thought was so tough about stopping a few cars. This is a cinch.' He smiled to himself as he thought about his new friend's comments earlier. Then he followed the Squad as it trailed the other vehicles into the bay. The cars barely waited long enough for his feet to cross the curb before starting back down the road. 'Well maybe those drivers do get in a bit of a hurry.' He turned and looked back at traffic as cars rushed back to their busy lives. He shucked out of his turnout coat and tossed it into his seat when he walked by the engine; then he yawned and realized that even though it was just past noon he was already tired. His stomach growled reminding him of the lunch hour as he wandered toward the kitchen.
"Okay men," Captain Jones called to his crew. "It's past lunch, and since we didn't get assignments done this morning before the call out, we need to do that now." Captain Jones proceeded to dole out the chore assignments ending with cooking duties.
Johnny found himself on the team assigned to hang hose. The lunch crew said it would take at least thirty minutes to pull together the supplies for sandwiches, so he decided to start pulling the hoses they had used at the morning fire to be cleaned and hung with the ones already waiting. When he rounded the back of the engine he found that the others on his assignment had the same idea. Together the men made quick work of gathering all the hose and hauling them out back to the tower.
His throat still felt scratchy and he still had the occasional coughing spell, which led Cody to suggest that Johnny take a breather. They had reached the hottest part of the day and Johnny looked a little pale to his friend. "Hey Johnny, you sound a little rough there. Maybe you should take a break."
Squinting down at Cody from the top of the hose tower Johnny stifled a cough and waved him off. "Nah, I'm good. Just caught a little smoke back there; besides lunch will be ready in a few minutes. I want to finish this before they call us in."
True to things at a fire station, as soon as they finished hanging the hose and were called to lunch the tones rang out calling the station to an MVA. As he climbed into his jump seat Johnny's stomach growled loudly. "Wow Gage" Bill teased. "You better feed that thing first chance ya get." The men all shared a laugh as they pulled out of the station.
The Rescue Squad arrived first on the scene. Tony and Joe made quick work of checking the less damaged vehicles for survivors and moved on to the most damaged car. Tony raised the HT to his mouth to report back to Captain Jones. After reporting what appeared to be minor injuries in the other cars, requesting at least three ambulances unless someone refused transport and the jaws to extract the people in the car he and Joe were working on now, Tony also requested Johnny's assistance.
"Gage…" Captain Jones called.
Johnny shut off the nozzle to the hose he'd been using to wash down gasoline. "Yes sir?"
"Assist with extraction." Cap pointed to the car Tony and Joe were busy trying to gain access to. The roof appeared crushed as if it had rolled.
"Yes sir." Johnny passed his hose to another lineman and jogged over to the car. He got there at the same time as Jeff Swanson with the Jaws. "What've ya got?"
"Two women…they're pinned in pretty good; they're alive, but who knows if they will make it to Rampart. We need to get this roof off 'em." Tony explained.
Johnny reached for the jaws without hesitation. Together he and Jeff made quick work of removing the mangled roof and then assisted with lifting the women out of the wreckage and onto the waiting stretchers. "Can't we do anything for them?" Johnny asked. "My grandfather taught me how to make a splint."
"We're not authorized to do anything." Tony looked at Johnny with sad eyes. "Even if we know some simple things that would help them, we're not allowed." He reached out and gripped Johnny's shoulder. "But the quicker we get them out and to the hospital the more chance they have to survive. That's the best we have to offer them."
"There has to be something more." Johnny watched as the ambulance attendants wheeled the stretchers to the ambulances. "Some way…I mean we're right here." His shoulders sagged.
"We are here, and we've got them out. We are getting them the help they need. That's what we do in Rescue Johnny. We get the victims to safety. Then we turn them over to the hospital. That's the way this works. It's better than it used to be before the department had Rescue Squads. At least now we can concentrate on the rescue while you guys fight the fires." Tony did his best to help Johnny understand the importance of the Rescue Squad.
"Yeah…I guess." Johnny ran his hand through his hair, turned and walked back to the engine to see what else Cap needed him to do.
Jeff picked up the Jaws. "He's good at this. You should encourage him to take Joe's place."
"I don't know Jeff. He wants to do more. I don't know if I could stop him from doing things we aren't allowed to do." Tony scratched the back of his neck.
"One thing I can tell you about Johnny is that he will follow orders." The two men exchanged looks and started laughing. They both remembered Johnny going into that burning house to find the missing boy after Cap had ordered everyone out. "Well for the most part. He really wants to help people though." Jeff shrugged the heavy Jaws to a better position and carried it back to put it away. Tony headed to the Squad. He had to meet Joe at Rampart.
By the time Johnny reached his Captain they had already rolled the hose and were waiting on the tow trucks. "Need me to do anything else Cap?" Johnny asked despondently.
"We're just waiting on the tow trucks. Why don't you take a break? You look beat." Captain Jones couldn't help but notice the weary expression on Johnny's face and the drained tone in his voice. "How were those women?" He asked thinking by the way he was acting maybe they hadn't made it out of the car alive.
"They're hurt real bad. We did all we could to get them out quickly." Johnny ran his hand through his hair. "I wish…" He looked at Cap with sad eyes, but didn't finish his statement.
"You did a good job John."
"Yeah…thanks Cap."
"Hey Boot, you look like you could use some water." Scotty slung his arm over Johnny's shoulder and led him over to sit in the shade of the engine. Captain Jones returned his attention to the arriving tow trucks. They would stick around until the last car was loaded and all the glass and debris removed from the scene in case they needed to wash it down again. Then they would head back to the lunch they had left waiting on the table back at the station.
The rest of their day progressed in much the same busy way.
Finally, just after midnight the exhausted men fell into their bunks hoping they wouldn't get called out again, and that their shift would end quietly.
Around five AM Johnny woke up with a headache. That happened to him often after even mild smoke inhalation. Not wanting to wake anyone up before morning tones, he tried to lie quietly in his bunk, but the pounding in his head made the decision for him. He eased from beneath the covers and into his turnouts. Deciding that bare feet would be quieter than the heavy boots he picked them up and carried them as he padded toward the stairs and down to the bay below. When he reached the bay he could hear voices in the kitchen: Captain Jones and Scotty. Not wanting to intrude on their conversation he tiptoed across the bay to the locker room to find the aspirin he had in his locker.
Johnny cupped his hand under one of the faucets in the locker room sinks, raised it to his mouth and drank back the two aspirin, and then he sat down on the bench with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He pinched the bridge of his nose, a habit he'd picked up long ago when he was younger and trying to overcome the sedatives the doctors kept giving him after his father died. Somehow that seemed to lessen the ache, or if he pinched it hard enough he thought of that pain instead of the pounding in his head. It made for a good distraction.
"Got another headache Boot?"
Johnny jumped when Scotty's voice startled him. "Yeah, I took some aspirin."
"I just made a fresh pot of coffee. Come on in the kitchen. It might help." Scotty reached out and tugged Johnny by the arm to help him up from the bench. Johnny allowed his friend to pull him to his feet and then followed him slowly across the bay with his boots in his hand. "Have a seat. I'll pour."
"Are you all right John?" Cap looked at him with concern etched on his face.
"Just a headache Cap." Johnny softly answered and resumed pinching the bridge of his nose.
Scotty slid the steaming cup of coffee in front of Johnny and took the next seat at the table with his own cup. "Drink it while it's hot."
Johnny lowered his hand to the table and wrapped it around the cup pulling it closer. "Thanks."
"I have some aspirin in my office if you need it." Cap offered as he slid his chair back from the table and started to rise.
"I took some. Thanks." Johnny sat very still and now had both hands wrapped around the warm mug. His head hung down with his chin resting on his chest, and his eyes were closed.
Scotty nudged his arm. "Try the coffee."
Johnny looked to his friend and gave him a small smile. "Okay Scotty." He picked up the cup and took a sip to check its heat. Finding the coffee to be warm but not too hot he took a bigger drink. "Mmmm that's good." He took another drink before putting the cup back down. "You guys are up early."
"Couldn't sleep." Was the only explanation Scotty gave.
Cap didn't respond. He sat the coffee pot back down after refilling his mug and headed toward the door. "I'll be in my office."
"Johnny, can I talk to you about something for a minute?"
Johnny looked up into Scotty's eyes to see if he was upset, but he only saw sincerity. "Sure, what's up?"
"Well Cap and I were just talking about Joe. He's put in his notice. They finally sold their house, and with his wife due to deliver any time, they're planning on moving by the first of the year. Cap checked and there doesn't seem to be anyone ready to join the ranks of Rescue right now. There are a few in training, but none the Cap really wants to add to his crew." Scotty slid his chair back and refilled his and Johnny's cups.
"What does that have to do with me?" Johnny asked. He actually thought he knew what Scotty was going to say.
"You've been doing a lot of assisting to Tony and Joe. Cap thinks you would make a great partner for Tony. He wanted me to see if you might be interested in training for Rescue. He said with your on the job experience and performance in rappelling and such at the academy he could probably get you certified pretty quickly without you actually having to complete the whole training regimen."
"I don't know Scotty. I became a fireman to fight fires. I like it. I like riding the engine."
"And you're really good at it Johnny. You've only been here for a short time, and there isn't a man on this shift that doesn't trust your instinct when it comes to reading a fire. You're a natural, but we've seen you running back into a building and out again carrying a boy that no one else could find. That kid would've burned alive if not for you. We've seen you shimmy into spaces no one else could even think about getting in, and watched you hang off a bridge holding on to that truck driver. You have the hunger inside to help people. You would be good at Rescue." Scotty gripped Johnny's shoulder. "Just think about it."
Johnny stared at Scotty while he spoke. First he was stunned when Scotty called him Johnny instead of Boot. That in itself spoke volumes to the seriousness of the conversation, and then the compliments that Scotty poured out to him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You really think I'm that good?"
"Yes I do, and so does Cap." Scotty smiled. "Listen Boot, if you want to we can go over to the training center today after shift and check things out."
"Um…I…I can't. I promised a friend to go bowling and dinner at his place. I don't know what to think. I haven't even finished my probation, and I'm already being asked to move on in the department." Johnny rubbed his temples. "I just don't know."
"You don't have to decide right now. Like I said, just think about it." Scotty patted him on the back just as the morning tones sounded. "Better get the last of that coffee before someone else does."
Johnny slid his chair back and emptied the pot into his cup. He grabbed his boots and slipped out of the kitchen before any of the other men knew he was there. He went out in the back lot and up the hose tower with his coffee to think. He left his boots on the ground by the ladder.
Chapter Thirty Three
Johnny felt exhausted by the time he slid the chain around his motorcycle securing it to the post. He hadn't slept well at the station, and then Scotty had mentioned him training for Rescue. The rest of the shift he had stayed to himself mostly on the hose tower thinking about the things Scotty had said. Now he just wanted to make it upstairs to his apartment and take a nap. He had promised to meet Drew at three o'clock at the bowling alley. A smile spread across his face as he thought about how much fun it would be to out bowl his new friend.
After slipping out of his jacket and hanging it on the hook by the door he sat down on the couch toed off his tennis shoes; leaned back against the cushions and thought about the end of his shift…
Johnny knocked softly on Captain Jones' door.
"Come."
Johnny slowly opened the door. "Excuse me Cap."
"What can I do for you Gage?" He closed the log book and leaned back in his chair hoping Johnny was there to tell him he had thought about joining Rescue and what he had to do to make that happen.
Johnny entered the office and slowly shut the door. He turned and stood in the small space beside the desk. "Um…I…can…" Johnny took a deep breath and blew it out again. "You see…I…"
"Take your time John."
"I know I'm still new, but I could really use the money. I mean, if it's allowed." Johnny looked at Captain Jones and then down at his feet.
"Why don't you sit down, and we'll talk about whatever it is that has you so nervous." Captain Jones waved at a chair.
"That's…um, no thank you, sir. I was wondering if I am eligible to put in for overtime." Johnny finally got the words out; then looked up to see the disappointment on his Captain's face.
"Oh…well, yes you are." Captain Jones turned to face his desk. He didn't want Johnny to know he had thought he was there about something else. "When were you interested in working? I'll have to see if there are any openings."
"I thought maybe someone would want to be off for the holidays." Johnny explained.
"Don't you have plans with your family?"
"No sir. I need to get a car. I mean I like my bike, but in the rain…" Johnny ran his hand through his hair. "I just thought someone with kids or something." He shrugged.
"That's very honorable Gage. I tell you what. I know there are a couple of guys on B shift that might like part of the day off. I'll call their Captain and let him know you are available. They might even want you to work half a shift for one of them to have the morning off and then finish off for the other guy, so he can make it home in time for dinner. I should have it worked out by next shift."
"Thank you Cap. I really appreciate it." Johnny turned to leave, but hesitated. "Um Cap…"
Captain Jones looked at his young crew man and waited for him to continue.
"Scotty told me that Joe will be leaving real soon."
"Yes he will."
"He said you thought maybe I could, uh…might want to train for Rescue. Thank you for your confidence in me. How long do I have to think about it?"
Captain Jones' face lit up. "I'll need to know by the end of next week."
"Okay, thanks. I'll let you know." Johnny slipped out the door and walked quickly through the bay to his bike.
The telephone rang and brought him back from his thoughts. "Hello."
"Johnny, this is Dixie. I hope this is a good time. I'm working on my list of volunteers for dinner at the shelter on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I already talked to several of the guys from your shift and since you're not on duty I'm sure I can put you down for both."
"I can't." Johnny whispered softly.
Dixie thought she heard him say he couldn't. "What? You can't? But Johnny your friends will be there."
Johnny could hear the regret in her voice. He hated to let her down. She had become such an important friend to him. "I'm covering for someone that day."
"Covering? But why? It's Christmas. Why would you want to work Christmas?"
"I told Cap that I wanted some overtime." Johnny didn't give a long explanation. He felt bad that he hadn't thought about Dixie counting on him to help at the shelter before volunteering to work. "I'm sorry."
"John Gage, you do not have anything to be sorry about. If you have to work then you have to work. I'm working myself that evening after we finish serving. Don't you worry about it, but I will expect to see you for dinner one day that week. Okay?" The disappointment he had heard before had disappeared and she resumed her no nonsense tone.
"Yes Ma'am. I'll see what my schedule is and let you know. If you're working I can come have dinner with you at Rampart." He felt a little better about working now.
"You'll do no such of a thing. If I am working on your day off I will take a dinner break, and we will go eat at Jimbo's."
"Good deal." Johnny wanted to see Jimbo during the holidays anyway. He hadn't seen him in a while. "Thanks Dixie. Bye."
"Bye Sweetie. You take care of yourself."
"Yes Ma'am." He hung up the phone and leaned back again. A soft rain had started to fall outside and the tap, tap, tap on the window lulled him to sleep.
Drew decided to swing by Johnny's place and pick him up for their bowling match. The rain had been relentless all morning and at 2:00 it was still coming down. Drew remembered, from the gang hits at the police department and fire department with nails in motorcycle tires, that Johnny road a bike. He looked in the phone directory and found the Gages listed, J. R. Gage had to be him. He pulled out the phone number Johnny had given him and checked to make sure they matched.
He turned into the parking lot and was surprised to see how run down the buildings were. 'Man Johnny, why are you living in a dump like this?' He didn't have to look far to find Johnny's building. It had to be the one with a motorcycle chained to the post. The phone directory had said apartment 210, so he guessed it was on the second floor. As Drew made his way to the stairs he noticed that it was a quiet complex. With his schedule and the need to sleep some during the day, it made sense that Johnny might live here, but Drew knew it was not a good area. 'I'll have to talk to you about where you're living. Surely, we can find you a safer neighborhood.' He thought as he climbed the two flights stopping at the top to see which way to go.
Coming to stand outside Johnny's door he listened for a TV or some other noise that might indicate the resident was in fact home. He didn't hear anything except the occasional cough from behind the door. Drew stepped over to the window and peeked in through the crack between the drapes. No light lit the interior, but the bright sun outside left a thin line of illumination across the sofa. He could see that Johnny lay stretched out with his arm across his eyes. 'What are you doing asleep when we're supposed to be bowling in thirty minutes?' He chuckled as he went back to knock on the door. "Hey Johnny, it's me, Drew." He knocked again hoping to wake up his new friend.
Johnny heard the knocking and sat up slowly rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Okay! I'm coming!" He got up and crossed to the door swinging it open. His hand immediately went up to his eyes to block out the light. He squinted up to see a smiling Drew Burke. "I thought we were meeting at the bowling alley." He croaked out.
"We were, but I decided to give you a ride since it's been raining all day." Drew smiled.
Johnny leaned out the door and looked over the railing. "It's not raining now."
"Yeah well it stopped a few minutes ago, so sue a guy for trying to be nice. Aren't you gonna invite me in?"
Johnny stepped aside and waved him in. "Sure." He turned and walked toward the kitchen. His throat was dry and he wanted something to drink. "You want something to drink?"
"No thanks, I'm good. We can get something at the bowling alley. Come on let's get going before all the lanes are gone." Drew still stood just inside the door.
Johnny came back into the room with a glass of tap water. "Give me five minutes." He turned and walked down the short hall. He wanted a quick shower to help him wake up.
Drew looked around for a TV or something to do while he waited. He was surprised to see that Johnny didn't have one. He noticed the book on the coffee table. 'He must like to read. Guess I would too if I didn't have a TV set. How can anyone not have a TV? Who have I gotten mixed up with here?' He sunk down on the sofa and reached for the book and flipped a few pages.
Before he had a chance to read anything Johnny poked his head into the hall. "Hey man, you know how to make coffee?"
"What? Yeah, everybody knows how to make coffee. Why?"
"Cause I want some and it would save time if you made it." Johnny said as he disappeared again.
"Sure." Drew placed the book back on the table and rose from the couch. "Where is it?"
"Where's what?"
"The coffee? Where's the coffee?" Drew walked into the tiny kitchen. The only thing on the counter top was a small cheap Poly Perk type electric coffee maker, and beside it was a canister.
After he got the coffee started, Drew searched the cabinets for some cups. He smiled at the typical bachelor fare. Johnny had a few plates and cereal bowls…all mismatched; that was about it in the way of dishes. He took two cups down and sat them on the counter.
"Is it ready yet?" Johnny stood in the doorway rubbing a towel through his damp hair.
"Almost." Drew moved toward the fridge. "You got any cream?"
Johnny chuckled. "Cream? There's milk, but no cream."
"Cream…Milk…what's the difference?" Drew grabbed the carton and poured some in his cup; then looked at Johnny to see if he wanted any.
"Nope." He tossed the towel over the back of a chair.
"How do you drink it like that?"
"Didn't drink it at all before I joined the department." Johnny shrugged. "Is it ready yet?"
"Yeah…I think it is." He lifted the lid and pulled out the basket placing it in the sink. Then he replaced the lid and poured the two cups.
Johnny came up beside him and grabbed the darker of the two, turned and walked back to the living room and plopped down on the sofa. He blew on the cup and took a sip. "Not bad for a cop." He said teasingly as he raised the cup to his mouth again.
"Not bad for a….I'll have you know I've been making coffee since I was ten."
"So for a couple of years then?" Johnny teased.
Drew laughed loudly. "Yeah for a couple of years. Hurry up and drink up. The lanes will all be taken."
"Nah, we got plenty of time."
"How do you figure that?"
"Because, Joey said he would reserve one for me." Johnny grinned.
"Joey, huh? How'd you get him to do that?" Drew was impressed.
"I called him yesterday; told him I needed to beat the pants off a rookie cop. He wanted to see that…so…he reserved me a lane." Johnny got up and took his empty cup back to the kitchen, unplugged the coffee maker and tossed the grounds from the basket into the trash. "You finished?" He held his hand out for Drew's cup, quickly washed everything and left it in the sink to dry.
A short time later they were lacing up their bowling shoes. The crack of bowling balls slamming against pins echoed throughout the large open room. The place was packed. People were lined up at the desk trying to get dibs on the next available lane.
Johnny grabbed the ball he had found after trying out a few and placed it on the ball return. Drew unzipped his bag and pulled out a bright blue colored ball with LAPD emblazoned on one side. He smiled at Johnny's open mouth glare. "What…we won the league last spring. I joined the team before I finished at the academy."
Johnny ran his hand through his hair. He deemed himself good, but if Drew played on the winning team maybe he would be buying the steaks after all. He looked at the desk and Joey flashed him a thumbs up. He smiled and waved at him. "Well let's get this show on the road." He grabbed his ball and stepped up to the line. He lined up and swung the ball back and glided it down the lane directly at the center pin gaining a strike. He turned and sauntered back behind the table where Drew marked his score on the tally sheet.
Drew then slid the chair back, grabbed his trophy ball, stepped up into position and tossed his ball down the lane with more force than Johnny had used. His too rolled straight for the center pin and the ten pins flew in every direction putting the men in a tie. "Yes!" He said happily as he turned to smile at Johnny. "It's on buddy… it… is… on!"
They bowled a couple of games with each winning one. Then in the final game the two men bowled several flawless frames until finally Drew missed and left two pins standing. It was in the fourth frame with six to go, but he never got his groove back. Johnny faltered a few frames later. The end result was Johnny's victory with a two pin lead. By the time they finished their final game they had quite an audience. Cheers went up for the fireman who beat the cop.
Everyone called for a rematch, but the two should be pro-bowlers were tired and hungry. "Man I can't wait to sink my teeth into a juicy steak." Johnny teased.
"Well I have to confess. I bought the steaks yesterday. Pam has them marinating at home waiting for us to throw them on the grill. She also has some potatoes and salad, and best of all she was baking a chocolate cake." Drew rubbed his belly in anticipation.
"Uh that all sounds great, but I'll have to pass on the cake."
"Whatsa matter Gage, watching your girlish figure?" Drew nudge Johnny's shoulder.
"No…I'm allergic to chocolate." He nervously scuffed the toe of his tennis shoe on the carpet. He didn't want to mess things up with Drew's wife. "Let's go…I'm starved."
"Hey man, I'm sorry. I've never heard of anyone being allergic to chocolate. I should have asked. It never even crossed my mind. You sure are different." Drew teased.
Johnny winced at the comment. He had always been different, but he didn't think it mattered to Drew.
When he looked over at Johnny to see if he had gotten him with his last barb, Drew noticed the amusement he had expected to see was not there. "Hey relax, I was just kidding you. I'm sure there are other people out there allergic to chocolate." He slapped Johnny on the shoulder. "Come on. Pam always has sweet stuff around. She probably made some pie too. Our daughter loves apple pie."
Johnny turned to see the sincerity in Drew's eyes. "I love apple pie! Hey Drew, what's your daughter's name?"
"Rebecca." Drew smiled when he said her name.
"That's a nice name." Johnny walked around to the passenger side of the car and hesitated before getting in. "I hope she likes me."
"She will." Drew chuckled as he slammed the trunk after stowing his bowling bag; soon they were headed toward his home.
A few blocks down the road Johnny sat up straighter in his seat and rolled the partly open window down the rest of the way. He leaned out and sniffed the air. Then he shifted in his seat and scanned the skyline. "There!" He pointed at what appeared to be smoke rising into the sky.
Drew turned down the next street and they saw the two story house with smoke coming out from one of the downstairs windows…probably the kitchen.
"Pull over!" Johnny yelled as he gripped the door handle. He jumped out of the car before Drew could get it into park. He stopped and scanned the front of the house, first the lower floor windows and then the upstairs. "There's someone up there!" He pulled his shirt off as he ran toward the house leaving his white undershirt on. "Call the fire department!" He stopped at the spigot on the wall beside the front porch, turned it on and soaked his shirt. He splashed some water on his hair and down his clean white undershirt. He lifted the wet shirt to his face, kicked in the front screen door and disappeared into the smoke filled opening.
Johnny felt exhausted by the time he slid the chain around his motorcycle securing it to the post. He hadn't slept well at the station, and then Scotty had mentioned him training for Rescue. The rest of the shift he had stayed to himself mostly on the hose tower thinking about the things Scotty had said. Now he just wanted to make it upstairs to his apartment and take a nap. He had promised to meet Drew at three o'clock at the bowling alley. A smile spread across his face as he thought about how much fun it would be to out bowl his new friend.
After slipping out of his jacket and hanging it on the hook by the door he sat down on the couch toed off his tennis shoes; leaned back against the cushions and thought about the end of his shift…
Johnny knocked softly on Captain Jones' door.
"Come."
Johnny slowly opened the door. "Excuse me Cap."
"What can I do for you Gage?" He closed the log book and leaned back in his chair hoping Johnny was there to tell him he had thought about joining Rescue and what he had to do to make that happen.
Johnny entered the office and slowly shut the door. He turned and stood in the small space beside the desk. "Um…I…can…" Johnny took a deep breath and blew it out again. "You see…I…"
"Take your time John."
"I know I'm still new, but I could really use the money. I mean, if it's allowed." Johnny looked at Captain Jones and then down at his feet.
"Why don't you sit down, and we'll talk about whatever it is that has you so nervous." Captain Jones waved at a chair.
"That's…um, no thank you, sir. I was wondering if I am eligible to put in for overtime." Johnny finally got the words out; then looked up to see the disappointment on his Captain's face.
"Oh…well, yes you are." Captain Jones turned to face his desk. He didn't want Johnny to know he had thought he was there about something else. "When were you interested in working? I'll have to see if there are any openings."
"I thought maybe someone would want to be off for the holidays." Johnny explained.
"Don't you have plans with your family?"
"No sir. I need to get a car. I mean I like my bike, but in the rain…" Johnny ran his hand through his hair. "I just thought someone with kids or something." He shrugged.
"That's very honorable Gage. I tell you what. I know there are a couple of guys on B shift that might like part of the day off. I'll call their Captain and let him know you are available. They might even want you to work half a shift for one of them to have the morning off and then finish off for the other guy, so he can make it home in time for dinner. I should have it worked out by next shift."
"Thank you Cap. I really appreciate it." Johnny turned to leave, but hesitated. "Um Cap…"
Captain Jones looked at his young crew man and waited for him to continue.
"Scotty told me that Joe will be leaving real soon."
"Yes he will."
"He said you thought maybe I could, uh…might want to train for Rescue. Thank you for your confidence in me. How long do I have to think about it?"
Captain Jones' face lit up. "I'll need to know by the end of next week."
"Okay, thanks. I'll let you know." Johnny slipped out the door and walked quickly through the bay to his bike.
The telephone rang and brought him back from his thoughts. "Hello."
"Johnny, this is Dixie. I hope this is a good time. I'm working on my list of volunteers for dinner at the shelter on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I already talked to several of the guys from your shift and since you're not on duty I'm sure I can put you down for both."
"I can't." Johnny whispered softly.
Dixie thought she heard him say he couldn't. "What? You can't? But Johnny your friends will be there."
Johnny could hear the regret in her voice. He hated to let her down. She had become such an important friend to him. "I'm covering for someone that day."
"Covering? But why? It's Christmas. Why would you want to work Christmas?"
"I told Cap that I wanted some overtime." Johnny didn't give a long explanation. He felt bad that he hadn't thought about Dixie counting on him to help at the shelter before volunteering to work. "I'm sorry."
"John Gage, you do not have anything to be sorry about. If you have to work then you have to work. I'm working myself that evening after we finish serving. Don't you worry about it, but I will expect to see you for dinner one day that week. Okay?" The disappointment he had heard before had disappeared and she resumed her no nonsense tone.
"Yes Ma'am. I'll see what my schedule is and let you know. If you're working I can come have dinner with you at Rampart." He felt a little better about working now.
"You'll do no such of a thing. If I am working on your day off I will take a dinner break, and we will go eat at Jimbo's."
"Good deal." Johnny wanted to see Jimbo during the holidays anyway. He hadn't seen him in a while. "Thanks Dixie. Bye."
"Bye Sweetie. You take care of yourself."
"Yes Ma'am." He hung up the phone and leaned back again. A soft rain had started to fall outside and the tap, tap, tap on the window lulled him to sleep.
Drew decided to swing by Johnny's place and pick him up for their bowling match. The rain had been relentless all morning and at 2:00 it was still coming down. Drew remembered, from the gang hits at the police department and fire department with nails in motorcycle tires, that Johnny road a bike. He looked in the phone directory and found the Gages listed, J. R. Gage had to be him. He pulled out the phone number Johnny had given him and checked to make sure they matched.
He turned into the parking lot and was surprised to see how run down the buildings were. 'Man Johnny, why are you living in a dump like this?' He didn't have to look far to find Johnny's building. It had to be the one with a motorcycle chained to the post. The phone directory had said apartment 210, so he guessed it was on the second floor. As Drew made his way to the stairs he noticed that it was a quiet complex. With his schedule and the need to sleep some during the day, it made sense that Johnny might live here, but Drew knew it was not a good area. 'I'll have to talk to you about where you're living. Surely, we can find you a safer neighborhood.' He thought as he climbed the two flights stopping at the top to see which way to go.
Coming to stand outside Johnny's door he listened for a TV or some other noise that might indicate the resident was in fact home. He didn't hear anything except the occasional cough from behind the door. Drew stepped over to the window and peeked in through the crack between the drapes. No light lit the interior, but the bright sun outside left a thin line of illumination across the sofa. He could see that Johnny lay stretched out with his arm across his eyes. 'What are you doing asleep when we're supposed to be bowling in thirty minutes?' He chuckled as he went back to knock on the door. "Hey Johnny, it's me, Drew." He knocked again hoping to wake up his new friend.
Johnny heard the knocking and sat up slowly rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Okay! I'm coming!" He got up and crossed to the door swinging it open. His hand immediately went up to his eyes to block out the light. He squinted up to see a smiling Drew Burke. "I thought we were meeting at the bowling alley." He croaked out.
"We were, but I decided to give you a ride since it's been raining all day." Drew smiled.
Johnny leaned out the door and looked over the railing. "It's not raining now."
"Yeah well it stopped a few minutes ago, so sue a guy for trying to be nice. Aren't you gonna invite me in?"
Johnny stepped aside and waved him in. "Sure." He turned and walked toward the kitchen. His throat was dry and he wanted something to drink. "You want something to drink?"
"No thanks, I'm good. We can get something at the bowling alley. Come on let's get going before all the lanes are gone." Drew still stood just inside the door.
Johnny came back into the room with a glass of tap water. "Give me five minutes." He turned and walked down the short hall. He wanted a quick shower to help him wake up.
Drew looked around for a TV or something to do while he waited. He was surprised to see that Johnny didn't have one. He noticed the book on the coffee table. 'He must like to read. Guess I would too if I didn't have a TV set. How can anyone not have a TV? Who have I gotten mixed up with here?' He sunk down on the sofa and reached for the book and flipped a few pages.
Before he had a chance to read anything Johnny poked his head into the hall. "Hey man, you know how to make coffee?"
"What? Yeah, everybody knows how to make coffee. Why?"
"Cause I want some and it would save time if you made it." Johnny said as he disappeared again.
"Sure." Drew placed the book back on the table and rose from the couch. "Where is it?"
"Where's what?"
"The coffee? Where's the coffee?" Drew walked into the tiny kitchen. The only thing on the counter top was a small cheap Poly Perk type electric coffee maker, and beside it was a canister.
After he got the coffee started, Drew searched the cabinets for some cups. He smiled at the typical bachelor fare. Johnny had a few plates and cereal bowls…all mismatched; that was about it in the way of dishes. He took two cups down and sat them on the counter.
"Is it ready yet?" Johnny stood in the doorway rubbing a towel through his damp hair.
"Almost." Drew moved toward the fridge. "You got any cream?"
Johnny chuckled. "Cream? There's milk, but no cream."
"Cream…Milk…what's the difference?" Drew grabbed the carton and poured some in his cup; then looked at Johnny to see if he wanted any.
"Nope." He tossed the towel over the back of a chair.
"How do you drink it like that?"
"Didn't drink it at all before I joined the department." Johnny shrugged. "Is it ready yet?"
"Yeah…I think it is." He lifted the lid and pulled out the basket placing it in the sink. Then he replaced the lid and poured the two cups.
Johnny came up beside him and grabbed the darker of the two, turned and walked back to the living room and plopped down on the sofa. He blew on the cup and took a sip. "Not bad for a cop." He said teasingly as he raised the cup to his mouth again.
"Not bad for a….I'll have you know I've been making coffee since I was ten."
"So for a couple of years then?" Johnny teased.
Drew laughed loudly. "Yeah for a couple of years. Hurry up and drink up. The lanes will all be taken."
"Nah, we got plenty of time."
"How do you figure that?"
"Because, Joey said he would reserve one for me." Johnny grinned.
"Joey, huh? How'd you get him to do that?" Drew was impressed.
"I called him yesterday; told him I needed to beat the pants off a rookie cop. He wanted to see that…so…he reserved me a lane." Johnny got up and took his empty cup back to the kitchen, unplugged the coffee maker and tossed the grounds from the basket into the trash. "You finished?" He held his hand out for Drew's cup, quickly washed everything and left it in the sink to dry.
A short time later they were lacing up their bowling shoes. The crack of bowling balls slamming against pins echoed throughout the large open room. The place was packed. People were lined up at the desk trying to get dibs on the next available lane.
Johnny grabbed the ball he had found after trying out a few and placed it on the ball return. Drew unzipped his bag and pulled out a bright blue colored ball with LAPD emblazoned on one side. He smiled at Johnny's open mouth glare. "What…we won the league last spring. I joined the team before I finished at the academy."
Johnny ran his hand through his hair. He deemed himself good, but if Drew played on the winning team maybe he would be buying the steaks after all. He looked at the desk and Joey flashed him a thumbs up. He smiled and waved at him. "Well let's get this show on the road." He grabbed his ball and stepped up to the line. He lined up and swung the ball back and glided it down the lane directly at the center pin gaining a strike. He turned and sauntered back behind the table where Drew marked his score on the tally sheet.
Drew then slid the chair back, grabbed his trophy ball, stepped up into position and tossed his ball down the lane with more force than Johnny had used. His too rolled straight for the center pin and the ten pins flew in every direction putting the men in a tie. "Yes!" He said happily as he turned to smile at Johnny. "It's on buddy… it… is… on!"
They bowled a couple of games with each winning one. Then in the final game the two men bowled several flawless frames until finally Drew missed and left two pins standing. It was in the fourth frame with six to go, but he never got his groove back. Johnny faltered a few frames later. The end result was Johnny's victory with a two pin lead. By the time they finished their final game they had quite an audience. Cheers went up for the fireman who beat the cop.
Everyone called for a rematch, but the two should be pro-bowlers were tired and hungry. "Man I can't wait to sink my teeth into a juicy steak." Johnny teased.
"Well I have to confess. I bought the steaks yesterday. Pam has them marinating at home waiting for us to throw them on the grill. She also has some potatoes and salad, and best of all she was baking a chocolate cake." Drew rubbed his belly in anticipation.
"Uh that all sounds great, but I'll have to pass on the cake."
"Whatsa matter Gage, watching your girlish figure?" Drew nudge Johnny's shoulder.
"No…I'm allergic to chocolate." He nervously scuffed the toe of his tennis shoe on the carpet. He didn't want to mess things up with Drew's wife. "Let's go…I'm starved."
"Hey man, I'm sorry. I've never heard of anyone being allergic to chocolate. I should have asked. It never even crossed my mind. You sure are different." Drew teased.
Johnny winced at the comment. He had always been different, but he didn't think it mattered to Drew.
When he looked over at Johnny to see if he had gotten him with his last barb, Drew noticed the amusement he had expected to see was not there. "Hey relax, I was just kidding you. I'm sure there are other people out there allergic to chocolate." He slapped Johnny on the shoulder. "Come on. Pam always has sweet stuff around. She probably made some pie too. Our daughter loves apple pie."
Johnny turned to see the sincerity in Drew's eyes. "I love apple pie! Hey Drew, what's your daughter's name?"
"Rebecca." Drew smiled when he said her name.
"That's a nice name." Johnny walked around to the passenger side of the car and hesitated before getting in. "I hope she likes me."
"She will." Drew chuckled as he slammed the trunk after stowing his bowling bag; soon they were headed toward his home.
A few blocks down the road Johnny sat up straighter in his seat and rolled the partly open window down the rest of the way. He leaned out and sniffed the air. Then he shifted in his seat and scanned the skyline. "There!" He pointed at what appeared to be smoke rising into the sky.
Drew turned down the next street and they saw the two story house with smoke coming out from one of the downstairs windows…probably the kitchen.
"Pull over!" Johnny yelled as he gripped the door handle. He jumped out of the car before Drew could get it into park. He stopped and scanned the front of the house, first the lower floor windows and then the upstairs. "There's someone up there!" He pulled his shirt off as he ran toward the house leaving his white undershirt on. "Call the fire department!" He stopped at the spigot on the wall beside the front porch, turned it on and soaked his shirt. He splashed some water on his hair and down his clean white undershirt. He lifted the wet shirt to his face, kicked in the front screen door and disappeared into the smoke filled opening.
