The Graduate
Square Roy takes a cue from a very modern movie in winning back his girl.
Notes: "The Graduate" was actually released December 22, 1967 (And Kevin Tighe had a brief role.). But for timing purposes, I'm going to assume the film had some sneak previews.
This story includes Deke (my spelling) from Season 3's "Inferno" as Roy's rescue squad partner and Ed Marlowe from Season 1's "Trainee." Katie is just my name for the girl Roy mentioned dating in the Season 3 episode "Alley Cat."
Alison, Joanne's flower shop co-worker, is my own creation.
Summer, 1967
"Squad 41 in quarters."
Roy DeSoto watched as Donald Kent – "Deke," everyone called him – pulled the squad safely into Station 41. They'd just come back from taking a burn victim to Rampart – the "delivery truck," as Deke referred to it.
"Just keep 'em fresh and let the docs handle 'em," was Deke's colorful statement for what they did.
Roy, back a few months from Vietnam, wondered if they could do more. In Vietnam, he'd been an Army medic - not just part of a "delivery truck," but also providing some basic medications and an IV if patients needed them. Perhaps something similar would help the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
But Roy was just a newly minted rescue man. He didn't think it was his place to make that decision.
In fact, Roy wasn't all that sure about much of anything these days – especially his personal life.
Last night, he'd gone out with Katie McGraw. "Katie the Kitty Woman," he silently, secretly thought of her.
Katie's cat, Flossie, had recently had kittens. Roy had gone with Katie to three parties. All three times, she'd brought along a kitten to give to the host.
Katie was a nice girl. But Roy was sure she wasn't for him – and not only because of the kittens.
That's because he already knew who the girl was for him: Joanne LaCorte.
He'd known Joanne since fourth grade and had probably loved her just as long. They'd gone steady in high school and gotten engaged right after their high school graduation.
They'd stayed engaged through Roy's time in Vietnam. When he came home, he was anticipating planning their wedding.
But Joanne broke the engagement when she realized Roy was going back to the work he'd done before – as a fireman.
"I can't do this, Roy," a weeping Joanne exclaimed when she gave him back the simple diamond he'd given her three years ago. "I just went through two years of being afraid I'd lose you in Vietnam. I can't go through that every day, for the rest of my life. I can't!"
Thinking back on it, Roy believed that Joanne's mother had pushed her into that decision. Angelique LaCorte never did like the idea of her daughter marrying a man who was not only in a dangerous profession, but also – and especially – in one that didn't make much money.
They'd broken up three months before, and Roy had dated a couple of women since then. But he couldn't forget Joanne….