A Letter to the Editor
Author's Notes: This story was written in a tongue in cheek manner, and was an attempt to answer some curious questions that have been perpetuated in the fanfiction world. I myself have incorporated some of these things into my writing, as well. I do hope you enjoy it.
Dear Editor,
We, the men of L.A. County Fire Station 51's A-shift are writing this letter to you to clear the air about a few things. Some of these things have been heavily on our mind for quite a number of years, and others just bother us.
I think the first thing we want to know is, why are there so many stories written about Roy and John? They're both good guys, and according to some "the best paramedic team in the county", and that's all well and good, but let's face it…where would they be without the rest of us? I'll tell you where…they would be exhausted and in a lot of trouble. I mean who would be backing them up? Some non-descript bunch of guys from Station 120?
We each have a few things we'd like to ask, mostly things on a personal level, so here we go. As captain of the crew, I will go first. I know it's been mentioned on the show that I am in fact married. Why do I have to be married in all of these stories? Don't I deserve a break once in a while? Even Roy gets a break from Joanne…granted sometimes she gets killed off, or meets a sad fate, but still. Mike, Marco, Chet, even Johnny aren't usually married. They get to live the freewheeling life of a bachelor. Why can't I?
Secondly, am I ever going to get to find out the real reason I supposedly burned McConnike's hat? There are so many theories, that even I don't know why I did the deed. A few answers would go a long way in easing my mind.
Mike Stoker wants to know why he is always the "quiet one?" Has there ever been any time where he actually had nothing to say? You can't prove that. So maybe the guy had a side job of actually being a firefighter, and maybe it cut into his time on the show, but how does that translate into being quiet? Inquiring minds want to know.
Stoker also wants to know why is it he is rarely ever married. We all think he seems like a good catch. He's a nice guy, makes a decent living, and is actually quite good-looking. So why no love life?
Marco Lopez wants to know why he doesn't get much time in the spotlight? And why he's never married off in these stories, either. He was lucky enough to win a date with the lovely nurse Daisy. How come nothing ever came of that? And why is it that he's always the one cooking? Sometimes he gets tired of always doing all the work. He reminds me that on the show, we all took turns.
Chet Kelly…the enigma that he is, wants to know why he is so often portrayed as a jerk, or nothing more than a practical joker? Yes, he could be annoying at times, but on the show, he really never stepped over the line. He is a really good firefighter, and he is actually quite caring and concerned about his crewmates' welfare. So why is he, so many times portrayed the way he is?
Roy DeSoto wants everyone to know that he's not perfect. Why is he often written as the perfect father and firefighter/paramedic? He has reminded me that on the show he has lost his temper a couple times, especially with Ed Marlowe. He can sometimes be a little uncaring, for lack of a better word. An example of that was that he actually agreed with Chet that his Indian jokes that he had teased Johnny with, were actually funny. Or what about the time in the sewer when they were rescuing those two kids, Charles and Kirby? When Johnny was slow coming up the ladder after he fell in the water, and then when he ultimately got out onto the street, Roy didn't seem too concerned about his partner's welfare. So he wants the writers to know that if he is portrayed with a bit of a temper or seems to be uncaring…it's okay. It wouldn't really be out of character for him, and he insists that the change from being "the good one" would actually do him good. He also reminded me to let you know that as people get older, they sometimes change.
John Gage…hmmm….Johnny's got a lot to say. He wonders why he is always such a target for injury. While it's true that he had his fair share of injuries on the show, it didn't happen EVERY episode. He wants to catch a break (figuratively, not literally) once in a while. Okay, he did get hit by a car, bitten by a rattle snake, stricken with some almost fatal virus, and broke a leg in another explosion, but still…
Another question Johnny really wants answered is, how did anybody get the impression that he had an unhappy childhood? In the show all that was mentioned was that he grew up on a reservation. He feels that he has grown up to be a pretty happy and well-adjusted adult, and that if his upbringing had been so bad, he would have had more problems than just the typical girl issues that he has.
And speaking of girl issues…why can't he ever be in a normal relationship, married or otherwise, without any drama? No death of wives, girlfriends, or children…no stalking exes…and no pining over lost opportunities?
He also wants to understand why he is so often portrayed as a flake or immature? On the show, there were times that he may have been a bit gullible, like the episode with Lorenzo the Magnificent, but even Roy admitted the truth about the magician, but overall, if he were really that immature, he wouldn't have made it as a firefighter, let alone as a paramedic.
Then there is the really big question. We do consider ourselves to be like family, and I even told the guys as much. And I know that we all genuinely care about each other, but when did we all suddenly have these "feelings" towards each other? Mike Stoker is a good friend, and as my second-in-command I do rely on him, but that's as far as it goes.
Then there are the little nagging questions like…How come Marco's father is rarely mentioned? It's always Mama Lopez making all that great Mexican food. And just how close are my two paramedics? They both have other friends and family, in fact Johnny even has an Aunt Rose that doesn't get much play time. Why after each one of Johnny's accidents does poor Roy and Joanne get saddled with him? Why am I always replacing multiple crewmembers when just one person gets hurt?
I am sure that in the near future we will have more questions for you, but for now, that's it. If you can answer these nagging questions, we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Captain Hank Stanley
Engineer Mike Stoker
Firefighter Marco Lopez
Firefighter Chet Kelly
Paramedic Roy DeSoto
Paramedic John Gage