Nametag

Roy helpfully reminds Johnny of something he (and possibly the script writers ) overlooked on that elevator ride in "How Green Was My Thumb?"

What was the name of that sculpture Joanne had told him about? The Thinker.

As Roy DeSoto approached the squad and saw John Gage sitting inside, he had an idea for a new sculpture: The Moper.

It was a classic stance for Johnny: Staring glumly into space with his head resting on his fist. Johnny had different ways of taking the position: Sitting, in the squad or at Station 51, or standing, at the nurses' station at Rampart Emergency.

Usually after being dumped by a nurse.

Roy was betting that had happened. The last time he'd seen his paramedic partner was when Johnny had stumbled out of the elevator on the fourth floor, following a nurse who was pushing a cart.

"She said no, huh?" Roy asked after climbing into his usual driver's seat.

The glum look changed to one of annoyance. "Roy….She didn't exactly say no."

Roy grinned as he closed the door. "Well, you chased her across the fourth floor of Rampart. What did she say?"

Johnny looked straight ahead. "Man…." He started shaking his head. "Chicks are tough to understand sometimes, you know? She just….." He shook his head again. "Man…."

Roy bit his lower lip to keep from laughing and started the engine. He knew the way to get any story from Johnny Gage: Wait him out.

"All I wanted was her name."

"Wanda McKay."

Johnny couldn't have been more surprised if he'd seen Roy growing antlers. "What?!"

"Her name is Wanda McKay."

Johnny frowned. "She told you that?"

"No, I didn't see her again after you two left the elevator."

"Dixie told you?"

Roy shook his head. "Nope. Dixie was tending to a patient. I didn't see her again, either."

"Then how do you know her name?"

Roy fought to hold back his smile at the absolutely flummoxed expression on his partner's face.

He reached for the right side of his jacket and opened it to face Johnny, so his shirt was visible. "What do you see there?" he asked.

Johnny frowned. "What do I see? Your jacket. And your shirt," he responded, confused.

"What's on the shirt?" Roy asked.

"Whaddaya mean, what's on the shirt? Your nametag!" Johnny exclaimed.

"Exactly," Roy said.

"Whaddaya mean, 'exactly?' Roy, this isn't an Abbott and Costello movie!"

Coulda fooled me, Roy thought to himself. Most of our conversations seem to come from Abbott and Costello movies….

Out loud, he asked, "What was she wearing on her uniform?"

Johnny thought a moment, then smiled. "Oh, yeah." Very quickly, the smile disappeared from his face. "Oh, man."

Roy started the squad and watched the parade of emotions across Johnny's face. His partner went from satisfaction to gloom to joy in less than 15 seconds.

"Hey, I know what to do about this!"

"What's that, Johnny?"

"When I got off on the 4th floor, I told her I didn't catch her name. She told me that when I find it, to bring it to Reception." The grin on Johnny's face rivaled that of the Cheshire Cat in "Alice in Wonderland." "I know how I'm going to do that."

"Wanda?"

"Yes?"

"These came for you." The nurse at the reception desk smiled.

"For me?" Wanda's eyes opened wide at the colorful bouquet. "Do you know who delivered them?"

Another smile. "I've been sworn to secrecy."

"Well, thanks."

Wanda picked up the flowers and began to walk toward the nurses' station. Dixie McCall sat, preparing the following week's schedule.

She looked up as Wanda approached. "What lovely flowers! Who are they from?"

"I don't know yet, Miss McCall."

Wanda placed the flowers on the desk and found a small card. She opened it.

Dixie was surprised to see the young nurse's expression change from anticipation to disgust.

"Oh. Him," Wanda said glumly, and put the card on the desk.

"May I?" Dixie asked, and picked up the card. She read:

Dear Wanda McKay:

Just returning your name to the reception desk, as you asked. Enjoy!

Johnny Gage

Dixie smiled. "I think it's charming," she said.

Wanda's face looked like a thundercloud had passed over. "Charming!" she exclaimed, and shook her head. "He's a pest!"

She began to throw out the flowers, but Dixie put out a hand to stop her.

"First of all, you may think of John Gage as a 'pest,' but he's also a top-notch, professional paramedic, and it was a courteous gesture," Dixie said. "Second, if you don't want those, we have plenty of patients who do."

"Yes, Miss McCall." Wanda looked down. "But Miss McCall-"

"You don't have to see him if you don't want to. I'll make sure they get to a patient," Dixie said. "You can get back to work."

Wanda nodded and turned away. Dixie sighed and held the card in her hand.

Johnny Gage had good looks and charm, but it seemed paired with a lack of confidence that could cause him to behave like an overeager puppy in front of a pretty girl.

"Rampart, this is Squad 51, how do you read?" interrupted her thoughts. No evidence of the overeager puppy in that voice, just the top-notch, professional paramedic.

Dixie walked over to the telephone and pushed the button. "Go ahead, 51….."

The call had been from a car crash. Station 51 had extricated the driver from a car wrapped around a light pillar. Roy had come with the patient in the ambulance. Johnny had followed in the squad. Officer Vince Howard had followed in his patrol car; it seemed the car driver had been drinking.

The driver had a broken leg and a concussion and was sure to have much more to deal with.

Meanwhile, the two paramedics had a drug kit to restock. They walked over to the nurses' station.

Johnny almost froze when he recognized the flowers he'd selected for Wanda – and on another part of the desk, his card.

"Um….Dixie?"

"Hey, Johnny." That was all she said, but the sympathetic expression on Dixie's face told Johnny a lot more.

"She didn't want it, huh?" Johnny asked quietly.

"The note was cute," Dixie reassured him.

"Well, maybe if I'd seen her nametag earlier….Awww, who am I kidding? She was never interested in me," muttered Johnny, eyes downcast.

"Sorry, Johnny." Roy patted his friend on the shoulder.

"Well, someone will be interested in these flowers," Dixie broke in. "Do you guys have a few minutes?"

They both nodded.

"Well, Lettie's coming to visit the patients."

"Lettie?" Roy asked.

"One of the volunteers." Dixie smiled. "I'm sure she'd like to take the flowers to them."

Johnny grinned. "How about Mrs. Johnson? I'm sure Roy would be happy to do it."

Roy rolled his eyes at the mention of the patient whose plants he had been tending. His partner figured Mrs. Johnson was an old lady. If he only knew...

Dixie looked around the desk. "Here comes Lettie," she said.

Johnny and Roy turned around. Johnny's expression became one of amazement. Roy couldn't help a glimpse at his partner after seeing Lettie.

"Gentlemen, this is Leticia Perez, one of our hospital volunteers – Lettie for short," said Dixie, introducing the attractive young woman.

"Hi!" Johnny reached out his hand to take Lettie's, as both Dixie and Roy stifled laughs.

Lettie smiled and leaned forward to read Johnny's nametag.

"J. Gage. You're Johnny Gage!" she exclaimed. "Dixie's told me all about you!"

Johnny blushed. "Uh….well…." he began.

Lettie laughed. "Oh don't worry, it's all good," she assured him.

Dixie interrupted. "Lettie, there's a bouquet here to take to a patient. Johnny has a few minutes to go with you."

"Great! Come on, Johnny!"

Johnny shrugged his shoulders, picked up the bouquet, grinned at Dixie and Roy and began to follow Lettie, who was chatting all the way down the hall to the elevator. Johnny's happy face quickly turned to one of confusion.

Roy and Dixie finally let themselves have a chuckle.

"She likes to talk, doesn't she?" Roy asked.

Still grinning, Dixie nodded. "She's a nice girl, but she is rather chatty."

"So, Dix, how long do you think this one will last?"

"Probably until Johnny gets a word in edgewise," Dixie responded. "Enjoy it while you can, Roy."

Roy nodded.

No Moper.

At least not for the next 15 minutes.