CF3
John was home studying, every free moment was spent going over his many books. He had hoped to keep it a secret but last shift Chet had found out. The month seemed longer than it was, facts and figures floating in his head even when he slept. Along with missing his once friend and partner and their dreams of the 1932 fire truck sitting in the station parking lot, a constant reminder of times gone by.
"Hey Gage, what ya got there?" Chet snagged one of his books.
"Give it back Chet," John glared at his shift mate and reached for his book.
Chet thumbed through the book and looked at him with surprise.
"You're not serious are Johnny? Captain's exam?" Kelly came over and stared down at him. "Seriously you think you're going to pass?" Chet laughed.
Stanley walked in, "Give him back the book Chet." Hank ordered.
"But Cap!" Kelly looked at his superior. "You don't believe it do you?"
"I think John here will make a fine captain," Hank placed his hand on his shoulder. "You might learn something from him."
"What? No, Cap I'll just stick to what I know. Besides it will be fun to see Johnny go down in flames. Get it?" Kelly laughed.
"Chet don't you have something better to do?" Stanley's eyes bored into Chet are who suddenly made himself scarce. "Don't let him get you down John."
"I won't Cap. I'll pass believe me I'll pass."
****
It had been a slow shift and John looked at the tarp covered engine. He'd had probably hit Roy on a bad day and would try again.
In the dorm, the paramedic dialed the phone and waited.
"DeSoto residence," a familiar and comforting voice answered.
"Hey Roy," Johnny answered.
"Johnny?" Roy sounded surprised.
"Yeah Roy, it's a slow shift anyway I'm calling about the engine again. I probably got you at a bad time and…" Gage shifted in his chair.
"Yeah it was probably a bad day," Roy sighed. "What about the engine?"
"Um, well it was stupid idea I mean about buying your share I mean since we bought it together and well, um, Roy I just want to know how your doing. I haven't seen you or your family since you took the promotion and our shifts never seem to mesh you know," Johnny felt deflated.
"Johnny, I can't really talk now," Roy sounded frustrated. "I have a lot of things to do around the house and well…"
Gage finally heard noise in the background.
"Hey Roy, nice party," a male voice yelled. "You make a mean bar-b-que."
"Sure Roy I understand. I'm sorry I bothered you," John hung up the phone, his chin hitting his chest. He thought of his books and shuffled to the day room.
*****
Studying in his apartment, Johnny knew Roy was just getting settled in his new station and making friends of his new shift mates. Just like he had done with him, inviting him over for dinner and looking out for him. But now all he had was books for company, he ran his hands through his hair and tried to think.
The phone rang interrupting his thoughts.
"John Gage," Johnny yawned.
"Hey there Gagey boy. How about you come for a drink?" a blast from the past called.
Looking at his books, he knew he needed a break. "Same place?"
"Yeah of course."
"Great I'll see ya in half an hour," Johnny slapped his hands together and quickly changed.
Driving to the bowling alley the paramedic realized it had been awhile since he had seen his old shift from 10, all work and no play made a dull boy, as he pulled into the parking lot.
Walking into the noisy, smoky alley made him wonder why he hadn't come sooner. He spotted about five guys off to the side near the bar and waved.
"Well there Junior," a slightly grey haired man called out.
"Hey Stony," Gage took a chair, pulled it close to the two tables shoved together but not before snagging a handful of peanuts.
"Hey guys!" John smiled.
"So how's life treating Johnny?" Ruffolo looked at him. "Burning the candle at both ends, boy?"
Johnny frowned, "You might say that. I'm studying." He announced.
"What finally going to join the ranks of the engineers like your old paramedic partner?" Tim looked at him. "Better pay and a lot less hassle. Been one for ten years."
Gage stared out at the bowlers wondering if he should tell. Even at his station once every one knew he was studying for the exam they seemed to pull away, he hadn't even taken the damn test yet and they were treating him different. But he could trust these guys, his first station and they certainly would understand.
"Um, I'm studying for the captain's exam," John smiled and watched as his former shift mates faces fell. "Hey I'm just taking the test man. YOU all look like I passed."
"Well Johnny whatever you set your mind to, you generally get. Look what you did as a paramedic man. You aced that exam," Tim took a long drink of his beer.
"So you're going to be brass Johnny? Guess we'll have to talk to you different," Ruffolo frowned.
"Hey guys, c'mon lighten up. Remember it's me Johnny Gage. I could always keep you rolling on the floor," Johnny smiled but stood up. So much for a night out. "See ya later guys wouldn't want to be a downer." Waving he headed back to his car and the nearest burger joint.
*****
Johnny now felt alone, friends he thought he had made themselves scarce since he was studying for the captain's exam. Three long months he had been at it and he still had a long way to go. The one person he was dyning to tell didn't seem to care any more. The paramedic found one common day both he and Roy were off. He called Roy at home, while still at the station.
"DeSoto residence," Roy answered.
"Hey Roy!" Johnny was happy to hear his ex partner's voice.
"Hi Johnny," Roy's voice held a bit of frustration, a voice he knew only too well.
"Guess what Roy, we have one day off together next week. Wednesday. I figure I could come over and…." Johnny was sitting on the bookcase at the pay phone.
"I'm busy," Roy cut him off.
"C'mon Roy it's been awhile since I've seen Joanne and the kids and I have something I really need to talk to you about and…." He ran his hand through his hair, feeling Roy's impatience and consternation at his phone call.
"Listen Junior I told you I'm busy all right. Maybe some other time all right. Bye." Then he heard the click of the phone.
Johnny was sure how long he held onto the headset, but he knew whatever friendship he had with Roy was gone. "Why don't you just tell me to get lost Roy? Huh or go to hell, you don't have to be nice."
So here he was, stuck in his apartment when he could be outdoors, pouring over the books and furiously making notes. Stuffing his mouth with a sandwich the phone ringing stopped his meal.
"John Gage," he answered.
"Johnny," Dwyer answered.
"Hey what's up Dwyer," Gage looked forward the short break.
"I'd thought I'd let you know your fire truck is being towed away," the paramedic said low. "Says he's picking it up for DeSoto and taking it to 36."
There was a long pause and Johnny finished chewing and thinking.
"Johnny you still there?" Dwyer said impatiently.
"Yeah, Dwyer I'm still here. Don't hassle the guy k." Johnny sighed.
"But Johnny I know hard, hell we all know how hard you've been working on that damn thing and you're going to let Roy just take it!" Dwyer was indignant.
"Just let him take the engine Dwyer. I won't have time to work on it anymore anyways," John could feel his jaw clench and tried not to react to what his former partner was now doing. Roy could've asked and at least come while he was on shift.
"But Johnny…" Dwyer's words hung in the air.
"Really Dwyer it's okay. Roy can have it. No hassles k?" Johnny looked at his books, besides he had better things to do than work on an old 1932 fire truck filled with now bad memories.
"Okay Johnny. I'll let the rest of the shift know it wasn't stolen," Dwyer said sarcastically. "See ya later."
"Yeah Dwyer, later," Gage hung up the headset and had to deal with some unexpected issues. Sighing he would study a few more hours and then go out and walk around a park. HE would have some hard thinking to do regarding his former partner.
****
Unconsciously, John went to the spot where the old engine sat, on the ground he could see the large oil spot from where the engine was and flecks of red paint. Sighing he knew it was time to move on, which he should've done the moment he saw the look in Roy's eyes when he got the promotion.
However during his shift Chet just wouldn't let it go. The engine was gone, Roy was gone and what he hoped was long friendship was gone too.
"Hey Gage, aren't you going to report the engine stolen? I heard from Dwyer DeSoto came and got it and you didn't even put up a fight," Chet struck a nerve.
"Chet for once in your life why don't you just shut the hell up k? Because the way I'm feeling I might not be responsible for what I do, phantom or no phantom," John had pushed Chet against the wall of the bay both arms on both sides of Kelly, boxing the phantom in.
"All right gentlemen," Stanley placed himself between the two men, "you have this much energy why don't you take care of the hoses? Chet you do that and John come into my office."
Following glumly behind the cap, John went into the office and then closed the door.
"John I know you've been studying real hard for this exam but you need to give yourself some breaks in between or you'll be burned out even before you started. Do I make myself clear?" Stanley could see the dark haired paramedic struggling and he had no way to help him.
"Yeah, Cap I understand only too well. I'll go clean out the locker room," Gage stood up, thankful for the reprieve and the monotony of cleaning that would give him time to think.
****
John had borrowed the station's typewriter and completed the document. Now it was going to be the hard part. But it was a necessary part of the job. Once off shift the dark haired paramedic headed to Rampart.
Luckily the ER was slow as he headed toward the nurse's station.
"Hey Dix," Johnny waved at her.
"Well what are you doing here on your day off Johnny?" Dixie leaned over on the counter. "Thought you might get sick of this place."
"Well, um I got some business is Brackett in?" John stuck in his hands in his pockets.
"Yeah, Johnny he's in his office," Dix looked at the downcast man.
"Thanks Dix," John waved and headed towards the doctor's office. Knocking on the door, he walked in the office to see Kell writing in some folder.
"Johnny!" Brackett stood up and then saw the seriousness of the paramedic.
"Hey Doc, got a few minutes? I really need to talk to you," Johnny walked to his desk.
"Sure Johnny take a seat," Kell watched as John took a seat but not relaxed, he hands resting on his knees his feet on the floor.
"Um, Doc well," Gage bit his lower lip and then pulled out a slip of paper out of his shirt pocket... "I want this to go into my medical file."
Brackett took it and read it over. "A medical directive? Johnny why I thought Roy…"
"Roy's moved on and has enough problems without worrying about me," the paramedic smiled.
"I can see your point but…" Brackett put the paper down and then looked at John's steady brown eyes. "There's something else."
"Yeah Doc, I'm changing my paperwork. But before we get started if you turn me down, no hard feelings k. Dr. Early all ready said no and I understand and…" John sighed.
"What is it Johnny? Just tell me," Brackett leaned forward on his desk.
"Well, I wonder if you could be my contact name for my paperwork. You know the just in case of emergency, that sort of thing," Gage placed his hands on his desk. "So if you say no it's all right I have a few people on my list and…"
Kell watched as Johnny struggled with the words more than anything. He knew Roy had become an engineer, seeing him leave the paramedics was sad but necessary, now John was floundering trying to find a new name to replace Roy. But he knew Gage was studying for the captain's exam and Brackett knew he would be losing one of his best paramedics.
"Sure Johnny," Brackett smiled.
"Now I understand if you're busy I'm mean I was just cutting out the middle man you know and I understand and all," Johnny stood up knowing he had failed again.
"Johnny I said yes. You can put me as the contact name. You have my card take the information from that, k?" Kell also stood up.
"You sure about this Doc, I don't want to be a burden you know and you mean it?" Johnny smiled relieved to have a part of his life taken care of.
"Yes Johnny I mean it. Now go on, isn't this your day off? Shouldn't you be studying?" Kel escorted him out of his office.
"Thanks again Doc," Johnny shook his hand furiously; "you won't regret this. I promise." Gage let go of the doctor's hand and left his office whistling.
Dixie watched as the favorite paramedic waved and smiled as he left the ER, she confronted her favorite doctor. "What in the world was that all about?"
"I wish I knew Dix, I think a weight has just been lifted off Johnny's shoulders only I hope its for the best," Kell looked at Dixie, "Can I buy you lunch?"
"Sure, you can buy me lunch," Dixie smiled.
