Chapter 14
Twenty-two local and statewide publications, including TV news, newspapers and small weekly trade magazines did reviews on opening night. Some of them wouldn't come out until the performances were over but there was enough said on the eleven o'clock news and in the entertainment section of the morning paper to inspire the last available tickets to be sold before noon the next day.
That kind of press was unheard of for an armature production of this nature. The only explanations were someone on one of the committees had connections and firemen in tights are a news worthy event.
There was talk of being held over yet again but the firemen in the cast, all of them not just the Red Hot Seven, were ready to get back to fighting fires. Before they could make their wishes known however Chief Houts gave the final word. A large wild fire had started just a little north of their area; He needed his firemen back at their posts.
Hank was afraid of his men getting more nervous than they already were, or worse that one or more of them would get swelled heads, so they were all advised not to read or watch any of the reports until after the last production and then they planned to get together as a group and read them out loud.
They had all seen enough on the morning news to know that they had made a positive impression and were liked. That was good to know. They could now go into the rest of their shows knowing that even if people were buying tickets to laugh at them they were changing their tune before they left the auditorium.
So once again they started to gather at the school for the next performance, the seven dancing firemen among the first ones to arrive. The first thing they did was walk around the stage and back stage area to make sure all that they were going to need was there and in good condition, especially the wires, and that there was no damage to the props. Chet was thrilled to see his new costume laid out for him. Today at least he wouldn't have to stand still for hours while he was sewn into and then have to be cut out of his costume.
Several commented that Chet still had his mustache and Cap was quick to let everyone know that he'd told him to keep it. "It fits with our image and helps to make this production our own," He had said.
Then they began to stretch out, casually at first more of a waking up the muscles approach. While they did so they talked about the two performances the day before. They talked of what had worked well and what they could improve upon. There was talk of including the crashing garbage cans in all of the shows but they had been order to be removed immediately after the first showing by the school principal who was embarrassed that they had been put there in the first place, it wasn't something they felt strongly enough about to have them brought back so they dropped it.
Most of all they were all glad that there was only one show tonight. Doing two in one day took a toll. They all knew they had agreed to do two shows on the last day but were relieved that there was a longer break between the two shows and that they weren't expected to do a meet and greet between like they did the opening day. Then their thoughts turned to the kids, some thought of the tiny little girl turning eight and doubting she'd be seeing nine. John and Cap thought of Adam, they knew they'd helped to make a positive and hopefully lasting difference in that young man's life and it warmed their souls.
Craig Brice remembered being asked for his autograph and to have their pictures taken with him. Not something he had ever had happen before. He marveled, out loud once or twice, that he was a hero to them not because of some death defying act to save someone from a burning building, but simply by carrying on while wearing an orthopedic boot.
-0-
The week went on, at the end everyone was tired but only half glad it was all over, it had been fun but the firemen were also ready to get back to work. Even a four alarm fire was looking like a vacation after the week they'd had.
Somehow Hank had made it through all nine shows without throwing his back out when he hauled Mike, while wearing his dog costume, off the stage in a firemen's carry.
Little Jenny had stolen the hearts of one and all with her performance of Tinker Bell.
Chet brought the house down in loud laughter when making his first appearance floating past the open bedroom window every single performance but he also won the admiration of every person seated in that auditorium before flying off to Never Never Land
They had truly impressed many with their dancing skills and other moves every night but none as much as Hank Stanley and his daughter Kristen. Hank's leap over the upright crocodile rose the roof with stunned gasps of pure amazement every single performance and was shown on three TV channels winning the 'Seven' an invitation to be on the Johnny Carson show in a couple of weeks. Jennie was going to help them work up a special dance number for the event. After they'd all caught their breath from the production.
On the second to last night of the performances Chief Houts took the stage at the end of the production,
"Usually, when I give out awards like I am tonight, I'm telling stories of life risking heroism needed to save the lives of others. But the words at the top of these commendations state, Above and Beyond the Call of Duty.
"When I asked a small group of firemen to put on a performance for the purpose of convincing the rest of their fellow firemen that this kind of activity was not beneath those of their manly profession and hopefully to open their minds to the benefits of these activities," he still managed to keep from saying the word Ballet in public, "What I had in mind when I made this assignment is nowhere near what you have all seen tonight and hundreds, in fact into the thousands of people have seen this week. Each and every person involved with this production has gone miles above and beyond what I envisioned when the assignment was given and I am honored to be able to present them the following commendations here tonight."
Chief Houts then called out the names of every single firefighter associated with the production starting with the Choir and orchestra and then calling the back stage assistants out from behind the sets before ending with the seven firemen that had been center stage.
The cast then took the moment behind the spokesmanship of Hank Stanley to recognize with a gift and a bouquet of flowers the following: the presidencies of the two committees that had been so instrumental in pulling the production together, Mrs. Merthner, and Jennie Martin.
When they couldn't convince the men or the fire department to do more performances, the THEY turned out to be more influential and higher reaching than the men knew, movie cameras began to appear in several places in the auditorium. Someone with the knowhow would be cutting and splicing the best of all the shows together along with all of the news commentaries surrounding the show for a home movie. They hoped to sell a copy to each of the cast members and there was talk that it might end up on PBS TV.
"I am going to be so glad to get back to work," Marco was one of the first to speak when The Red Hot Seven plus a few other adults sat together till sunrise after the last performance, in the quiet of Hank's back yard, drinking a few beers and talking. "Once I'm in my uniform I won't have to worry about whether I'm a pirate, or a lost boy or an Indian at the moment, I can just be a fireman and that's all I want to be."
"What's PBS TV?" Chet asked about the announcement that had been made at the end of their matinee production earlier that day.
"It stands for Public Broadcasting System. It's the channels that run shows like Sesame Street and other educational shows." Roy was able to explain.
"Hey that's great Chet might be on TV right alongside Kermit the Frog." Johnny chortled, "That's fitting their both green, and if you have trouble telling them apart, just remember the frog is clean shaven."
They all took a moment to make a mental picture of Chet alongside the famous frog and managed to laugh. Well all except for Craig Brice, he was rather quiet in the background rubbing his ankle. He had been out of the boot for three days now except for when he was on stage; his doctor didn't want him to reinjure his ankle with the stress on it during a performance. No one had any idea why he was so quiet or what to say or do about it, so they just carried on.
"Just remember Johnny boy, that should have been you swinging around from the rafters." Chet tipped is half empty beer bottle pointing it toward the dark haired paramedic.
"No," Johnny gave the Irishman a knowing smile. "It was the best person for the part that ended up with it."
"I must admit I was a little nervous when the parts were changed so close to production time," Mr. Merthner added her evaluation of the now finished production. "But putting Mr. Kelly on the wires was the best decision you made." Her full attention was on Hank Stanley who was relaxed and just about to fall asleep in his lounge chair.
"I disagree," Johnny spoke up again feeling a little boisterous after his second or was it his third beer. "That was his second best decision. His best decision was to allow our Peter Pan here to keep his security blanket." Johnny reached out and tugged at a few hairs in Chet's mustache while everyone laughed.
"I will also admit that I had issues with that hairy upper lip of yours Mr. Kelly," Mrs. Merthner spoke again, "Until I read the article where they quoted Mr. Stanley's answer to the question of why our Peter Pan had a mustache."
Mrs. Merthner then reached down to a stack of papers on the ground near her feet and shuffled through them till she found what she was looking for and began to read aloud.
"When asked why the actor playing the part of Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up, had a full bushy mustache, Assistant Director Henry Stanley, who is also the fire Captain for the dancing firemen in the cast as well as playing the part of Captain Hook, gave the following explanation. Growing older is not something that any of us have any control over. Growing up however is another matter all together. The Mustache on our Peter Pan is ment to motivate each person to remember their youthful passions for fun and fantasy in spite of their accumulation of years. I really think it fits with our group and this particular production. Kind of represents who we are and the need to still act like a kid sometimes."
Hank twirled his beer bottle in his hands in a thoughtful manner with a sheepish grin on his face. "I gave that interview just minutes before I told Chet to keep his mustache," Hank revealed, "I'm kind of glad now that he didn't shave it off. It might have ruined the play."
The men of station 51 were directed to places in the yard where Hank knew they'd be in the shade when the sun finished coming up and they stretched out on provided blankets to sleep off their refreshments. Hank then drug his lounge chair over next to them and lay it flat, as he stretched out looking at the first hints of morning Hank was grateful that someone else was taking care of getting all of the props and costumes back where they belonged. He and his men had one day to catch up on their rest and then they were back on duty. Hank was ready for life to get back to normal, or at least as normal as it could be after what they'd done.
Author's Note:
This is not the end there is still a bit of this story to tell and a few lose ends to tie up. I'm not sure if it will be one or two more chapters so we'll just have to see.