Taking Care Of Their Own
PattiL61
It was late August. It was hot. The kids playing in the neighborhood surrounding the police and fire stations of the 55th Precinct were running around, playing stickball. There were girls on the sidewalk jumping rope and playing with dolls in their little strollers. Some were bickering and picking fights. They were ready to return to school, whether they realized it or not. They were bored, having explored everything the summer had to offer. Mothers were sitting on their steps, watching over their young, breaking up the quarrels, and talking about how the kids were ready to return to the structure of the school schedule.
Half of the crew from the firehouse was playing basketball on the half-court they had constructed alongside of the station. Half the neighborhood kids were either playing or standing around yelling encouragement or remarks at the players. The other half of the FDNY personnel were either in making dinner or relaxing in chairs pulled outside, the front legs raised off the ground and the backs of the chairs leaning against the brick building, all the chores of the house completed. It was Doherty's turn to cook tonight and the smell of his famous Irish stew wafted out of the open overhead door of the station, around the immaculate red truck.
It was time for the police officers to change shifts, with the Third Watch officers trickling into the station with their uniforms, fresh from the cleaners, slung over their shoulders. These were the officers that most of the people of the neighborhood were familiar with; these officers were seen every day as the kids returned home from school and while they played outside until it was time for dinner and bed. The other two shifts were usually seen only when there was trouble; the Second Watch (7am to 3pm) if there was trouble in school, and the First Watch (11pm to 7 am) during the wee hours of the morning, when unsavory characters roamed the streets, lurking in the shadows.
The kids heard the familiar roar of Officer Bosco's blue Mustang and Officer Ty's black Navigator. They loved it when Ty and Bosco revved their engines as they came down the street and the two young officers were only too willing to please. The kids moved to the side to let them both by, waving and yelling their greetings. Matthew, Michael and Shaun all ran over to Ty and Bosco to say hello and get their orders for the day.
"Hi Officer Ty! Hi Officer Bosco!" all three said in unison. "Hey guys," said Bosco, smiling back at the kids. Ty was lifting Shaun up by the arms and swinging him over and around his shoulders, putting him safely back on the ground again. "Again!" yelled Shaun, jumping, knowing he could get the tall officer to lift him up at least three of four more times before he had to leave to get ready for work. Ty had often joked, "Who needs to go the gym when I can lift this guy all the time?"
Bosco knelt down so that he was at eye level with the three boys. "Okay, guys. I just got my car detailed today, so it's your job today to make sure that no one gets any fingerprints on it, okay?" he said. "Yes sir," they replied, taking their task very seriously.
"Alright," said Bosco, standing up and taking the three packs of baseball cards out of his shirt pocket and handing one to each of them. Davis mussed the hair on each of the kids' heads and said, "Okay, don't forget to watch out for traffic and don't get into any trouble. Help your Mom with your baby sister," he finished as Bosco and Ty looked over and waved at the boys' mother, Katy, who was sitting on the steps feeding the baby her bottle. This family was one of their own - the young husband and father, one of those lost in the attacks at the World Trade Center almost a year ago, never got to see the beautiful baby girl born three weeks after his death. Everyone at the firehouse and police station kept an eye on the family, stopping over often to see if they needed anything done around the house and sometimes just to pick up the boys and take them to play with their own kids or to a ball game - to give their mother a chance to regroup for a while before returning to the task of raising four children alone.
Katy waved back at the officers and yelled, "Thanks Bosco, thanks Ty," as the two officers turned to go into the station house.
The ambulance was just returning from a routine call, the back-up alarm sounding as Doc skillfully backed the rig into the station. Kim jumped out of the passenger side of the rig and yelled back to Jimmy, "I'm gonna go invite Katy and the kids!"
"Okay, you know I always make too much of this anyway," he said, knowing that the meal was one of Michael's favorites.
Kim walked across the street waving at Faith, who was rushing into the police station to get ready for roll call. "Late again, I see," joked Kim with Faith. "I'm tellin' ya', the more I hurry, the further behind I get!" Faith yelled back. Faith waved at Katy quickly and disappeared into the station.
Kim walked up to Katy and she immediately knew what Kim wanted. "Hey Kim," she said smiling as she handed the infant over to Kim who never seemed to get enough of holding the child. "She needs another one," Katy thought to herself, silently hoping that she and Jimmy would just work it out already. "Life is too short," she thought to herself, a wave of sadness coming over her, bringing a tear to her eye. She casually wiped it away, hoping that Kim hadn't noticed, but she did.
"So, Jimmy's cooking again. You know what that means," Kim said with a smile.
"Mmmm. I can smell it," Katy said as she watched her boys run up the steps and sit down next to her and behind her. Shaun, the youngest of the three boys, took up his usual position, hanging over her shoulders from behind.
"Mom, Jimmy said we could come for dinner," said Michael with pleading eyes. "Can we?" he asked, willing her to say yes. Katy and Kim exchanged glances. Kim knew that Katy was worried about becoming too dependent upon the men and women from the 5-5. She needed to know she could do it on her own. But, it was nice knowing that they were just a phone call away if she needed anything, she thought, remembering the night that little Stephanie was born.
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She had gone into labor at about 8:30 at night. The kids were sound asleep in bed and she didn't know what she was going to do. She had called her sister to come watch the kids, but her contractions were coming so fast and her water had broken. She called over to the firehouse and found out that the bus was out on another run. She hung up the phone and was just about to call 9-1-1 to have another ambulance dispatched when there was a knock on the door. She opened the door and saw that D.K. and Jimmy were there. They told her not to worry, they'd take her on the truck if they had to, but she was going to get to the hospital on time. D.K. had gone to the neighbor, explained what was happening and asked her to come over and sit with the boys until Katy's sister could arrive. The neighbor didn't hesitate. As they were walking Katy out the front door, Bosco and Faith were just coming out of the station with Sully and Ty after making a few arrests at an out of control party.
"Hey guys," said Sully. "What's up?"
Faith noticed the look on Katy's face and the nervous looks on the faces of D.K. and Jimmy. She knew that Katy was close to her due date and assumed that it was about to happen.
"Katy?" Faith said, looking at her. Katy nodded and Faith said, "Bosco get the car," as she looked over at the firehouse and noticed that the rig was not there. Bosco looked at Faith, still without a clue as to what was happening. "Why?" he said, puzzled. Sully, who had caught on to what was happening, punched Bosco in the arm and said, "Because Katy's gonna have the baby!"
"What!?" he said loudly, his eyes filled with shock. "Oh God," he finished as he ran to get the car. Davis got on the radio to advise Central that 55-David would be transporting a woman in labor from the station to Mercy. Lieutenant Swersky was at the front desk of the stationhouse and heard the transmission over the radio. He immediately ran around the desk and out the front door toward Katy's house.
The Lieutenant saw the crowd standing in the middle of the road, helping Katy into the back of 55-David and Faith climbing in behind her. Bosco jumped into the driver's seat and started the engine, flipping on the lights just as the Lieutenant jumped into the passenger side of the front seat. Bosco looked over at him and said, "You wanna drive Lieu?" not wanting to get on the Lieutenant's bad side in this matter.
"Just drive Boscorelli," he ordered as Bosco slammed the car into drive and started off, siren wailing. "And you better get us there in one piece or you won't live to tell about it," he said. "That's my daughter and grandchild you have in your care," he finished.
"Not a problem, Sir," said Bosco as he expertly navigated his way to the hospital without incident.
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"Katy?" Kim said again, noticing the smile in Katy's face. "What d'ya say? You up for some stew?"
"What? Oh yeah, absolutely. My mouth has been watering for it all afternoon," she said as she stood up to get a few things to bring with her for the baby, the three boys jumping up and down with delight as they followed Kim, holding Stephanie, to the other "wing" of her house.
Katy looked up and down the block and saw the Third Watch officers leaving for their patrols. She glanced over at the firehouse, the two most welcoming buildings on the block and said a little prayer for the men and women of the 5-5 to come back safely from their shifts.
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The End.
PattiL61
It was late August. It was hot. The kids playing in the neighborhood surrounding the police and fire stations of the 55th Precinct were running around, playing stickball. There were girls on the sidewalk jumping rope and playing with dolls in their little strollers. Some were bickering and picking fights. They were ready to return to school, whether they realized it or not. They were bored, having explored everything the summer had to offer. Mothers were sitting on their steps, watching over their young, breaking up the quarrels, and talking about how the kids were ready to return to the structure of the school schedule.
Half of the crew from the firehouse was playing basketball on the half-court they had constructed alongside of the station. Half the neighborhood kids were either playing or standing around yelling encouragement or remarks at the players. The other half of the FDNY personnel were either in making dinner or relaxing in chairs pulled outside, the front legs raised off the ground and the backs of the chairs leaning against the brick building, all the chores of the house completed. It was Doherty's turn to cook tonight and the smell of his famous Irish stew wafted out of the open overhead door of the station, around the immaculate red truck.
It was time for the police officers to change shifts, with the Third Watch officers trickling into the station with their uniforms, fresh from the cleaners, slung over their shoulders. These were the officers that most of the people of the neighborhood were familiar with; these officers were seen every day as the kids returned home from school and while they played outside until it was time for dinner and bed. The other two shifts were usually seen only when there was trouble; the Second Watch (7am to 3pm) if there was trouble in school, and the First Watch (11pm to 7 am) during the wee hours of the morning, when unsavory characters roamed the streets, lurking in the shadows.
The kids heard the familiar roar of Officer Bosco's blue Mustang and Officer Ty's black Navigator. They loved it when Ty and Bosco revved their engines as they came down the street and the two young officers were only too willing to please. The kids moved to the side to let them both by, waving and yelling their greetings. Matthew, Michael and Shaun all ran over to Ty and Bosco to say hello and get their orders for the day.
"Hi Officer Ty! Hi Officer Bosco!" all three said in unison. "Hey guys," said Bosco, smiling back at the kids. Ty was lifting Shaun up by the arms and swinging him over and around his shoulders, putting him safely back on the ground again. "Again!" yelled Shaun, jumping, knowing he could get the tall officer to lift him up at least three of four more times before he had to leave to get ready for work. Ty had often joked, "Who needs to go the gym when I can lift this guy all the time?"
Bosco knelt down so that he was at eye level with the three boys. "Okay, guys. I just got my car detailed today, so it's your job today to make sure that no one gets any fingerprints on it, okay?" he said. "Yes sir," they replied, taking their task very seriously.
"Alright," said Bosco, standing up and taking the three packs of baseball cards out of his shirt pocket and handing one to each of them. Davis mussed the hair on each of the kids' heads and said, "Okay, don't forget to watch out for traffic and don't get into any trouble. Help your Mom with your baby sister," he finished as Bosco and Ty looked over and waved at the boys' mother, Katy, who was sitting on the steps feeding the baby her bottle. This family was one of their own - the young husband and father, one of those lost in the attacks at the World Trade Center almost a year ago, never got to see the beautiful baby girl born three weeks after his death. Everyone at the firehouse and police station kept an eye on the family, stopping over often to see if they needed anything done around the house and sometimes just to pick up the boys and take them to play with their own kids or to a ball game - to give their mother a chance to regroup for a while before returning to the task of raising four children alone.
Katy waved back at the officers and yelled, "Thanks Bosco, thanks Ty," as the two officers turned to go into the station house.
The ambulance was just returning from a routine call, the back-up alarm sounding as Doc skillfully backed the rig into the station. Kim jumped out of the passenger side of the rig and yelled back to Jimmy, "I'm gonna go invite Katy and the kids!"
"Okay, you know I always make too much of this anyway," he said, knowing that the meal was one of Michael's favorites.
Kim walked across the street waving at Faith, who was rushing into the police station to get ready for roll call. "Late again, I see," joked Kim with Faith. "I'm tellin' ya', the more I hurry, the further behind I get!" Faith yelled back. Faith waved at Katy quickly and disappeared into the station.
Kim walked up to Katy and she immediately knew what Kim wanted. "Hey Kim," she said smiling as she handed the infant over to Kim who never seemed to get enough of holding the child. "She needs another one," Katy thought to herself, silently hoping that she and Jimmy would just work it out already. "Life is too short," she thought to herself, a wave of sadness coming over her, bringing a tear to her eye. She casually wiped it away, hoping that Kim hadn't noticed, but she did.
"So, Jimmy's cooking again. You know what that means," Kim said with a smile.
"Mmmm. I can smell it," Katy said as she watched her boys run up the steps and sit down next to her and behind her. Shaun, the youngest of the three boys, took up his usual position, hanging over her shoulders from behind.
"Mom, Jimmy said we could come for dinner," said Michael with pleading eyes. "Can we?" he asked, willing her to say yes. Katy and Kim exchanged glances. Kim knew that Katy was worried about becoming too dependent upon the men and women from the 5-5. She needed to know she could do it on her own. But, it was nice knowing that they were just a phone call away if she needed anything, she thought, remembering the night that little Stephanie was born.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She had gone into labor at about 8:30 at night. The kids were sound asleep in bed and she didn't know what she was going to do. She had called her sister to come watch the kids, but her contractions were coming so fast and her water had broken. She called over to the firehouse and found out that the bus was out on another run. She hung up the phone and was just about to call 9-1-1 to have another ambulance dispatched when there was a knock on the door. She opened the door and saw that D.K. and Jimmy were there. They told her not to worry, they'd take her on the truck if they had to, but she was going to get to the hospital on time. D.K. had gone to the neighbor, explained what was happening and asked her to come over and sit with the boys until Katy's sister could arrive. The neighbor didn't hesitate. As they were walking Katy out the front door, Bosco and Faith were just coming out of the station with Sully and Ty after making a few arrests at an out of control party.
"Hey guys," said Sully. "What's up?"
Faith noticed the look on Katy's face and the nervous looks on the faces of D.K. and Jimmy. She knew that Katy was close to her due date and assumed that it was about to happen.
"Katy?" Faith said, looking at her. Katy nodded and Faith said, "Bosco get the car," as she looked over at the firehouse and noticed that the rig was not there. Bosco looked at Faith, still without a clue as to what was happening. "Why?" he said, puzzled. Sully, who had caught on to what was happening, punched Bosco in the arm and said, "Because Katy's gonna have the baby!"
"What!?" he said loudly, his eyes filled with shock. "Oh God," he finished as he ran to get the car. Davis got on the radio to advise Central that 55-David would be transporting a woman in labor from the station to Mercy. Lieutenant Swersky was at the front desk of the stationhouse and heard the transmission over the radio. He immediately ran around the desk and out the front door toward Katy's house.
The Lieutenant saw the crowd standing in the middle of the road, helping Katy into the back of 55-David and Faith climbing in behind her. Bosco jumped into the driver's seat and started the engine, flipping on the lights just as the Lieutenant jumped into the passenger side of the front seat. Bosco looked over at him and said, "You wanna drive Lieu?" not wanting to get on the Lieutenant's bad side in this matter.
"Just drive Boscorelli," he ordered as Bosco slammed the car into drive and started off, siren wailing. "And you better get us there in one piece or you won't live to tell about it," he said. "That's my daughter and grandchild you have in your care," he finished.
"Not a problem, Sir," said Bosco as he expertly navigated his way to the hospital without incident.
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"Katy?" Kim said again, noticing the smile in Katy's face. "What d'ya say? You up for some stew?"
"What? Oh yeah, absolutely. My mouth has been watering for it all afternoon," she said as she stood up to get a few things to bring with her for the baby, the three boys jumping up and down with delight as they followed Kim, holding Stephanie, to the other "wing" of her house.
Katy looked up and down the block and saw the Third Watch officers leaving for their patrols. She glanced over at the firehouse, the two most welcoming buildings on the block and said a little prayer for the men and women of the 5-5 to come back safely from their shifts.
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The End.