A Man and His Dog
by Clearing Sky
In tribute to Tim Donnelly.
Shoes stopped in the apparatus bay just at the entrance to the day room. Eyes looked around the empty bay, ears listening. Voices drifted from the open door to the dorm across the bay and from the captain's office. Everyone else was occupied. Firefighter Chet Kelly peered into the day room through the inset windows of the swing doors. The time was right. His open palms slid down the sides of his shirt and trousers and he closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before pushing open the doors and stepping in.
Henry, Station 51s de facto basset hound mascot, saw him approach and raised his head from the couch, his tail thumping against the couch in greeting. Chet hooked over to the refrigerator, took out a bowl of chicken and slid onto the red faux leather next to his furry friend, his arm outstretched to keep the bowl from Henry's sniffing snout.
Keeping his arms out, Chet grabbed a piece of chicken and gave it to Henry as the ever-starving canine was on the verge of stepping over Chet's body to get at the bowl. Momentarily satisfied with Chet's offering, Henry settled down on Chet's lap to finish off his well-earned treat. Chet set the bowl down on the other side of him as he petted the notoriously lazy munching ball of fur.
"I didn't want to tell you this before, Henry, but it's my last day here at 51s. I finally made engineer. I got promoted, so they're sending me to another station. Can you believe it?" He grabbed another piece of chicken and offered it to the again-starving Henry, his tail wagging with rhythmic thumps against the couch.
"Not sure how I feel about it, to be honest. I mean, I've been here a long time. But the captain's exam isn't for another couple of years and Mike isn't sure he's gonna take it, yet." He grabbed another piece of chicken and fed it to the enraptured canine, who eagerly took it. "I can't remain a firefighter forever. I have my career to think about. Not to mention my paycheck. Inflation and all that." His petting hand played with Henry's long ears, slithering them between his fingers, feeling the softness of the fur. "I want to settle down with a nice chick, buy a house, maybe get a dog." He half-lifted Henry as he leaned down and hugged Henry to him and jostled him, nuzzling his ear and playing with his front paws. He set Henry gently back down on his lap and grabbed another piece of chicken. "I start over at 8s next week after our four days off. But don't worry, Henry, the rest of the guys will still be here. Not to mention, all the guys on A and B shifts. I'll stop by and visit you, so don't worry. I'll pretend I'm visiting the guys, you know, to make them think they're special. But it's really you I'll be coming to see." Henry reached over and nipped the chicken out of Chet's hand. "Oh. Yeah. Sorry. Anyway, so you'll probably see me more than you do when I'm here. You'll see me so often you'll get sick of me," Chet sniffed, still petting Henry.
Chet checked the bowl and regretfully picked up the last piece of chicken. He paused for a moment then gently handed it to the happy Henry, tail again wagging. The two sat together on the couch for a long time, Chet's petting hand never stopping for a moment.
The familiar tones sounded, followed by Sam's voice echoing the dispatch information throughout the station. Chet closed his eyes for a moment as he thumped Henry's side. He looked toward the door then down into Henry's eyes. "That's my cue, Henry. I gotta go." He lifted Henry to his chest and squeezed, kissing his ear and the top of his head, petting him as he moved over and settled Henry back onto the couch. With one last kiss on Henry's head, Chet grabbed the bowl, wiping a tear, gave Henry a rough pat on the head and set the bowl in the sink. He paused at the door, gave Henry one last look and a wink. "Oh, and Henry, I taught you how to lick all of Johnny's chicken before he eats it. I'm counting on you. Don't forget now. Gotta go, Henry, okay? See ya, babe." Henry's tail gave a wiggled wag as he looked at him until Chet slipped out the door.
Henry sniffed the spot on the couch that Chet vacated then settled on the warm spot and watched the door as the roar of the trucks and sirens faded into the distance, waiting.
fin
A/N: Thank you, Tim, for sharing your gifts with us. Station 51 is quieter without you. Rest peacefully and with love.