Chapter 8-The Beginning of A New Year Brings A Crossroad for Chris
Summary As the second part of his junior year begins, Chris is facing an internal crossroads.
KMG 365
Seventeen-year-old Chris Desoto was excited yet anxious to start the second half of his junior year just after his birthday. He was happy to have his birthday land in the first days of January as it always meant he could enjoy it before school started again. The excitement that the starting of the new decade brought filtered through the halls of Central High School. For Chris and the other members of the upper classes, it was time to start focusing on the future.
The seniors were putting the final touches on their college applications. Those not extending their academic careers were working on their job applications. For the juniors, it was time to start exploring possible options. They needed to pick their classes for the fall of their senior year. It was also time to look at options beyond school.
For athletes like Chris, the first question was, did they want to continue their athletic career after high school? If not, what did they want to do? These were the questions that were running through Chris's mind as he signed up for an important meeting with his guidance counselor. As he put his name on the paper, the teen noticed the spot after his was also open.
Curious, Chris walked over to the open door of his counselor and knocked on it. "Hi, Mr. Dennis."
The man looked up and smiled. "Good morning, Chris. How are you?"
Chris answered honestly. "I'm alright. May I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"I noticed that the time slot below mine is open, is there a chance I can take that one as well? I have a few things I want to talk to you about and get some advice on."
Mr. Dennis became concerned. "Are you okay, Chris?"
Chris responded, "Yes, Sir, just trying to figure a lot of stuff out for next and the future." The teenager quickly signed up for both time slots. As it worked out, they filled the time that would generally be his long study hall just after lunch.
"Mr. Dennis, can I ask you one more question before I let you go for now?"
"Of course."
"What time do you take lunch?"
"I have lunch at eleven. What time do you have it?"
"I have it at the same time."
"Would you like to have lunch in my office so we have a few extra minutes?"
Chris was surprised by the offer. "That would be amazing, thank you."
"You're welcome." Dennis looked down at the paper. "I will see you on the twenty-first."
"Looking forward to it, sir."
The duo shook hands before they split.
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Just over two weeks after signing up for the meeting, Chris woke up on January 21st, excited and nervous at the same time. Ever since his New Year's Eve chat with Mike, Marco, and Chet, he had been trying to figure out what he wanted to do after school. He felt like he had a plan in mind, but he wanted to talk to Mr. Dennis before discussing it with anyone else.
The day started as many did with Chris driving to school in the early hours to get in a voluntary off-season workout in the weight room. Then he grabbed a shower and headed for his first class. The pacing of the classes kept his mind busy until the bell rang for lunch.
Chris was surprised to see Mr. Dennis in the lunch line just in front of him. "Good morning, Mr. Dennis."
Mr. Dennis turned around. "Good morning, Chris; how are you?"
"Doing okay, Sir. How are you?"
"Doing well."
"What looks good for lunch?"
Mr. Dennis shook his head. "I'm aiming for a peanut butter sandwich and chips."
Chris laughed out loud. "I'll follow your lead."
The duo grabbed their lunch and headed out of the lunchroom. A quick nod from Mr. Dennis told the teacher on duty that Chris was going with him. Chris followed Mr. Dennis back to his office. Both had what amounted to a brown bag lunch of chips, a peanut butter sandwich, a cookie, and a drink in their hands.
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The duo walked into the office, and Mr. Dennis closed the door. They made small talk as they ate. Chris finished a few minutes before the older man, so he took the time to grab his new schedule idea.
Chris started the conversation. "Sir, when you are done, here are the classes I would like to take in the fall."
"Thank you, Chris." Mr. Dennis replied as he finished his lunch.
"You're welcome, Sir."
"When you signed up for our meeting, you said you had a few things you wanted to talk about."
"Yes, sir."
"What's on your mind?"
"Have you ever had a football player come to you and tell you they are in a bind?"
"What kind of bind?"
"I love the sport, but I don't see it as my future. I don't want to leave my teammates in a bind for my senior year, though."
The older man smiled at Chris's dedication to his team. "Chris, just because you don't want to play after next June does not mean you can't play in the fall. May I make a suggestion, though?"
"Yes?"
"Make sure you take advantage of every option you can take next year. Take pictures and try to remember every moment, because trust me, next season is going to go by faster than you can ever imagine."
"You sound like you are speaking from experience."
"Very much so, in fact, on the same field, you have been playing and will finish your career. I still remember our last game more than thirty years later."
Chris was stunned. "I never knew you played."
"I was the starting outside linebacker all four years. I could play the left or the right, depending on where they needed me. You are a defensive tackle, aren't you?"
"I am."
"Enjoy that and do me a favor; flatten a quarterback or two for me next season, will ya?" Mr. Dennis asked with a grin.
Chris grinned. "My pleasure Sir."
The older man sobered as he walked around the front of his desk and sat on the corner of it. He wanted Chris to feel comfortable enough to open up about anything. "My friend, we could talk football all day. However, I get the hint that you have more on your mind than football."
"I do." Chris sobered. "Do you know what I have to do to get started with that career exploration program that I keep seeing signs about?"
"I can help you with that. Do you have a career path in mind?"
Chris smiled proudly, "I want to follow in my dad's footsteps and join the county fire department as both a firefighter and a paramedic. The only thing that I want to make sure is that I do things the right way."
"I understand." As he spoke, the counselor reached into a file cabinet built into his desk. "I can make a few calls to get you into the next career day discussion at their training center. Has your dad ever told you about the department's Explorer program?"
"He's mentioned it a few times, but up until recently, I never really let it sink in. However, the closer I get to my senior year, the more my mind is starting to work. I know who I can see about it."
"Oh?"
"Chief Hank Stanley used to be my dad's captain, and now he's his Battalion Chief. I'll stop by his station on the way home today and see if I can get in the next explorer academy."
"You sound like you've already had this planned out."
"For the most part. I guess I just wanted to bounce my ideas off somebody before I went through with everything."
"I'll listen to any ideas you have any time, my friend."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Chris felt like ten pounds off his shoulders after voicing his ideas. The rest of the time together was spent setting up the beginning of Chris's senior year. After that, the meeting ended with an excited Chris wanting to leave and talk to Hank.
The rest of the day, drug on for Chris. For the teenager, the only good news was there was no lifting after school. While he usually did not mind the afternoon workouts, today, Chris had somewhere to go. After his meeting earlier in the day, the teenager was ready to get an early start on his future.
Since Jenny had a photography club meeting, Chris made a quick phone call to his mom to let her know he was stopping by station 10 for a while to talk to Hank. Joanne was happy to hear the excitement in his voice again. She gladly told him to enjoy and give Hank her best.
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Chris groaned as he got stuck in the midafternoon traffic on the way to the station. He made the ordinarily ten-minute drive in just under forty-five minutes. After muttering a few unsavory strings of words, Chris finally pulled into the station parking lot.
He found an open parking spot between Hank and Mike's vehicles and climbed from his car. He loved that vehicle since it was given to him by his parents on his birthday a couple of years ago. Excited, he headed over to the station's back door. Since it was a little chilly, the rear bay door was closed, which meant he would have to knock on the other back door, which he did.
Mike's crew was running through one of many drills they had done that day. Hank had sat in on the demonstration because he was observing Mike's teaching skills. As Hank finished the observation, he heard the knock on the door.
Mike stood to get the door. Hank got to his feet as well. "I'll get it, Mike. You guys finish your drill; I don't want to break your rhythm."
Mike smiled, "Yes, Chief."
Mike continued the demonstration while Hank left the day room and quickly made his way across the bay. He smiled as he opened the door and saw Chris.
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Hank smiled, "Well, this is a surprise, hi Chris. How are you?"
Chris smiled. "Doing well, Chief. How has the day been?"
"Par for the course. What can I do for you?"
"I was wondering if I can talk to you for a little bit."
"Sure." Hank was a bit concerned. "Is everything okay?"
"Yes, I just wanted to talk to you about a few things."
"Okay, come on in."
Hank held the door open as Chris walked inside.
The sound of the other footsteps in the bay brought Adam and Taylor to the dayroom door. Adam asked, "Chief, is everything okay?"
Hank smiled, "We're all good, Adam. Captain Desoto's son is here to talk to me for a little while."
"Okay." The duo walked back into the dayroom to finish the drill.
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Hank led Chris into his office. The young man was a bit wide-eyed at the size of the station. It was a lot larger than the station he knew and loved. "Chief, I have to say I understand some of Uncle Johnny's comments that we need more room at 51s."
Hank chuckled as he closed the door. "Yeah, after being stationed here, I understand comments and slight complaints. Our adored 51s is a lot smaller than my current home."
"That it is."
"Something tells me you didn't just stop by to say hi, though."
Chris smiled, "Am I that obvious?"
"In some respects, yes. What can I do for you?"
"I was talking to my counselor about my senior year and the future after high school. When I told him I was thinking about following my dad's footsteps, he asked me if I knew about the fire explorers." Chris blushed as he continued. "I'll be honest, I know my dad has talked about it a few times, but I never really listened. Does that make sense?"
"Yes."
"Now, though, it has my mind going. Can I start tonight?"
Hank laughed, "Well, not quite; there are a few things you need to do before you get accepted into the academy."
"Like what?"
Hank gathered the needed paperwork and happily handed it over to Chris. "Can I give you a few ideas?"
"Of course."
"Workout and get used to waking up early."
"I already am for football."
Hank smiled, "Good. While we don't allow official ride alongs before you graduate from the academy, feel free to ask questions anywhere. You can pick the brains here or with your dad or uncle's crews."
"Okay. Do you know if the explorer program touches on any of the paramedic program?"
"I'm not sure, but from what they said at the last division meeting, you'll learn about it during career day at the academy."
"Awesome. My counselor is trying to get me into the next one of those."
"Sounds good."
"I have to wait until I'm eighteen to apply to the department academy, right officially?"
"Yes."
Chris shook his head. "I figured. I mean, I would jump for the class this summer, but maybe it's for the best."
"Especially going into your senior year. Trust me; there is plenty of time for things after school. Make sure you enjoy your time next year."
"Before I go talk to my dad and mom and get this ball rolling, and I ask you a curious question?"
"Of course."
"Have you heard anything about the paramedic engine?"
Hank shook his head with a bit of frustration. "I keep trying. I think I am finally making a little bit of headway in the department. However, they are having some issues with the county government."
Chris shook his head. "Oh, I am sure that's going well."
"Oh, trust me, it's going as well as you can imagine right now."
"Keep me updated."
"Oh, believe me, you, your dad, and Johnny will know anything as soon as I can."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Come on; I'll introduce you to Mike's crew before you head home."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
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Hank and Chris stood and walked out of the office. Chris had the needed paperwork with him as they walked across the bay. He spent the next forty-five minutes talking with Mike's crew before he headed home. By the time he left the station, the junior was excited and amazed at the crew's stories.
Since Roy was on duty, Chris decided to wait until Tuesday night before he brought up the subject of the explorer academy. Tuesday seemed to take forever at school, but finally, the day was over. As the Desotos finished dinner that night, Chris figured it was the best time to bring up the explorer academy.
"Mom, Dad, can I talk to you for a little bit?"
Joanne and Roy were surprised and a bit concerned.
"Sure, buddy," Roy answered.
Chris poured his parents' after-dinner coffee before grabbing the information folder he had kept since the day before.
Joanne was concerned, "Is everything okay?"
"Yes, mom. I talked to my counselor yesterday about next year and the future after school."
"Oh?" Roy and Joanne said at the same time
"I know school is important, but…." Chris took a quick breath. "I've been doing a lot of thinking. I'd really like to follow dad's footsteps and join the fire department after school."
Chris sat back quietly while he let his parents process what he said. Roy smiled proudly while Joanne didn't seem to react for the first few minutes.
Finally, Joanne found her voice. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, mom. I stopped by and spoke with Chief Hank yesterday. He gave me information on the explorer academy. After reading it, I'd like to apply for the next class. "
"May I see it?"
"Of course." Chris handed over the materials.
Joanne read them quietly for a few minutes. Even though he already knew most of the information, Roy read a little bit of it over her shoulder just to refresh his memory. Chris watched the duo nervously as he tried to anticipate their answer.
Once they finished, Roy spoke first. "If you are ready to commit to the department, then I say you have my blessing."
Joanne followed with, "I agree with your dad. If you are ready to commit, we both fully support you."
Chris's smile was as bright as the midday sun. "Thank you so much, guys. This means a lot to me."
"You're welcome," was the smothered reply from his parents as the teen hugged both of them. Once the hug ended, he sat down and filled out the needed paperwork. The year was shaping up to be an exciting and exciting foundation for his future.
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As the calendar flipped to February, Chris continued to train football. He added additional time in the weight room to prepare for the explorer academy. He also studied some of the techniques and things that would likely be covered in the academy. While he knew he could use his dad and uncles to gain an advantage, Chris did not want to ride their coattails.
As he prepared for the physical training test part of his application process, Chris joined his dad's crew for physical training. The teenager was happy to see that much of the training elements were things he was already doing for football. Just weeks after he had applied for the program and met with his advisor, it was time for the physical training aspect of testing. This was the first time he saw the training center. He passed the physical training portion of the test with flying colors.
Chris was on pins and needles following the testing process. As timing would have it, Central High's career day was scheduled for the last week of February. By that time, the powers that be had chosen the next explorer training class, including Chris. Chris's explorer advisor decided to have the news announced at the career day assembly.
KMG 365
The morning of the assembly started the way it had since the first week of January for Chris. Once again, he was in the weight room. The only addition to his morning routine lately was working on specific exercises to strengthen his wrists. He also ran some early morning sprints to get used to outside in the cooler early morning air.
After the early morning workout, the seventeen-year-old grabbed a shower and headed for his classes. Chris, along with the majority of the juniors and seniors, were excited. The students attending the career day assembly were only going through a half-day of classes. The rest of the day would be spent learning about potential career paths after graduation.
Chris took advantage of the morning classes and caught up on his work. He got ahead in a couple of them, his math and history classes. His last class of the morning was science.
As soon as Chris and the rest of his classmates walked into the room, they knew something was different about today's class. The teacher waited until everyone was in their seats before he spoke.
Mr. Lane smiled as he looked at the confused and curious faces, "Good morning, boys and girls."
"Good morning, Mr. Lane," replied the entire class.
"We've been getting pretty far ahead of our stuff, so today, I am leaving it up to you guys. I am going to write three different topics on the board. Once I write them down, I will vote for each topic and write the number down. The topic with the most votes is what we are going to study today. Sound good?"
"Yes, sir," the class replied. All of them were excited to see what their options were going to be.
Mr. Lane turned to the chalkboard and wrote: Metrology, how do those wicked Pacific storms form? Chemistry: Fire, what is it, and how do we extinguish it? Geology what are the native rocks in California? Once he wrote out the options, the teacher turned and took a vote by category. Much to Chris's relief, the class chose to focus on chemistry for the day.
Mr. Lane smiled, "Alright, then let's go to chapter sixteen of the textbook."
The students excitedly turned to the requested chapter. As the discussion began, Chris read ahead a few pages. He was staying tuned into the conversation but was curious about the information in the book. He cringed as he started reading more of the science. The cringe became an audible groan when he glanced at the suppression techniques.
The groan caught the class off guard. It shocked his teacher even more since Chris was not one that generally spoke up much during the class. "Mr. Desoto, is there something wrong?"
Chris looked up. "As a matter of fact, Sir, quite a bit. As I was listening to the comments, I read ahead just a little bit."
"Okay, I don't mind when you do that. I take it by your reaction that you found some information that you disagree with."
"I have found quite a bit of information that is either outdated or so dangerous by the time you deploy the techniques, you or your partner would be in grave danger."
"I can understand the outdated material may have caught your eye, but how do you know about the danger levels?"
"I am waiting to join the next county fire department explorer academy. My dad has been a firefighter my entire life and is currently a Captain with the department."
Mr. Lane smiled. "I see you have some reliable resources. Do you think some of them would be willing to come to speak with us?"
"I don't see why not. I know we are out of my dad's response area. However, I can ask my uncle to see if he can do it since ware is in his response area."
"Can you write down his contact information so as I fill out the visitor request, I can specifically ask for his station?"
"Sure." Chris pulled out his wallet and removed the small sheet of paper with the numbers for station 95 and station 127. He took a page out of his notebook and wrote the information down. He wrote out the schedule for the rest of the month as well as the month of March.
Once all of the information was written out, he put everything back in his wallet. Then he walked up to his science teacher and handed over the information. Mr. Lane smiled, "Thank you."
"You're welcome, Sir. I know I caught you off guard with my reaction, but I cannot, with a good mind, let you guys take the suppression information to heart. It's just dangerous."
"I understand, and I thank you for bringing it to my attention. I don't normally cover this chapter, so I was unaware of it."
"No problem, sir."
"Okay, folks, being as our books are dangerously inaccurate, I am going to give you the rest of the class as a study hall period. Please feel free to ask any questions you have. If I can help you with anything, I will. As soon as I hear if we can have the presentation on fire science, I will let you know."
"Thank you!" The class responded with smiles.
By the time the class was done, the kids were done with their homework. The upperclassmen were happy because they knew they could enjoy the rest of the day and look forward to the future without worrying about homework.
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Mr. Lane let the students go as soon as the bell rang. Chris stopped by his locker and then headed for the cafeteria. The kids attending the assembly were going to lunch as a group and then leading to the auditorium. There was an era of excitement in the lunchroom. Not only were the kids happy to have food, even if it was school food, they were also glad to be done with class.
Chris wrote a few things down as the meal came to an end, and Mr. Payton's voice rang out from the PA. "Good afternoon Eagles, for those involved in the career day festivities, please proceed to the auditorium at this time."
The upperclassman stood as one group. They threw away their garbage and headed for the auditorium.
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Once the students arrived, their smiles were unmatched by the midday sun. There was something that excited each of them on the docket for the afternoon. The group sat through each presentation. For Chris, the excitement grew as they reached the second half of the presentations. It was almost time for the presentation from the department.
Eventually, after going through the opening remarks, it was time for the junior to hear from his future employer. Captain Craig Brice, who had transitioned from the squad to the training division, stepped up. Chris silently cringed as he listened to Brice. Yes, the information was intriguing to him. However, the grating voice that was delivering it was rattling his nerves early.
Finally, Brice was done with his presentation. He closed it by looking back at the third member of the department's delegation. "Captain Walters, the podium is yours, Sir."
A rugged-looking man with an athletic build stepped forward and took the microphone. "Thank you, Captain Brice. Ladies and gentlemen, I promise I will only take a moment of your time if you indulge me."
The students remained quiet, so Walers continued. His voice took on a depth as he stepped to the side of the microphone. "Explorer Cadet Desoto attenhut."
Chris was shocked to hear he had been accepted but quickly jumped to his feet. He snapped to attention and responded in an equally loud but respectful tone. "Explorer Cadet Desoto present and accounted for, Sir."
"Explorer Cadet Desoto, you are to report to the fire training center on Saturday, March 1, for the first day of training. Training beings at 0700 on the nose, do you understand?"
"Sir, yes, Sir," Chris responded confidently as he made a mental note of the date and start time.
"At ease, Desoto. Enjoy the rest of your day."
Chris relaxed to parade rest as his fellow upperclassmen cheered for him. Captain Walters walked away from the podium. Out of respect, Chris waited for the captains to sit before he took his seat. He quickly reached into his bag and grabbed his notebook. Then he wrote down the information for his first day at the academy.
Even though he enjoyed the rest of the afternoon, Chris's mind was already on the academy and what he would have to do.
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The days seemed to run together for Chris as he waited for the academy to start. He increased his workouts and his time outside in the morning. Even though he focused on fitness, he knew he needed to stay on top of the classroom. He gradually changed his schedule to balance everything, including training, school, life, and sleep. It was time for the teenager to take the next step in growing up, and he knew he needed to be comfortable with a busy schedule as March dawned.