G is for Gangs

The park had been trapped in a perpetual drizzle for days, which of course had left the smokejumpers in an equally perpetual state of boredom. The rain met that everything there wasn't a single fire in their near future, but the rain also wasn't heavy enough to produce any landslides to clean up. But the absolute worst part, was things were just soggy enough prevent them from doing trail work.

With the smokejumpers getting more and more restless, the Chief finally kicked them off base to practice bivouacking off base. Punted to a far-flung corner of the park, Dynamite and her crew quickly found a comfortable spot beneath the pines. Once the tent was set up and marshmallows were roasting on the camp stove, the smokejumpers turned their attention to the most important task on hand…asking each other random questions. From their favorite color to the best movie they had ever seen, they took turns asking…until one particular question caused all the members of the team to stop and reflect for a moment.

"So…I am curious, what inspired everyone to become a firefighter?" Drip threw his question into a ring.

"I DECIDED TO BECOME A SMOKEJUMPER AT ABOUT 5,000 FEET." Avalanche announced with a wide grin on his face. "MY FIRST WINTER AT PISTON PEAK, I WAS WORKING ROAD CREW AND GOT CAUGHT IN AN AVALANCHE. I ALMOST DIED, BUT THE CHIEF, MARU, AND CABBIE ENDED UP RESCUING ME. WHEN I WOKE UP IN CABBIE DURING MY EVACUATION FLIGHT I REALIZED THAT WHILE I LOVED WORKING IN NATIONAL PARK AS PART OF A ROAD CREW, I ALSO WANTED TO HAVE A JOB WHERE I COULD HELP KEEP PEOPLE SAFE. SO, I QUIT ROAD CREW WORK WHEN MY CONTRACT WAS UP AND TRAINED TO BECOME A FIREFIGHTER AND EVENTUALLY WORK MY WAY UP TO BECOMING A SMOKEJUMPER. LUCKILY THAT HARD WORK paid OFF AND EVERYONE WAS WILLING TO GIVE A DOZER LIKE ME A CHANCE TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE TEAM." After a pause, he turned to Dynamite. "SO, WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO JOIN UP?"

Dynamite actually giggled in delight. "I was interested in firefighting from a very young age, but was a high school counselor that was the last straw that told me that it was the only career path for me."

"Do tell." Pinecone said with a wink.

"Basically, I spent all high school with a school counselor who thought was clearly too much of a tomboy for my own good. As I was getting ready to apply to training programs she sat me down and informed me that I was the wrong make and model to become a firefighter…" a mysterious grin spread across Dynamite's face, "and then she told me that no proper lady would consider making that career choice. So, I point blank told her that if being a 'lady' meant giving up on my goals and dreams, I was pretty sure that being a 'lady' was overrated."

"And what happened next?" Drip said, a marshmallow halfway to his mouth.

"She called in my parents and tried to convince them that I was trying to throw my life away." Then she paused for dramatic effect.

"AND?"

"And, my parents had been concerned about my career choice, but after going bumper to bumper with school counselor they were solidly on my side. By the end of the day I was enrolled in the summer firefighting training program at the local community college."

"Now that is was a story…" Pinecone said with a look of delight, then a look of embarrassment flickered across her face. "My story wasn't nearly as dramatic…basically, I am here because I needed a job that would take me far from home and firefighting was available when I needed it. How about you Drip?"

"Grew up with it." Drip grinned at his fellow smokejumpers. "My dad, two of my brothers, and a couple of my uncles all are all on fire crews so growing up I knew it was something I wanted to do, too. And I guess that leaves Blackout…why did you decided to become a firefighter?"

Drip had asked the question with complete innocence, but Blackout found his mouth instantly drying up. His teammates had just spent the day being so open, but he wasn't sure that he was ready to do the same.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Dynamite said with complete and utter kindness…and it only made Blackout feel more guilty about not pouring out his story to his fellows. Finally, the guilt won and start to speak.

"Si tuviera que elegir un momento…" Blackout muttered not looking his fellow smokejumpers in the eyes, "…it was when my brother died and my Abeala was hurt. I didn't grow up on the good side of town. I never met my padre and my mama was always in and out of trouble. I was raised by my abeala. She worked her bumper off making sure that my brother and I had everything we needed, but as a kid I was so estupido. I turned away from the one person in my life that really loved and cared for me, and I followed older hermano into the local gang instead. From middle school, my decisions got me tossed in and out of jail for petty and stupid crimes. By the time I was 18 I had completely dropped out of school and was serving a 5-year term the lockup…" Blackout took a very deep breath. "While I was still behind bars a competing gang shot up my home. My hermano died on the seen and I nearly lost my Abeala forever and at that moment I knew that I could never go home again. That if I returned I would only put the only person I loved in mortal danger, so I signed up for the most dangerous job I could take while incarcerated and became an inmate firefighter…and eventually that choice led me here."

As Blackout's words trailed into silence, he finally got the courage to look his fellow smokejumpers in their eyes. There were many things that he expected to see there…but none of the judgment or pity he expected was in the eyes of the team. Instead, he felt a strong feeling of acceptance. His fellow firefighters had seen how difficult it was for him to finally share his story, his past, and they accepted him completely.

"Alright…let's move on to the next question." Dynamite finally filled the silence. "What is the best meal on earth?"

"Oh, that one is facil." Blackout grinned. "The best food on earth is clearly my Abeala's tamales."

The conversation continued long into the night with each of the smokejumpers taking turns asking and answering questions about themselves. As the night Blackout continued to relax. Even though he was incredibly ashamed of his past, he now knew that none of his fellows would judge him harshly for that. With that knowledge it allowed him to focus on the next task before him…figuring out how to sneak his grandmother on base so that all his team could eat the best food on the planet.

Term- Gangs- The word 'gang' historically meant a group of people, but in the United States it has a strong connection with criminal activity. The connection with the drug trade, gun running, community violence, and sexual violence is widespread. Sadly, many gangs actively recruit high school, middle school, and sometimes even elementary school children. Leaving a gang can be a dangerous process as it often opens the person leaving open to attack from the members of their former gang, as well as, the members of other gangs.