It's All Relative
Author's Note: WOW! Thanks so much for your encouraging reviews. Glad that you are enjoying the story. I'm having fun writing it. :D
Chapter 3
Over the next 2 days Johnny rested as much as possible. When he was not in bed he was either nosing around the officechecking out the medical equipment or talking with Doc. He very carefully tried to explain what he did as a paramedic without sounding like a nut.
"They got this idea that if some of the firemen had some basic knowledge of medicine it would be of great help to the victims and the doctors."
"I don't know, Johnny." Doc shook his head in disagreement. "A little medical knowledge could be dangerous. I've studied for years and they want to have someone with only months of training treat patients? Sorry, if I was there I would be against it."
"You sound just like Brackett. He was dead set against it until a close friend of his was saved by some of these trained firemen. Now he heads up one of the training programs."
"Well maybe…. Nah. The idea will never catch on."
"We'll see." Johnny got up and began to inspect some of the bottles and equipment in the office. He recognizes many of the instruments and medicines but some of the bottles contained things he had never heard of.
Doc turned back to his desk to finish the charts from the patients he had seen that morning. He glanced up and watched Johnny for a few moments. 'Maybe Johnny's right. He sure seems to know what he's doing around here and he's good with the patients, especially children. Maybe, maybe…'
"Johnny almost forgot… Sheriff Corey stopped by while you were sleeping earlier. He'd like for you to come down to his office." Doc noticed Johnny suddenly stiffen and turn to face him with a scared look on his face. Doc smiled and walked over to Johnny putting his arm around his shoulders.
"Don't worry. You're not in trouble. Mort just likes to meet all the new folks that come to town. If he and Jess can become friends then you have nothing to worry about." Doc patted him on the back and gave him a warm smile. "Tell you what – let me finish up with these patient records and we'll go see Sheriff Corey together. Maybe we can persuade him to join us for supper over in the hotel."
Johnny's stomach rumbled in response and they both laughed at the sound. Doc quickly finished with his records and he and Johnny headed to the sheriff's office. Doc continually pointed out things about the town.
"By the way - Jess dropped a horse off for you at the livery barn. He said to tell you that he's yours to use as long as you're in town."
Mort was in his office and readily agreed to have dinner with them. Johnny didn't have anything to worry about. Mort was friendly, telling Johnny all about the area, but also gently questioning him about himself and his past. Johnny was getting good at answering questions truthfully but not alarming the questioner in the process. Johnny saw in Mort some of the same attitudes he saw in Captain Stanley.- he would protect his friends to the end but get on his wrong side and you would quickly find yourself in a heap of trouble.
By the end of the evening Johnny felt he had made yet another friend. As they got up to leave Mort shook Johnny's hand.
"Son, it's been a real pleasure gettin' to know you. Now you be careful when you go out to the relay station – don't you go believin' half of the wild tales that Jess will be tellin' ya!" Mort laughed as he waved good-bye and headed back to his office.
The next morning after breakfast Doc loaned Johnny a shirt, pair of jeans and some boots. He then headed for the livery barn to get the horse Jess had left for him and ride out to the relay station.
"Mornin' Mr. Jenkins," Johnny called out as he entered the barn.
"Hey, good mornin' Johnny. Been expectin ya. Come on an' I'll show ya the horse Jess dropped off for ya."
He led Johnny to a stall at the back of the barn. In the stall stood a blue roan quarter horse type cow pony. As Johnny approached he began talking quietly to the horse. Its ears swiveled to catch every sound and its large intelligent eyes followed Johnny's every move. Johnny slowly got the horse ready to travel; brushing him, saddling him and placing the bridle on his head. Through all this Johnny continued to speak in a low voice and would stop every so often to allow the horse to check him out – to get to know his scent. He mounted and walked the horse quietly out of the barn. Once on the street he turned "Blue", as he had started calling the horse, out of town at an easy lope.
E!E!E!E!E!
Johnny arrived at the relay station later that morning. He enjoyed the ride and stopped often just to take in the scenery. Blue kept up an easy ground eating lope that never seemed to tire him. They rode into the yard just as Jess was coming out of the barn. He waved to Johnny in greeting. Johnny dismounted and tied Blue to the hitching rack in front of the house. Blue rubbed his head against Johnny shoulder and Johnny scratched him behind the ears."
"Hi Jess. Thanks for loaning me this horse. He's a great one."
"Yeah, he's a real good one all right. Raised right here at the ranch. Bring him on into the barn an' then I'll introduce you to Daisy and Mike. Slim is out checking some stock in the south pasture and should be back soon. He's anxious to meet ya' too."
They got Blue settled in a stall and then walked into the house. Johnny was struck immediately by the hominess and comfort of the place – much like the feeling of his home growing up. Mike jumped up from the table where he had been doing schoolwork.
"Hi! Are you the fella we found on the road the other day?"
"Yeah, Mike. My name is Johnny."
"Jess says you're from California. Is that right? What's it like out there? Have you seen the ocean? Where…
"Mike!" a woman's voice called. "Let the poor man get into the house first before you pester him with questions."
Daisy came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on her apron. She approached Johnny with a smile but was sizing him up at the same time.
"Johnny, I'm Daisy. I'm glad to see you are feeling better. I was real worried when we first found you on the road."
"You don't have to be worried about me. I'm doin' just fine."
"That's just what Jess says and I've been worryin' about him from the first time I met him." She laughed, but Johnny noticed that she gazed at Jess with motherly affection and Jess ducked his head a little in embarrassment.
"While we're waitin' for Slim," Daisy continued, "would you like some coffee?"
"That sound real good, Daisy."
Jess and Johnny sat at the table and Daisy brought them coffee and set a plate of cookies on the table.
"Now don't go spoiling your dinner, but a couple of these cookies will tide you over till it's ready. Mike, take your school books into your room and you can have some milk and cookies, too."
"OK, Aunt Daisy!" Mike quickly gathered his books and ran them to his room. He was back before Daisy could return with his glass of milk.
"Now if he would just move that fast when Slim or I ask him to do something…" Jess laughed.
They had been sitting for a while talking and making that plate of cookies disappear when hoof beats were heard in the yard.
"That must be Slim," Jess announced rising from his chair and walking to the door. He opened the door just as Slim stepped up on the porch. He entered and removed his hat and gun belt hanging them both on hooks beside the door. He turned and faced Johnny.
"Cap!" The word was out of Johnny's mouth before he realized it.
Slim smiled. "The highest rank I ever made was Lieutenant." He looked Johnny over. "Do I know you?"
"S-s-sorry," Johnny stammered. "You reminded me of someone I once worked with."
"Well, my name is Slim and you must be Johnny. Jess has been tellin' us about you." They shook hands in greeting and sat down at the table. Daisy brought Slim a cup of coffee and then had Mile help her get dinner on the table.
The conversation around the table was friendly with generous amount of good natured kidding. Daisy was pleased when Johnny ate 3 helpings of her fried chicken, potatoes, several biscuits and a piece of apple pie. Jess wasn't far behind. She was most happy when her 'boys' showed their appreciation for her cooking.
When the meal was over they helped Daisy clear the table and Mike helped her draw water to do the dishes. Slim, Jess and Johnny all went outside. They wandered over to the corral to check on the horses. Jess went into the barn to grab some feed to put in the trough for the stage team. Johnny was leaning on the fence observing the horses with a practiced eye.
"You've sure got some good looking horses, Slim."
"Thanks Johnny. Wha….."
"If you two are through shootin' the breeze, I could sure use some help gettin' this team ready. The stage is due in half an hour," Jess groused, but there was a twinkle in his eye and a smile played on his lips.
Slim laughed and clapped Johnny on the back. "Come on, Johnny. We'd better help 'im or we'll never hear the end of it."
Johnny liked these two men. He could tell they were true friends – brothers really – much like Roy and he. They could grumble and complain about things but when the chips were down, they were there for each other. With the three of them working, the team was ready in no time. Slim was pleasantly surprised at how at ease Johnny was working around the horses.
When the afternoon stage had come and gone Johnny decided it was time for him to return to town. He went to the barn to get Blue saddled. When he returned to the house Daisy greeted him with saddlebags filled with leftovers – including apple pie.
"Thanks, Daisy. This is great." He tied the saddlebags behind his saddle.
"Yeah, but what does that leave us," Jess grumbled to Slim, "beans and biscuits?"
She laughed as she pulled Johnny into a motherly hug. Johnny felt his ears getting warm in embarrassment. Stepping back to look in his face she smiled and said, "Don't be a stranger now."
Jess and Slim were smiling at Johnny discomfiture as they shook hands with him. "You heard Daisy," Slim said, "you're welcome here anytime."
Johnny nodded and stooped down to Mike's level. "You take care, Mike. When I come back I'll tell ya about the time my partner and I were stuck three stories up on the side of a building that was on fire."
Johnny stood and mounted Blue. With a final wave he headed down the road back to Laramie.
"I like him, Jess," Daisy smiled and waved. 'But there's something about him… can't quite put my finger on it…'
E!E!E!E!E!
Johnny fell into a routine – riding out to visit Jess and Slim in the mornings and then sitting around talking with Doc in the evenings. Their conversations ran the gamut from medical issues to travel to Doc's upcoming wedding. Johnny wished he could find a way to explain who he was to this man without sounding like a nut case.
On Wednesday morning Doc asked Johnny if he would mind staying around the office because he was going out to the Harris place. Mrs. Harris was about ready to deliver her first child.
"Johnny, I'm not sure how long I'll be. This is Mrs. Harris' first child. Do you think you can watch things here?"
"Sure, Doc. Not a problem. Be glad to do that for ya."
Doc took off in his buggy and Jess settled down to read some of the medical journals Doc had. The morning passed quietly. Johnny was heading out the door to get some lunch when Sheriff Corey came galloping up and slid his horse to a stop in front of the office. He was dusty and sweaty and had a blood stained bandana knotted around his left upper arm.
"Johnny where's Doc?"
"He's out at the Harris' – she having her baby. What's wrong, Sheriff? Are you OK?"
"There's been a stage accident. Jess and Slim were both riding as extra guards for a money shipment for the bank. We were attacked and the stage turned over. Slim and the driver are out cold, a couple of the other guards are wounded."
"What about Jess?" Johnny stomach was knotting with dread at each injury Mort mentioned.
"Jess is pinned under the stage. I need to get some more man power to lift the stage to get him out."
"Mort – get the men you need and get someone to saddle my horse for me. I'll gather what I think I'll need from the office and meet you at the livery in 10 minutes. Get some men with wagons, probably 3 or 4, to transport the injured back here. Where is the accident?"
"It's about a mile out of town. Johnny, you sure you can handle this? I mean maybe Doc…"
"Mort there's not time. Doc busy and can't leave Mrs. Harris. Go on! We're wastin' time standing here talkin' about it. GO!"
Johnny turned and raced into the office and began grabbing things and throwing them into Doc's extra bag. He also put several items into a grain sack. With one final check he quickly wrote a note for Doc just in case he returned. Grabbing the two bags he ran out the door and was at the livery just as Mr. Jenkins was leading Blue out. Mort and 5 others were just arriving at the livery also. Four wagons were in the process of being hitched and loaded with blankets and pillows from the hotel and boarding house. Several canteens of water were also put in each wagon. When all the riders were ready, the group headed out of town at a gallop hoping to reach their friends before it was too late.
TBC
Sorry. Couldn't resist a cliff-hanger! ;D