Chapter 7
The next contact the three men had was Roy Clark walking through the door on his own power but had a pretty little blond hanging on his arm. One look at the three out state firemen and his once pale features were history. Neither of the men could remember a time when a gown man had blushed so profoundly.
"Hi, uh, Dad said to tell you all that you're welcome out at the ranch and he's setting up the bunk house for you so you'll be nice and comfortable. I, um, well Julie here and I kind of need to hurry on out there to help with that thing that Dad has going on tonight so I was wondering if one of you guys could drive Julie, my sister Julie's truck? She'll be along to give you directions."
"Well, I don't think I'm cleared to drive," Roy was the first one to speak up since both of his companions were looking to him to make the final decision. "But either one of these two can do the driving."
"Good." Roy Clark looked relieved. "They said your truck was at the garage now so you could go make arrangements to get it fixed and pick up any clothes or stuff you might have in it. Julie's out back loading up her backboards and stuff whenever you're ready to go."
Four sets of eyes looked out the window to see Julie at the corner of the building past the automatic door marked as the emergency entrance. She was pulling her backboard and the unusual leg splint they had used out of the garbage cans stored there.
John and Chet quickly excused themselves to go give her a hand and found her pulling the foam from the inside of the leg splint away and putting it back in the garbage doing her best to keep her new clean bandages new and clean.
"Here, let me do that," John spoke up as he hurried to her side, the disgust he felt at the treatment of her equipment showing on his face.
"Thank you," Julie responded as she hung her head in shame. "That foam is just held in place with double stick tape. I'll just disinfect the wood when I get home and tape some new foam in place for the next time I might need it."
While John finished up with the leg splint Chet reached for the backboard and found the very expensive KED in the trash can next to it. He quickly retrieved the device and looked it over to make sure it was complete. He then had to go digging in the garbage can to find the straps that went with it.
Once the equipment was retrieved and placed in the back of Julie's truck Chet returned to watch over Roy while John drove Julie's truck with Julie along to give directions to the garage where his truck had been towed to.
While John talked business with the owner of the garage and learned that the other driver had been listed at fault so his insurance would be covering the repairs, Julie directed a couple of station hands, young men who treated Julie a whole lot nicer than the nurses at the hospital, in loading the three men's camping and fishing gear as well as their dirty clothes into the back of her truck.
When John joined her to finish loading up the fishing supplies it was with the news that they wouldn't tear his truck apart to make sure what it was going to need until the morning. Julie was able to give him the phone number to the bunk house where the three of them would be staying and John was promised a call before noon the next day.
John then drove Julie and her truck back to the small six room hospital where he found a clean pair of jeans and a shirt for Roy and made his way in to help his friend get dressed before loading him and the medications the doctor had ordered for him, along with the treatment instructions.
Once Roy was loaded in the back of the truck, in the same captain's chair he had ridden into the hospital in, John climbed in the back with him and Chet helped Julie to the passenger seat before taking the seat behind the wheel.
Julie gave directions and the road was smooth, still Chet made every effort to drive carefully so as not to cause Roy any more discomfort in the back. They made one stop on the way to allow a small herd of wild antelope to cross the road in front of them so they could graze on the grasses on the other side of the road.
John made sure to help Roy turn so he could get a good look at them through the side window on the camper shell.
Chet slowed way down when they reached the wreck site since he had to work his way around a road repair team placing fresh tar mix over the section of road that had been melted by the burning truck. The aftermath didn't even begin to tell the tale of what had happened there. Three miles further down the road they saw a water tanker and a state forest lands bush buggy, a pickup truck with a water tank and pump mounted in the bed of the truck. The bush buggy was driving around with a man in the back holding the hose and spraying a few of the hot spots that were still smoldering. This fire was out for all intents and purposes they were just finishing off the few hot spots. On closer inspection the men noticed the man in the back of the truck was their new friend Frank. He had one foot on the bumper of the truck and the other over the tailgate into the bed of the truck. If they hadn't had known better they would never be able to tell that he was a mentally handicapped adult from what they were seeing.
Julie made contact with the county fire warden using her CB and was told that Frank was doing well and that he'd be dropped off at her father's house in a couple of hours.
Before Chet started the truck again he turned and looked at Julie as she watched Frank do his part with the fire suppression.
"You know when a fire call goes out in town Frank is one of the first ones at the fire station. When they get to the fire they don't let him work the hoses or get close to the fire but he's the one who helps them get their air tanks on and keep all the straps strait. It really makes him feel important, like he's someone special."
Julie let the tears in her eyes fall as she turned to Chet. "Is there any chance someone like Frank could find a place on a fire department team somewhere?"
Chet didn't know what to say. As a fireman, he wasn't sure he could feel safe with someone like Frank backing him up on a hose, or any other rescue, but at the same time he could also see her pride in his accomplishments and that he was able to handle the job he was currently doing.
"I really don't know," Chet finally spoke, "I mean firefighting is so demanding, you have to be quick on your feet and able to think about at least half a dozen things at the same time."
Wiping the moisture from her face Julie just nod in understanding of what Chet was saying and proceeded to give him the rest of the directions to her father's ranch.
When Chet drove through the main gate he was quick to notice the large number of trucks and vans already gathered near what looked like the main house. Julie directed him to the right and around the barn where the ground sloped upward to meet the doorway at the top of the barn.
A man in his early fifties met them at the truck before Chet had managed to open the door for Julie.
"Hi, Sweetheart, I was beginning to wonder if you were going to make it home before the end of the party." The man stepped forward and gave his daughter a kiss on her forehead.
"I still have plenty of time to change and make a showing," Julie responded, "Just let me get these guys settled in."
"That's okay, you go and get changed I'll show them the way and see that they're settled in before I join you back at the party."
"This is my father, Carl Clark," Julie introduced Chet and then made her leave to do as she was told.
"Thank you for offering us a place to stay," Chet began as he moved to the back of the truck where he assisted John in helping Roy out of the back. This time Roy was moving mostly by his own power with just a little assistance. Once Roy was standing on the ground Chet began the introductions. "This is John Gage, Roy DeSoto and I'm Chet Kelly; we're all members of the Los Angeles county fire department."
The man stood before them looking them over one at a time, he was silver haired with bushy sideburns and wore a tan cowboy hat and a nice but casual western cut shirt with a turquoise and silver bolo tie and jeans. His cowboy boots were shined to reflect any hint of light and there were silver protectors on the toes.
"My son tells me that you came out this way to do some fishing. My guess is the locals crowded you out."
John smirked at the man's words; it was the best description of what had happened that he could come up with. "I'd have to say that's just about what happened."
"Well, as it happens, that little pond over there," the man pointed to what they could now see was a small body of water just ten feet from the back of the barn they were being directed to the top of, "Just so happens to be teaming with trout. So much so that come winter a whole mess of them will die off and the smell is something awful. You boys would be doin' me a favor if you could take this here ice cooler clear full of them with ya when you head back to where you came from. I'll even supply the ice to go with it." He slapped at the ice chest in the back of Julie's truck that the men had brought with them to keep their food cold and to hopefully take a few fish home in.
All three men were totally stunned by the offer being made to them and just stood there in disbelief for a few moments. Finally John broke the silence. "That's a mighty nice offer, sir, right now though, we really need to be getting Roy here in a bed."
John then took a good hold of Roy's arm and the three men followed their host up a flight of stairs and into the bunk house. There were two sets of bunk beds on either side of the large room and then four beds along the floor between them; on the other side of the room at the far end was a kitchen complete with fridge, stove, microwave, automatic dishwasher, coffee maker, sink and dishes. Between them and the kitchen was a large walk in bathroom complete with three toilet stalls and four shower stalls.
Roy was quickly guided to the bed in the middle, a safe distance from both the kitchen and the bathroom. Once he was sat down on the edge of the bed John turned back to their host. "Thank you so much, we really do appreciate you letting us stay here. I'm hoping that my truck should be fixed by tomorrow night and we can be on our way."
"Don't go holding your breath on that, it'll likely take him till noon tomorrow just to figure out what parts he needs to order in order to fix it and then you'll be lucky if it takes him less than a week to get them out here in the middle of nowhere."
"I best be getting back up at the house if you need anything you can just come into the back and ask for me or Julie. Someone will be by in an hour or so with something for you all to eat.
Their host had just left when John remembered the need for a phone to call JoAnne and if things were going to take as long as Mr. Clark said they would someone better be calling Cap to let them know they weren't going to make it back in time for their next shift. Chet and Johnny made Roy as comfortable as they could and were pleased to find some refreezable ice packs in the freezer.
Chet wandered out on the deck just off the kitchen and returned stating that there were several signs on the railing asking that you don't fish from the balcony. John smirked but he himself was feeling the weight of the day on his eyelids.
He was just about to drift off in the bed next to Roy's when a knock on the door brought him awake. Hearing the knock a second time John and Chet together went to the door to find two young boys between the ages of eight and ten, each carrying two long something's with handles on each end and behind them was Julie carrying four large paper plates stacked on top of each other and being carefully balanced. Each plate looked to be piled high with food and covered with tinfoil.
Julie was dressed in a mid calf length dark blue evening gown with lots of sparkles around the top and a little less so around the skirt. She was also wearing a pair of matching full length gloves and the addition of a complimentary shawl kept her bandages well hidden.
Chet and Johnny quickly relieved Julie of her burden and turned to the young men with looks of curiosity.
"I'd like you guys to meet two of my nephews. This young man," she placed her hand on one boy's head, "is Carl Clark the third, and this young man," she placed her hand on the other boy's head, "is Carl Gilroy the third."
Julie then lowered her voice and added a bit of a growl. "If I hear one more person shout 'Carl' just to see how many people respond I'm going to scream and turn in to a banshee."
"Anyway," Julie continued, "here's dinner for each of you. There's one there for Frank, too. He should be here in just a few minutes and I'm sure he's starved. I hope you don't mind him sleeping here with you guys. He'll need to be reminded to take a shower and he usually chooses one of the bunk beds against the wall. Top if he's feeling bold; bottom if he's feeling like he needs protection. He has clothes in that closet there and pajamas and underwear in the drawer."
With the food taken from her hands and the instructions concerning Frank given, Julie then took the strange items from her nephews. "These are moldable ice packs. Well they're really just tube socks filled with rice and then handles sewn on each end but if you keep three of them in the freezer you should always have one cold one and they'll mold around his neck comfortably. How's he doing by the way?"
John gave a positive report on Roy and followed her instructions to place the first of the rice ice packs around his neck. Roy was quick to tell her that it helped and then she was turning to leave.
"I've got to get back, my sisters and my sister-in-law each brought someone for me to meet. Two of them are named Roy; the other one is named Carl." Julie cringed and Johnny stifled a smile. "You are alright with Frank staying here aren't you? I'm sure he'll just fall asleep and stay that way for the whole night."
"We'll manage," Chet was the one to answer, he could tell that she needed that little bit of help tonight.
Julie turned to leave but as soon as she had her nephews out the door she turned back and spoke softly to Chet who was helping her out while Johnny was helping Roy get in a position to eat.
"Hey, um, I'm sure you're going to notice the welts on Frank's back when he's showering and all, don't say anything about them, if he complains that they hurt you can give him a couple of aspirin from the cupboard over the fridge, but don't bring them up if he doesn't okay?" Julie locked eyes with Chet to see if he understood.
"Don't worry about helping to hide things; the welts are why I was given custodianship of him two days ago. It was his father who did it."
That was the last that Chet needed to be able to agree to what Julie was asking and she was on her way. Chet stood at the top of the stairs and watched Julie interact with her nephews.
"Well Mr. Clark and Mr. Gilroy shall we return to the festivities, I'll expect a dance with each of you before the night is over."
Frank actually arrived before the food had had a chance to cool. He was covered from head to toe with soot and had a smile of accomplishment on his face. He was walked up the steps by the fire marshal he had worked with all afternoon and the two let themselves in without knocking.
"Frank, it's good to see you again, Julie just brought your dinner for you, do you want to eat it now or after you've had your shower?" Chet greeted his new friend.
"I'm h, h, hungry!" Frank stated adamantly.
Standing behind him was the Fire Marshall with a change of clothes in his hands. "You guys don't mind if I make use of the shower do you?"
The men all agreed and the man called Wally slipped into the shower as evidence that he'd done so before.
Chet led Frank to the table in the kitchen where he sat with him and the two ate in silence. Well, Chet ate while Frank wolfed his food down as if he hadn't eaten in a week.
Before Frank was finished eating everything that had been put on his plate Wally was finished in the shower and had slipped out saying something about stopping in to congratulate Roy and his girl and checking in with Julie.
Chet was glad he had let Frank eat before he showered his face and shirt sleeves were covered with barbeque sauce when he was done. "Alright, Frank my man, to the showers with you. Do you need any help in there?"
"No!" Frank was adamant, "I, I, I, I'm big e, enough t, t, to d, do it myself."
"Great," Chet responded unfazed. "Just don't forget to shampoo your hair, as much smoke as you have in it from that fire it should take three times with the shampoo to get it clean."
Frank seemed to take forever in the shower and while he was there Chet sat on the edge of the bed closest to the bathroom waiting. When Frank finally stepped out of the shower he was bashfully holding a towel in front of him as he danced along the wall, keeping his back to everyone until he got to the closet where Julie had indicated his clothes were kept. He then stepped into the closet and pulled the door shut behind him and a light was noticed shining under the door a few seconds later.
Three off duty firemen shared eye contact and silent smiles at Frank's antics. He reminded Roy of his ten year old son Chris. They also noticed that he hadn't been invited to the party. They hoped he wouldn't be upset about it.
There were a few bumps and bangs heard and the guys could see in their mind their new friend hitting every corner of the closet while getting dressed. When he stepped out again he was wearing a pair of flannel pajamas with a fire engine print all over them.
"W, what b, b, bed f, f, for m, me?"
"Well, Johnny here is going to sleep next to Roy so he can watch out for him tonight but I waited for you to choose your favorite bed before I chose the one I wanted to sleep in," Chet responded with a smile but it was hard to tell because it was hidden by his mustache.
Frank stepped over to the bank of bunk beds closest to the door and then chose the one on the bottom and farthest from the door. Chet watched him climb in to bed and then took a moment to go into the kitchen and clean up all the dinner remains putting just half a plate full of food in the refrigerator and the rest of the tinfoil and plates was placed in the garbage can as he made a note to himself to find out where to take the trash in the morning. When he stepped back into the bunk room John was smiling and jerking his head toward the end bunk where Frank was sound asleep.
Chet walked over and finished covering him up and then stepped into the shower area to clean up the dirty clothes only to find they were all placed in a large red hamper painted with the words 'Frank's dirty clothes'.
Once in the showers Chet noticed another door and opened it to find a washer and drier with a large basket that was marked 'Frank's clean clothes'. Inside the basket was a sock monkey set up in one corner, so Chet took the monkey and placed it in bed with Frank and turned down the lights.
Julie slipped up to the bunk house again before the party was over to check on Roy and Frank and to ask what more she could do to make them comfortable. Johnny assured her that he had everything under control and that her special ice bags were doing wonders for Roy's neck. Julie agreed not to bother them again before morning but left instructions as to which window to knock on if they needed help.
Author's note: Please forgive me for being so long on this addition, my Mother passed away and my attentions were focused on planning the funeral and the needs of my father along with the those of my fellow siblings. It has been a long week and I welcome the distraction now. Hopefully the next chapter will come quickly.