Bus to Detroit
The paramedics pulled up to the ranch style home in a quiet neighborhood. Dispatch had called them out on an unknown type rescue so they had no idea what awaited them inside. Normally, there would be someone standing out front waving frantically for help as they drove up but not today. On this particular day there was nothing unusual going on; at least that they could see.
Walking up to the front door with biophone, drug box and oxygen they were a bit taken aback by the sound coming from inside the home. Muffled shouts could be heard that sounded like an elderly female.
Knock, knock, knock…"let me out of here." The pattern was repeating nonstop leaving the two paramedics quite anxious.
Roy took the lead and knocked on the front door. "Fire department" he called out. In short order a middle-aged woman opened the door and Johnny gave an audible gulp. She opened the door with one hand while holding a flat head screwdriver in the other.
"Oh Lord have mercy, she called you again, huh? Well, come on in." The woman opened the door wide enough for the paramedics to enter but neither man moved; each one silently hoping the other might cross the threshold first.
Knock, knock, knock…."let me out of here." The noise continued from the back of the house.
"She's locked herself in my bedroom again. I got to take the doorknob off. Have a seat and I'll be right back."
John and Roy made their way to the living room. Once seated, they both heard a strange muted chirping sound that neither could identify. They both looked around but neither man admitted hearing anything. Soon the chirping stopped and the sound of shuffling feet could be heard coming up the hallway.
"Hi, how are you?" asked a frail elderly lady with a bright smile on her face.
"Um, we're fine" said Roy. "How are you?"
"Oh honey, I'm doing just great. I'm waiting on my bus to take me to Detroit." With that comment, the younger of the two women rolled her eyes and began mumbling to herself. It was obvious that this wasn't the first incident she'd had with her mother. The stress was beginning to show and she walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water.
Roy continued, "well how long will you be staying in Detroit?"
"Oh, Honey, I'll be back this afternoon." The woman continued smiling at the two handsome young men in her presence.
"Uh, Roy.." Johnny started but wasn't sure where to go from there. The woman was suffering from some sort of dementia…..Los Angeles to Detroit and back was not a trip that could be made in a few in hours on a bus.
Roy held up his hand in a manner that told John to just keep his thoughts to himself. Then it sounded again; that strange muffled chirp. The daughter was just walking back into the room from the kitchen but did a sudden about face when she heard the chirp.
"Oh not again!" With frustrated steps she walked to the refrigerator and opened the door. The chirp suddenly became very loud and both paramedics realized it was her phone ringing…from inside the refrigerator!
The paramedics exchanged confused looks as the younger woman reached inside her refrigerator and answered her phone. As she placed the receiver against her ear, she let out a scream while dropping both the phone and her glass of water.
"Damn that's cold!" she yelped.
The crashing of the glass and phone on the floor must have sounded like the door of a vehicle slamming shut because at that moment the older woman calmly stood up and announced, "there's my bus to Detroit" and headed toward the front door.
Both John and Roy were on their feet bumping into each other; trying to figure out which woman to go to first.
"You alright ma'am" Johnny called out in the direction of the kitchen as Roy tried to stop the older woman from exiting the residence.
"Yea, I'm fine" came the answer from the kitchen and Johnny ran to the aid of his partner.
Roy had reached the elderly woman by that time and was trying to redirect her back to the couch.
With Roy on one arm and Johnny on the other, the smiling woman was easily turned around.
"Ma' uh, Ma'am, that isn't your bus," said Roy. "Maybe your bus will come by later on."
"Oh alright" came her reply and she willing sat back down on the couch.
-x-
The memory of that call lingered in Roy's mind for a brief moment as he looked around at his buddies in John's room.
"Man, for months after that call neither one of us could hear the word Detroit without laughing," he mused. "And the look on Johnny's face when that lady opened the door with the screwdriver in her hand was priceless."
Chet was the next one to bring up an unusual rescue. "Hey fellas, remember the waterbed rescue?"
Everyone in the room snickered as Chet began recounting the rescue that gave the Phantom a LOT of ideas….
