"Godzilla and The Smog Monster"
Chapter Three
Everything that had happened had all started happening eighteen hours earlier.
Gage and DeSoto were returning to their stationhouse, following several back-to-back early morning runs.
The entire shift had been exhausting, and the weary travelers were anxious to call it quits.
The pair rode along in silence, willing their radios to remain equally still.
About five blocks from the Station, the completely pooped paramedics abandoned mere 'hope' and actually began to pray that they would make it back for the shift-change—before they got another run.
The two tired firemen turned to each other as their Squad's radio suddenly crackled to life. Then they both breathed sighs of relief, as the tones that sounded were muted.
"Engine 16…Squad 36 in place of Squad 16…Vehicle accident…with injuries—"
"—Wonder where Brice and Manning are?" Gage inquired, interrupting the dispatcher. "Speaking of Brice…Did you notice how quiet he was at the meeting yesterday? The poor man must a' been sick, or somethin'. He didn't say three words to me the entire time. It's not like Brice to pass up a perfectly good opportunity to be insulting.
Come to think of it, he didn't give his usual cover-to-cover summary of the latest paramedical journals, or lecture us all on the perils of ignoring department regulations, either. Plu-us, I don't recall him quoting from his precious 'rule' book a single time. Ma-an! Somethin' must be really really wrong with him! I wonder what it is? I sure hope it's nothin' serious…"
The Squad's driver glanced at its passenger in disbelief. "You're too much, yah know that! You're actually worried that Craig Brice might be turning into a regular, normal, likeable guy! Well, I wouldn't worry too much, if I were you. He's just been a little distracted lately."
"Whatever's bothering him has gotta be more than just a little distraction. Brice has always been very distracted."
"Okay," Roy reluctantly came clean, "I think Brice may be in love."
"So-o?" his partner replied. "What else is new?"
DeSoto couldn't help but smile. "With someone other than himself."
Gage was genuinely surprised. "Oh yeah? Who is she? I wanna be sure to send her my condolences."
Roy suppressed another smile. "You're not being very fair to Craig. Actually, he's not a bad guy…once you get to know him."
"Of course he's not a bad guy," John came back, his voice oozing sarcasm. "He's a perfect guy…a perfect paramedic, a-and I'm confident he's going to make the poor imperfect girl a positively perfect husband. That's why I feel sorry for her. It's hard to live with perfection."
DeSoto thought his friend's comment over for a few seconds. "That certainly explains why you are so easy to live with…"
His 'far from perfect' friend gave him a 'Ha. Ha. Very funny.' glare, but then was forced to grin. Sheesh! Roy could sure come up with some dandy zingers! "All joking aside…If you're suspicions are correct…then I'm really very happy for him. Everybody should be in love at least once, or—in his case—twice."
"At least," Roy agreed, and finally released the grin he'd been suppressing.
Whether it was through the power of prayer, or not, will never be known, but—somehow—the two men did manage to make it back before receiving another call.
They strolled into Station 51's locker room and found both crews busy changing, B-shift into their uniforms, and A-shift into their street clothes.
Paramedic Don Lorey tried, unsuccessfully, to get Johnny to work his shift for him. "Ahhh, c'mon, Gage!"
John was sympathetic but adamant. "Sorry, Lorey. But I've already made plans for tomorrow. Besides, I made sort of a New Year's resolution to cut waaaaay back on the TX."
Don was completely devastated. With Gage no longer willing to work overtime, and a lot of the guys abandoning the paramedic ranks for their promotions, how would he ever find anyone to fill in for him?
As if on cue, Captain Donnelly came into the locker room. "Gage? DeSoto?
The paramedics stopped what they were doing and glanced up at him.
"Headquarters just called. It seems more manpower is needed over in Pasadena tomorrow. Volunteers are needed to work the Aid Stations at the Rose Bowl…"
"Don't look at me," DeSoto told him. "I promised my kids I'd take 'em to see the parade."
The Captain's gaze shifted to Gage.
"The closest I intend to get to the Rose Bowl," John announced, "is the distance between my living room sofa…and my television set."
Donnelly grinned and departed.
Kelly finished tying his shoelaces and turned to his shiftmates. "Anybody wanna get together at the Twelve Alarm later on? We could toss back a few beers…order some pizza…maybe shoot some pool…"
His married crewmates gratefully declined the offer.
His two bachelor buddies glanced at one another for a few moments and then chimed in unison, "Sure!"
Chet was delighted.
John finished dressing and closed his locker. "Have a happy New Year's, partner!" he wished, and flashed his friend a warm smile.
Roy returned both his smile and his wish. "You, too, Johnny!"
Gage latched onto his laundry bag and his jacket and started heading for the door.
"Hey! Don't forget!" Roy called after him. "Joanne is expecting you for dinner tomorrow night!"
"Thanks! I won't forget!" his dinner guest promised and then disappeared.
Gage, Lopez and Kelly stopped—right in mid-stride—as a shiny, red firetruck suddenly pulled into Station 51's back parking lot.
Paramedic Greg Garnett parked Squad 45 directly in front of John Gage's Land Rover, and then baled out. "Johnny! Thank God you're still here!"
"It's been a lo-o-ong shift, Greg," Johnny wearily declared. "And I couldn't work another one—even if I wanted to…which I don't. I've been turning guys down, for the past 24 hours. I'm really beat! I could never make it through another shift. Heck, I barely made it through this one! Besides," he glanced at Chet and Marco, "I've already made plans for this evening."
The three friends exchanged grins.
Garnett couldn't argue with so many excuses…so very many good excuses. So he kept his mouth shut and pulled out a secret weapon—a small, red-velvet-covered ring box. He held the little box up in front of his fellow paramedic's face and lifted its hinged lid.
The three bachelors stared down at the box's sparkly contents for a few moments and then whistled softly.
"I'll bet that rock must a' set you back a few bucks," Chet determined, upon seeing the size of the engagement ring's diamond.
"You have no idea," Garnett simply said. "It's taken me all week to work up the nerve to ask a certain young lady a certain question, pertaining to this ring. Up until twenty minutes ago, I was going to pose it to her at midnight tonight. I've already had to break three dates with her this week. I can't break another one—especially not this one! If I stand her up tonight, I'm afraid she'll never say 'Yes.' We were supposed to spend a quiet, romantic evening at her place. Then headquarters calls and tells me Beckman is out—sick. Now, I gotta spend tonight over at 16's, with a bunch a' ugly guys—instead a' with my girl! It's just not fair!"
John exhaled a long, weary sigh. "Have you asked anybody else?"
"There isn't anybody else to ask! Brian Sager has been tryin' to find someone for the past four days! I'm tellin' yah, there's nobody available! Look, if you can't make the full shift, how about just workin' a split shift? Even 10:30 to 12:30 would do, in a pinch. If this were just any old average date, I wouldn't be here right now, begging you to cover for me. But tonight was supposed to be one of the most special nights of my life…" his words trailed off and he stared sadly down at the ring in his hands. Both the stone's size and its beauty were pretty gosh-darn impressive.
So was Garnett's power of persuasion.
Gage exhaled a quiet sigh of surrender. "Okay. I'll do it," he informed his very persuasive friend.
The groom-to-be grinned from ear-to-ear. "Thanks, Johnny! I really appreciate this!"
"There's just one problem though," Gage teased.
Garnett suddenly felt somewhat nervous.
"It's gonna hafta be from 10:00 p.m. til the shift-change," his replacement specified, "or I can't make it."
Greg's face lit back up. He latched onto his generous colleague's right hand and practically shook his arm from its socket. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Johnny!"
"You're welcome, welcome, welcome," Gage assured him and promptly pulled his hand back. "Good luck, Greg!"
"Thanks! Yahoo-oo!" the happy paramedic declared and hurried back over to his Rescue Squad.
John suddenly thought of something. "Hey, Greg!" he called after his fleeing friend. "Who am I gonna be workin' with?"
Garnett was in the process of sliding in behind the wheel. He cringed and hollered back, "Craig Brice!" Then he slammed his door shut, backed up, turned around and drove off, before Johnny could change his mind about working for him.
"John Gage and Craig Brice," Kelly dramatically declared, "working…together. Sheesh! That could be even more fun to watch than 'Godzilla and The Smog Monster'!"
Marco was amused to no end. "What do you mean? They are 'Godzilla and The Smog Monster'! Sure! Gage is Godzilla…and Brice is The Smog Monster."
"Yeah," Chet chimed in. "And, by the end of the shift, LA will be completely destroyed…and only one of them will be left standing. I'm betting it's The Smog Monster."
"No way!" Marco countered. "I predict Godzilla, here, will prevail! No matter how many armor-piercing rockets are launched against him, Godzilla always manages to recover in time to make it into the next movie."
Speaking of Godzilla…
Gage hadn't moved, or spoken, since being informed of his temporary partner's identity.
Kelly studied their statue-like companion carefully for a few moments and then turned to Lopez. "We might have to use the Heimlich Maneuver on him," he teased and was immediately rewarded with some movement.
A slight smile played upon the paramedic's lips. "Heimlich Maneuver…" he grumbled beneath his breath and gave both of his mustached amigos an eye-roll. His gaze returned to the spot in the lot where Greg had just been standing and his face filled with a grimace. "Crai-aig Bri-ice?"
"What happened?" his permanent partner suddenly pondered.
John jerked, in startlement, and quickly spun around.
Mike and the Cap and Roy were standing right there and, judging by the amused looks on their faces, the three men had witnessed everything that had just transpired.
"Did you forget about your New Year's resolution already?" DeSoto inquired further.
"This is still the Old Year," John stated, in his defense. "My resolution doesn't really take affect 'til after midnight." He stopped and stared back across the lot at THE spot. "Crai-aig Bri-ice?" he whined—again. "The perfect ending for such a perfect shift!"
The rest of the guys exchanged highly amused glances…and then began heading for their cars.
TBC