Goodbye and Hello
These good fellows don't belong to me but I promise when I'm done to pick um up, dust us off and with a kiss on the cheek return them safely home.
"A day of worry is more exhausting than a day of work." John Lubbock.
Thank you to those taking the time to review for me. I really appreciate it.
Chapter 3
Johnny watched Roy enter the dayroom and go over to the stove to pour him some coffee. The limp was better but still there. Roy came and sat down beside Mike, taking a part of the newspaper to open it up and read it.
"Leg feeling better?" Johnny ventured to ask.
"Yes, no thanks to you." Roy said without lowering the paper.
That caught everyone's attention as they wondered what was up between the two men.
"Look, I told you I was sorry."
Roy lowered the paper, "I have spent the last two days trying to convince Joanne that my leg isn't going to fall off and to not panic when I came back to work."
Johnny lowered his head, like a puppy that had just been admonished with a wet newspaper. Roy felt instantly guilty. He knew it wasn't Johnny's fault that Joanne was acting all nutso.
"Sorry Johnny. It's just that Joanne usually doesn't act like this. She's driving me crazy."
Johnny perked up some but still felt bad. A little part of him deep down felt that Joanne blamed him each time got hurt.
Hank put his coffee cup down, "Roy, is it the Pasadena fire that has her stirred up?"
Roy nodded, "Yea, it really shook her up."
"Emily too. She's been asking me to take some vacation time but I keep telling her the job will still be here when we get back."
"Speaking of vacations," Johnny said trying to change to topic of conversation but stopped as he caught the intent glaring gaze of his partner.
"I know Cap. It has to be hard being married to a fireman but I've done this for years now. Looks like she would be used to it by now."
"I don't know Roy. I don't think they ever get used to it. They may get numb to the days we are gone but the worry is always there," Hank said.
"Yea, I guess so," Roy said as he put the paper back in its stack.
"Okay fellows, roll call in six," Hank said as he moved to his office.
"You and Cap are really lucky to find someone who understands," Mike said.
"Yea, girls think firemen are great until they start to think about any serious, then they get scared and run," Chet added.
Chet stood up and put his coffee cup in the sink, "Oh Johnny, I bought that new spice you wanted for the cupboard. It's on the second shelf."
"Oh, thanks Chet," he walked over to see it and opened the door only to be instantly covered in paprika powder. "Chet!"
Roy laughed, Mike got up and headed to the bay to stay out of it while Marco handed Johnny a wet rag knowing that he didn't have time to change clothes.
Hank knew the roll call was a ritual long since practiced in the department. He went past each man, standing tall, hats in place, serious faces, and red shirts. Red shirt?
"Johnny?"
"Sorry Cap, Chet…"
Hank held up his hand, so much for formality and ritual.
"Okay, Marco bay and dorm. Roy kitchen. Mike and Johnny hoses. Chet, need I say it?"
"Latrine Cap. I hear you."
Hank just shook his head, "dismissed." So the day with the looney tunes begins.
Roy was mopping the kitchen when the tones sounded.
"Station 51, Accident…………………time out 0933."
Pulling up to the accident they could see two cars that were involved, right in the middle of the intersection. The police hadn't arrived yet and the crowd was already starting to gather making getting to the injured even more challenging.
"Chet, Marco. Get those batteries. Then pull a one and a half inch. I smell gasoline and we don't want these cars going up."
"Aye Cap," they echoed as they moved to their assigned tasks.
Johnny and Roy each took a car checking on the folks inside. Johnny jogged to the pickup truck which had apparently rear ended a convertable. The window was down as he looked inside to see a man leaning over the steering wheel. Reaching in he checked for a pulse. Finding one he pulled his arm out to open the door. He then stood beside the man as he palpated his neck, then down his back, looking for obvious injuries. The man's unresponsiveness was the most concerning thing to Johnny.
"Cap, I need a c-collar and a backboard here."
Hank acknowledged him with a wave. He looked over to Chet, "Chet, go help out Johnny."
"Sure thing Cap," Chet said as he let go of the hose with Marco. He grabbed the equipement that Johnny had asked for then headed over to him by the truck.
First Johnny secured his neck with the collar he then carefully leaned him back against the backboard. The man remained unconscious as they guided him out of the truck and onto the ground. Once there he had Chet working on the first set of vital signs as he set up the link to Rampart.
After getting his IV started the man was ready for transport. He then decided to look for Roy.
Roy approached the car on the farthest side of the accident. It was a convertible which had hit a telephone phone head on. He could immediately saw that the driver was a young girl. He grimaced as he got closer and realized that she had impacted with the front windshield. Leaning over the door he reached for a pulse but instantly pulled back as he felt a sharp pain in his side. Looking down he could see the blood already coming through his shirt.
"Damn," he said as he untucked his shirt and lifted it up. It seemed mostly superficial from what he could tell. He then ran his gloved hand over the car door window and felt the broken piece of glass that was barely sticking out.
Mike heard him and came over to see if he could help out. He didn't really think much about seeing Roy with a handful of blood after he looked into the car and saw how badly injured the girl was.
"Roy, need help?" He asked.
"I need the trauma box, c-collar and a backboard," he replied as he held pressure to his cut with one hand. He reached with the other hand and opened the door. She wasn't responsive as he reached again for a pulse. It was there, barely. He did a quick exam of her head, neck and back. She had a severe head trauma and was bleeding heavily.
Mike came up behind him and handed him the supplies. Roy put the collar to stabilize her neck on first, then worked on a set of vital signs.
"Okay Mike, let's get her on this backboard and get her out of here. They leaned her forward, gently, and then slipped the backboard behind her. After securing the straps Roy stood up and as he took one side, Mike took the other, sliding her out of the car. Once Mike was opposite of Roy he saw his shirt. He actually didn't think much about it because there was blood all over her; he just assumed it had gotten on Roy too. They lowered her to the ground and he knelt down beside her. Mike watched him finish his exam on her and write down his vital signs. He also watched the red spot on his stomach get bigger when he realized it was Roy that was bleeding.
"Roy."
He looked up, "Yea?"
Mike pointed to the spot on his shirt, "You're hurt." Mikes voice was deep with worry.
Roy just nodded. "I know, I leaned on a piece of glass. I'll be okay till we can get her out of here. Stay with her while I go call this in to Rampart."
Mike did as he was asked and stayed with the girl. Hank came up beside him and knelt down, "How's she doing?"
"Not too good, looks like a bad head injury," he pointed to the car. "She almost went through the windshield."
Hank shook his head, "Such a waste."
"Cap?"
Hank nodded to his engineer.
"Roy's hurt, he cut his self getting her out." He hesitated, "It looks kinda bad."
That was all Hank had to hear and he was on his feet. His eyes scanning the scene for the paramedic. He knew that Roy would not treat himself until the victim was cared for. Seeing him over by Johnny he headed that way.
Johnny looked up to see Roy headed towards him. He was taken aback by the fact that he was covered in blood. "Roy?"
He just shook his head sideways, "She's bleeding badly from a severe head wound. I'm having trouble stopping it. What do you have?"
Johnny briefly updated him on the other victim then handed the phone to Roy. After reporting to Brackett he wrote down his orders and turned to head back to his patient. Johnny worked on repeating his patients vital signs while they waited for transport. He glanced up to see that Roy had been stopped by the Captain and watched them talking when he heard Cap call his name.
"Gage, over here," Hank called as he motioned for Johnny.
Johnny jumped up and ran over to the two men, "Cap? You call me?"
Hank pointed to Roy with irritation in his voice, "Make sure he's checked out before you leave." Hank said then moved back to the engine.
"What's he talking about?" Johnny asked his partner.
Roy just sighed, "Let me get these fluids started then I'll tell ya."
"Okay, he's stable. I'll help you." He turned back to Chet, "Chet, I'm gonna help Roy. I'll be right back." Chet waved his understanding at Johnny. He then trotted off with Roy to the young woman's side.
Johnny almost let out a gasp at the sight of the injured woman, it was bad. He didn't see that she could possibly survive this. He looked then over to Mike who looked very anxious. It was understandable, Johnny knew that Mike wasn't used to working with the patients and this one was not a pleasant experience at all. But as he watched him he realized that Mike wasn't looking at the patient, he was watching Roy.
Johnny held his tongue while they got the IV started and reassed her vital signs. They were critical but holding for now. The ambulance had not yet arrived due to the problems with traffic around the busy intersection. He stood up and looked at Roy.
"You going to tell me what's going on now?"
"It's no big deal. I cut myself when I leaned across the car door," he said as he lifted up his shirt to reveal the cut.
"God Roy, why didn't you say something. You're bleeding like a stuck pig." Johnny reached out to examine it. "Mike hand me some gauze from the box there."
Mike responded to Johnny's panic over the cut with some rapid rummaging through the trauma box for the asked for supplies.
"It's not deep. I've already checked; just shallow enough to bleed everywhere." Roy hated being fussed over and this was two times this week now.
Johnny took the gauze and pressed down on the laceration, Roy pulled back some. He looked up at him, "Hey now, let me get it cleaned up so I can see how bad it is."
Roy seemed to be right about the depth but Johnny was still concerned at how much it was bleeding. He took a clean gauze and using tape secured it as tight as he could for now. Hank wandered over to them, "He okay?"
"I think so Cap, he can have it checked at Rampart." Johnny said.
"I'll have Marco bring you the Squad. Let me know what's going on," he said pointing to Roy's bloody shirt.
"I will Cap," Johnny answered. He felt some relief with that. He wanted Roy in the back of the ambulance with him where he would keep an eye on him and the bleeding.
"He's been hanging around you too long Gage. Ignoring injuries…" Hank muttered as he went to talk to Vince about moving all the cars out of the way when the victims were gone.
Johnny and Roy exited the ambulance, getting the patients down and moved into the treatment rooms. Dixie looked at Roy and frowned, "You weren't supposed to wear your patient Roy."
"That's not his patients blood Dix," Johnny said then watched the tremendous concern come over her face.
"Get him into treatment 4 now, I'll get Kel."
Roy sat on the table, mumbling under his breath.
"Will you quit fidgeting," Johnny said with a smile.
"You're enjoying this aren't you?"
"Hey, I'm just glad I'm not the patient for a change."
"Joanne is going to kill me," Roy said.
"No, she's probably gonna want to kill me. Roy, if you don't quit getting hurt she's gonna make you change partners."
That made Roy smile, Johnny was actually worried that he would be in hot water with Joanne. Yes, shift the blame. He laughed.
"What's so funny?" Johnny was nervous now.
"Nothing. I just think we will both be in hot water over this."
"Maybe you should quit visiting us then." They both looked up to see Dr. Early enter the room with Dixie. "What happened Roy?"
"I leaned on a piece of glass."
"Well, lay back and let me look at it." He frowned at the amount of blood on his shirt. "Dix, what's his vitals look like?"
She deflated the blood pressure cuff, "BP is 100/60, pulse 100."
Joe pulled up his shirt and took off the now saturated dressing, "Hmm."
"What does Hmm mean?" Roy asked.
"Definitely going to need some stitches here. I'm going to also give you some antibiotics to take since it's a nasty cut. We need to get some fluids in you. Dix, lets hang some LR, 100cc per hour."
"Great," Roy sighed. Yep, Joanne was not going to like this at all.
"Maybe I'm cursed," Roy grumbled as they headed back to the station.
"I doubt you're cursed. It's only two injuries this week," Johnny said as he watched his friend squirm.
"Yea, only two. Means nothing to you. That's a light afternoon for you. But I don't get hurt, much less twice this week." He paused. "I must be cursed."
Johnny just laughed. "Maybe it will heal up before you go home tomorrow."
"Ha ha. You're no help."
"Squad 51, stand by."
The tones sounded over the radio, "Station 51. Attempted suicide …………..time out 1314."
"So much for lunch," Johnny whined.
They pulled up to the 8 story office complex, pulled boxes and headed for the front door. They were greeted at the front desk by the on duty security guard who updated them.
"He's on the roof, says he's gonna jump. We couldn't talk him down so called you guys."
They followed the man onto the elevator and went straight up to the top floor; from there they had to cross the hallway to the stairwell for the roof access door. Roy opened the door and stepped onto the blinding white roof, shielding his eyes. The guard then led them around to the other side of the entry door where they found a man in his 30's standing on the ledge, watching them as they came across the roof line.
"I have a bad feeling about this Roy," Johnny whispered.
"Don't say it. This has not been my week and I'm pretty sure Joanne would be pissed off if I fell off the roof."
Johnny shot a look over at Roy like he had just predicted some horrible truth. He knew that Roy was the one that usually was called upon to talk down jumpers, more than once risking his life to save theirs. But this time Johnny had a bad feeling for his friend. There was no way he was going to let Roy get near this desperate soul today.