Six-Packs, Scotch, and Secrets
After a difficult shift that saw several fatalities, including the deaths of two fellow firefighters, Hank invited his crew over to his house to unwind.
Arriving first was Johnny. Hank watched as his junior paramedic slowly made his way up the walk, carrying two six-packs of beer. Meeting him at the door, Hank smiled weakly.
"John." The captain greeted in a monotone voice.
"Hey Cap. Guess I'm the first one here."
"Yeah…come on in."
As Johnny made his way into Hank's house, his captain watched him with concern. "How ya doin'?"
"I don't know…kinda numb, I guess. I still can't believe Chase and Parker are gone. It just doesn't seem real."
Looking at the big bandage on Johnny's forehead, Hank was reminded just how close he came to losing his two paramedics, as well.
"Yeah…I know what you mean. I'm just glad that you and Roy weren't killed right along with them…as I recall it was pretty close."
Shrugging his very sore and tired shoulders, Johnny returned his captain's weak smile. "Ahh…me and Roy are tough…takes a lot to bring US down. So, where is Suzanne?"
"My wife? She's…she's in San Francisco visiting a friend for a few days…we have the house to ourselves."
Lifting the two six-packs that he'd been holding, in the air, Johnny looked questioningly at Hank. "Fridge?"
"Oh…yeah." He took the six-packs from Johnny to put them in the refrigerator. When the door was open, the paramedic could see that the fridge was already well stocked with beer.
"I…I guess you…you stocked up for the evening."
Before Hank could respond to Johnny's observation, the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it, Cap."
Johnny slowly made his way to the front door and welcomed in the rest of his crewmates.
Everyone's facial expression told the same story…a tale of heartache and tragedy. And they all came carrying beer or bottles of alcohol.
When Hank saw Roy enter the house, he noticed the ace bandage on Roy's left wrist, and the bandage on his cheek, and once again was reminded how close he came to losing both of his paramedics in that fateful warehouse fire.
"Guys…come on in."
Hank's crew made their way into the kitchen.
"Anyone hungry?" Hank asked, not really expecting anyone to say yes.
When none of the guys answered, he knew he had his answer.
Looking around the room, Roy couldn't help but to notice how quiet it was in the house. "Where's Suzanne, Cap?"
"She…she went away for a few days." Hank answered somewhat unconvincingly.
Mike look concernedly at his captain. "You just went through the shift from hell…and Suzanne's not here for you?"
Hank let out a slight laugh. "Easy, Mike. It's not like I coulda predicted this. Anyway…you guys ARE here…and to me, that's the most important thing. What do ya say we take some liquid refreshments and make our way out to the deck? Everyone game?"
Following him out to the deck, each man chose a chair to sit on, and sat down. It was a warm evening in mid-July, so being out on the deck was very enjoyable. Once everyone had a seat, Hank passed out the beer.
After taking a long swig from his beer bottle, Mike looked up with a sad expression on his face. "Any news on Chase and Parker's funerals?"
"No, not yet." Hank replied with a sigh.
Thinking the same thing as his captain had thought about earlier, Chet spoke what was on his mind. "We coulda been sitting here talking about Johnny and Roy the same way that we're talking about Chase and Parker. We…we almost lost you guys at that fire, too."
The two paramedics smiled thoughtfully at their friend. "It's like I told Cap, Chet…me and Roy are tough…it takes a lot to take US down."
Over the next couple hours, the six firefighters talked and drank…drank and talked. Quickly, they were feeling no pain.
Suddenly feeling like he had to cleanse his soul, Hank confessed to his men what was really going on.
"I gotta be honest with you guys. While it's true that…that this shift has been…a difficult one to say the least…and that I felt we needed to spend time together to…to unwind and talk…I also brought you all here because I have some news to share with you."
The looks on the five firefighters' faces was one of surprise and nervousness.
"You're…you're not transferring, Cap…are you?"
"No Chet…it's nothing like that." Hank took a moment to gather his thoughts and let out a loud sigh. "Well…you all asked me about Suzanne…the thing is…we're…we're getting a divorce. She's not here tonight because she IS in San Francisco…permanently."
Hank's men were stunned. They all looked at their Captain with the same shocked expression.
Johnny summed up what the others were all thinking. "Divorce? What the hell happened? I always thought that you and Suzanne would be together forever."
Hank smiled at his junior paramedic's innocent view on his marriage. "Yeah…well…things happen…things change…people change, too."
The six firefighters sat quietly for several moments, reflecting on what was just said.
"Well…it kinda started a couple years ago. Remember that car accident with the downed power lines…and I got electrocuted?"
When Hank had the attention of his men, he continued. "Suzanne was scared to death when she heard what had happened. She started to get real paranoid about things…convinced that something really bad was going to happen to me. It…it came to a head about fourteen months ago. A close friend of ours who was a Fire Captain in Denver, was killed in a brush fire. Suzanne was beside herself…she gave me an ultimatum…her OR the Fire Department."
"Let me guess," Roy interrupted, "you picked the Fire Department."
"Cap, why didn't you say something to us sooner? We coulda…I don't know…lent an ear or something. You always did say that we were family."
"John, I appreciate what you're saying…and you're right…I did say we were a family, but this is something that I've gotta deal with on my own."
"So, WE'RE more important to ya than your wife?"
Hank rolled his eyes. "I didn't say that, Chet…not that you guys aren't important to me, it's just that my career IS…and although I love my wife…"
"You don't owe us an explanation, Cap. I'm sure we've all made difficult decisions in our lives…some we may even regret making…one way or the other."
Chet looked curiously at the engineer. "Yeah? What was YOUR crossroads, Mike? I couldn't imagine you making anything BUT the right decision."
Downing the rest of his beer in a gulp, Mike leaned back in his chair and had a far-away look on his face.
"It was about six years ago. My brother Marty was engaged to be married. I always had a good rapport with my sister-in-law Stephanie. About four months before the wedding, she showed up at my apartment…in tears. She and Marty were so in love. I couldn't imagine what she could have possibly been so upset about. It turned out, she was pregnant. She was scared and embarrassed…she never told my brother."
"What happened?" A curious Marco asked.
"She had an abortion without even telling my brother that she was pregnant. It tore her up and she felt incredibly guilty. I did my best to talk her through it. One thing led to another…and…and we ended up in bed together. I never told my brother about either thing. They went on to get married and now have twin boys. I'm not going to lie and say that I DON'T feel guilty about it, but at the time…I felt like I was just comforting a friend."
Silence fell over the group as everyone took in Mike's honesty in admitting what he had done over six years ago.
"I…I guess I can understand a little bit about what you did, Mike."
Everyone looked wide eyed at the senior paramedic.
"Roy?" Johnny couldn't imagine his best friend doing anything even remotely like Mike had done.
"I had only been married a couple years. I had just graduated from the Fire Academy. About five months after graduating, I had an incredibly lousy shift. We were running ragged…lost a few victims, including a couple kids…and two of those fires were arson. A good friend of mine had been seriously injured at another fire. Some of the guys decided to go out for a few drinks…I joined them. At the bar, this gorgeous blond came over to me and we started talking. I got up and walked to the bathroom…she followed me…and…well…it was the first, last and only time that I had ever cheated on Joanne. I couldn't believe what I had done. I felt so guilty. I had always suspected that she knew, but…"
"You were drunk Roy, right?"
Roy sighed loudly and exhaled. "No, Johnny…I wasn't. I had only had two beers. That was the worst thing…that I cheated on my wife…and it was a conscious decision that I had made…I KNEW what I was doing."
"But all that doesn't matter now. You and Joanne have been happily married for quite some time now…and you have two great kids."
"That's true, Chet. Judging by the tone in your voice, it kinda sounds like you have something on your mind, too."
Chet looked rather uneasily around at his friends.
"Oh for god sakes, Kelly…I just told you I'm divorcing Suzanne, Mike slept with his sister-in-law, and Roy cheated on Joanne. Whatever you have to say…none of us are in any position to judge you."
"I…I get that, Cap. It's just…well…what I tell you guys…it could seriously change what happens in my career. If anyone else ever found out about it…I'm toast."
"Spill…Kelly…or you'll have latrine duty for the next six months."
Chet groaned and shook his head.
"Alright…alright. Well…when I was in the Fire Academy, it was a few weeks before graduation…we had a major exam. I…I studied hard…I mean I really knew my stuff. The morning of the exam, I froze. I don't know what it was…but I realized that if I didn't do something to pass…I wouldn't graduate…and I'd be the laughing stock of my family. So…I took my study sheet and pinned it to the inside of my jacket…I passed…barely."
Johnny looked at his friend with a dumbstruck expression. "You cheated on an exam…and you ONLY barely passed?"
"Sorry, Gage…I'll do better next time. You guys know I get a little nervous when I take tests. Cap, you're not gonna turn me in…are ya?"
"Kelly…you really are a twit. The six of us are drunk…you really think any of us are gonna remember anything come the morning?"
"Lord, I hope not."
Suddenly four sets of eyes turned towards Marco and Johnny.
The two friends looked back and forth at one another.
Speaking up, Marco took a big swig from a bottle of scotch that was next to him. "Johnny, you should go next…you guys are gonna need more booze for MY tale of woe."
"Well…there's not a whole lot to tell. I'm not divorcing a wife, I didn't sleep with my sister-in-law…I don't even have any family left…I didn't cheat on a wife…and I didn't cheat on any exams…but there are things about my childhood that I certainly ain't proud of."
Like all his friends before him, the others couldn't imagine anything too traumatic happening in Johnny's life. He was always thought of as such a kind and good-hearted person that no one could think of him in any other way.
Johnny took a deep breath and told his story. "Well…you all know I grew up on reservation in Montana. To say that my father had issues would have been a gross understatement. Life out there wasn't the greatest. My mom did all she could to help me but…it didn't work. Thanks to my father…I acted out in school and got into a bit of trouble. I drank and smoked pot. I was even suspended from school a few times. In a last ditch effort to get my life turned around, my mom sent me here to LA to live with her sister…my Aunt Rosa."
It was Chet's turn to look at his friend. "YOU drank and smoked pot…got suspended, Gage? I don't believe it."
"Yeah. I know it's hard to believe. I haven't been that person in years. My Aunt Rosa was a wonderful woman. I learned a lot from her. She died a couple years ago."
After Johnny admitted what his life was like growing up, his friends were all once again very quiet.
"You're a special guy, John. To turn your life around like you did…to become a firefighter and paramedic…that took a lot of courage, I'm sure."
All eyes were once again on Marco.
"Refills…for everyone." Marco wanted to make sure that his friends were properly armed.
Once everyone downed more booze, Marco continued.
"I grew up in East LA. It was…and still is a pretty rough and tumble neighborhood. There were a lot of gangs there…still are."
"Were you in a gang, Marco?"
Marco shook his head. "Nope…no gangs for me, Mike…but I might as well have been in one, for what I did."
Everyone's interest was piqued. If everyone else were good guys, then Marco was near the top of the list where good guys were concerned. He came from a good family, he was a regular churchgoer, and he was never without a smile or a helping hand.
"When I was twelve years old, some kids from one of the gangs would hassle me and my cousins. One day my cousin Carlos was badly beaten…and my cousin Amelia was raped…just fifteen years old. I decided that I had had enough…and I was tired of being afraid. One evening at the local park, this particular fellow was there and we exchanged words and got into a fight…I stabbed him. He didn't die right away…it took a few weeks. He ended up dying of complications from his wounds. I was never found out, nor did I ever step forward to admit my wrongdoing. In my mind it was self-defense. So, while you guys talk about cheating on wives, brothers, exams, smoking pot and getting suspended…and even getting divorced…I killed a person. I'm not proud of it…but if you asked me…I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
"Wow…I think you take the prize, amigo. But if Johnny put what he did behind him to become the kind of person that he ultimately became…you obviously did, too."
"Yeah, Cap…I did…fortunately."
The six men continued to sit around drinking and talking. Their deepest and darkest secrets were now out of the bag. They spoke about the previous shift…about the fire that claimed the lives of two of their friends, and almost claimed the lives of both Roy and Johnny. They laughed and even cried a few tears.
Finally, as the time approached midnight, Johnny exhaled loudly. "Cap…there's one really really really big secret left to tell."
Hank let out a few hiccups and yawned. "What's…what's that, John?"
"Well…you never told us why you burned McConnikee's hat. Under…under the cir...circum…circumstances…I think you owe us that…that much. Right guys?"
Four other drunk firefighters nodded their heads.
"See, Cap…now spill the…the beans."
Hank let out a loud sigh. "I dunno…some secrets are better left unsaid."
Knowing that his crew was not going to let him off the hook, Hank decided to finally come clean about a secret that he had harbored for almost fifteen years.
"Alright…but this can absolutely never ever ever ever…"
"Cap, we get the picture…you're beginnin' to sound like me…get to the point."
"Alright, Gage. Well, any way…in my younger days I was a bit of a wise guy…not quite as bad as Kelly here, but…any way, it seemed that McConnikee had my number. We played a few harmless jokes on him, and he automatically assumed that I was the ringleader. He kept giving me the assignment of cleaning the latrines. He never said anything to me, but somehow…I just knew that's what he was thinking. Well…after two months of latrine duty, I decided that I had had enough. I took his hat with me into the latrine one morning…and setting it in the middle of the floor, I lit the darn thing on fire. Then when I was finished with it, and it was a burned mess…I put it in a gift box and wrapped it up and put it on the desk in his office. When he opened the box and saw his hat burnt to a crisp…he laughed hysterically. I never ended up with latrine duty any more after that…and he never said anything to me about it."
"You never got in trouble for it?" An incredulous Chet asked.
"Nope…and that's the reason why I still get a little paranoid around him, even to this day. My father always reminded me that payback came in many forms."
Hank's men, drunk and tired looked at their captain in disbelief.
Johnny summed up the whole story. "So…lemme get this straight, Cap…you…you mean to say…that…you burned McConnikee's hat simply because…he kept giving you latrine duty?"
Hank tried to put a serious expression on his face, but the booze that he'd been drinking made it too difficult. "Yeah…I guess that's it in a nutshell."
Mike looked disappointedly at his boss. "That's pretty anti-climactic, don't ya think? I…I think we were hoping for somethin' a little more…dramatic."
The weary and drunk captain chuckled. "A few more beers…and I'll add more punch to the story the next time around."
The guys laughed. The evening turned out to be quite different from what they had all anticipated. It was a release for them all to express their innermost feelings, and some heavy baggage that they had all been carrying around with them. They had many laughs and ended up completely drunk. When the morning came, the reality would set in that not only would they all be incredibly hung over, but they'd soon be preparing for the funerals of two fallen comrades. It would prove to be a night that none of them would ever forget.
The End