Squad 51, with its flashing lights and blaring siren, raced down the street towards the destination of a possible heart attack. Both paramedics, Roy DeSoto and John Gage, had their professional masks on, 'Time is critical', flashed through their minds. Johnny checked his watch for the second time because every second counted when it came to these types of runs.
They pulled up in front of a well-kept house. A young man was waiting out front, clearly watching for the arrival of the squad. He started waving his arms with urgency at the paramedics.
Roy and John calmly and efficiently gathered their equipment and hastily approached the anxious young man. He had the recognisable features of 'Down Syndrome', both paramedics noted.
"He's in the kitchen. Bill told me to wait for you and then show you into the house…..My name is Satchie…I live here with my friends…..I"
Johnny smiled. "Satchie." The young man smiled and nodded, not realising or taking offense for being abruptly interrupted. "Can you lead us to the kitchen?" Johnny asked in a friendly way, nudging Satchie towards the front door. Roy smiled and followed his partner's lead.
"Yes…yes….." Satchie nodded enthusiastically and jogged up the front stairs and opened the door. He quickly entered the house, forgetting that the paramedics had their hands full and needed him to hold the door open.
"Aahh…..Satchie!...Could you hold the door open for us? It would be a big help." Roy said in his calm voice.
"Yes….yes….sorry…." The young man replied looking downcast as he opened and held the door open.
Johnny noticed Satchie's downcast eyes and took pity. "Good job Satchie. Now can you take us to the kitchen?" He gave the young man an encouraging smile.
Satchie looked up and smiled brightly; the compliment having the desired effect. "This way…..Bill said I was the best man for the job…When I grow up I want to be a fireman just like you." Satchie stated eagerly.
John and Roy caught sight of a few similar adult faces to Satchie in the living room leading to the kitchen. As they entered the kitchen they took in the scene of a large man lying on the floor breathing with some distress and a younger man holding his hand talking soothingly to him. John and Roy placed their equipment on the floor and started taking vitals. Johnny placed an oxygen mask on the patients face. "This will help you breathe better Donald…..Good boy…..Nice and slow…" Bill said encouragingly.
"How old is he?" Johnny asked Bill, while he undid the buttons of Donald's shirt, to place the pads, to monitor his heart, on his chest.
"He's 44…He said his chest hurt…..and before any of us had a chance to react he collapsed." Bill told the paramedics, clearly upset.
Johnny and Roy could see how concerned this man was; they couldn't help but think how dedicated and kind these carers must be. Johnny quickly set up the biophone and attached the leads. Roy was taking Donald's blood pressure; he glanced at the screen when the leads were attached. He frowned and looked knowingly at his partner. It was obvious to the paramedics that Donald was in the middle of a heart attack.
Johnny established contact with Rampart quickly to get the much needed treatment started. Bill continued to talk gently to Donald; this was much appreciated by the paramedics.
"Is he going to get up…it's his turn to cook the chicken…..How are we going to cook the chicken if he doesn't get up?" A small man asked who also had the noted features of 'Down Syndrome'.
"Harley, go back into the front room like I asked you earlier. These men need to look after Donald. Go please." Bill said firmly but with kindness to the small man.
"Ok!" Harley replied happily and left the kitchen.
"Sorry…..nothing like this has happened before. They can't comprehend the seriousness of the situation." Bill explained. He immediately turned his attention back to Donald, again talking to him in a calm manner.
"That's ok." Roy responded.
Medications were administered quickly and efficiently. "The ambulance is here!" Satchie announced excitedly from the doorway of the kitchen.
"Good job Satchie. Can you show them into the kitchen like you did for us?" Johnny asked, surprising Bill. Satchie nodded keenly and left.
"Thank you. Most people ignore them or treat them like children….they just want to be useful and treated with respect….that's why these homes have been set up. It gives them a sense of independence and living normally like people their age." Bill explained.
Johnny nodded and was about to speak when the ambulance attendants came into the kitchen. Donald was placed on the gurney along with the scope and IVs. "Is it alright if I sit in the back of the ambulance with you….Donald may get upset if he's surrounded by strangers?" Bill asked Roy.
"Normally you wouldn't be allowed….but I'm sure because of the circumstances it will be ok." Roy answered.
The ambulance drove away. Johnny went back into the kitchen and made sure everything was picked up. He packed away the remaining equipment. "I'm going to be a fireman one day." Satchie announced startling Johnny. The young man put his face very close to the paramedic's, who was kneeling down.
Johnny straightened up and smiled at the eager man in front of him. "Maybe you can come down to the station…..and I'll give you one of my personal tours." Satchie's eyes grew wide with excitement. He jumped up and down clapping his hands with a grin from ear to ear. Johnny couldn't help but chuckle at the young man's keenness. As he picked up the remaining equipment, he added, "You know there are things around here you could do. Being a fireman…..also means you have to make sure the correct fire safety equipment is in place…You could run fire drills to make sure everyone knows what to do if there's a fire…..Tell you what…..I'll speak to Bill at the hospital and arrange to come and visit on my day off." Johnny told the delighted man. Another carer came up behind Satchie.
"Time to watch TV Satchie…Adam 12 is about to start….."
"Bye Johnny!" Satchie ran off before Johnny could reply.
"Thank you for looking after Donald….My name's Jim by the way…" He held out his hand. Johnny shook it firmly.
"I meant what I said to Satchie." He told Jim.
"That would be wonderful….. Just talk to Bill…..and….thank you."
"I will." Johnny walked quickly to the front door. He half turned and saw four adult males sitting in front of the TV eagerly watching a rerun of Adam 12. He smiled, being a fan himself, at their concentration. "See you guys!" He called out. Four similar smiling faces looked up and waved at him.
Johnny spoke to Bill at the hospital and made arrangements to visit on his next day off. Roy sipped his coffee listening to the conversation and couldn't help but wonder why his partner was getting himself involved with these people. They had enough on their plates with committee meetings and get-togethers with other paramedics on their days off.
"Don't you have enough to do?" Roy asked Johnny after Bill left.
"Yeah…..but I think these homes are an important part of the community. Besides…..how could I resist Satchie's enthusiasm?" Johnny shrugged. Roy shook his head in reply. "What?"
"I just don't think you should be encouraging him…..you and I both know, that he can never be a fireman. You'd be getting his hopes up." Roy warned Johnny.
"Roy, you heard him…..When I grow up…don't you see it?" Roy shook his head. Johnny sighed showing his frustration with his partner. "In his mind he will never grow up so there will never come a time…in his mind…..that he will be old enough to be a fireman?" He explained and crossed his arms emphasizing his frustration with his partner. Roy, as usual had to readjust his way of thinking to understand his partner.
"It's your time Junior." Roy simply stated but couldn't help but wonder if Johnny's motives were genuine. It was easy to get carried away with the hero worshipping.
"It is…..just like it's your time when you help out with coaching Chris's little league or help out with scouts or go to the local school and do a demonstration on CPR…" Johnny countered defensively.
"Ok….ok…." Roy waved his arms cutting his partner off mid rant. They got into the squad and drove in silence back to the station. Johnny sat and looked out of the passenger window. It wasn't as if this was the first time he had helped out in the community. He sometimes helped out at the youth centre, giving talks on health safety and demonstrations on CPR and basic first aid.
Roy backed the squad into the bay, ignored his partner's subdued persona, not wanting to further discuss 'The Home', located only a few miles from the station.
When their assigned chores were finished, the paramedics began to polish the squad. Johnny was bending over and touching up a scratch with some paint when Chet crept up and called loudly, "Gage!"
Johnny almost dropped the fine paint brush. Chet smirked at him satisfied he had achieved what he set out to do and that was to startle the young paramedic.
Johnny sighed resignedly. Chet had a way of really getting on his nerves sometimes; nothing was ever simple with this man. "What do you want Chet you freak?"
"You have a phone call." Chet smirked, ignoring the name calling. "The caller asked for Fireman Johnny." Chet had a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
Johnny tried to act casual and not react to Chet's tormenting. "Thanks." He wiped his hands and headed for the phone.
"Is that the only type of phone calls you can get these days Gage…..kids?" Chet called after the retreating paramedic. Johnny turned around and gave Chet a dirty look before disappearing into the day room. "What's with Gage Roy? He putting together his own fan club…..a bunch of kids to hero worship him?"
Roy straightened up and looked at Chet frowning. "What do you mean?"
"Well…..this kid said Gage was coming over to his house and it was his turn to make lunch so he needed to find out what kind of sandwiches he wanted and that he could have whatever he wanted because he was…and I quote….the 'bestest' fireman in the world…..Really Roy…..What's he feeding these kids?"
Roy shook his head. "I don't know Chet…..When it comes to little old ladies and kids Johnny has no inhibitions. What can I say?…..They love him and he laps it up." Roy continued to polish the squad. The lineman walked away shaking his head.
Johnny came back smiling, picked up the brush and continued touching up scratches. Roy looked over at his partner, contemplating whether to ask what the phone call was about. He decided to refrain from asking knowing he'd find out sooner or later; he preferred later. His free spirited partner had a tendency to obsess over his latest subject and confuse him with his wild ideas.
The paramedics only had a couple of calls in the afternoon and were able to sit down without interruption with the rest of the crew, to enjoy supper. They were only a few minutes into eating when Chet started his teasing. "So Gage….How big is this fan club of yours….and the most important question is….what's the average age?"
Johnny was about to put a forkful of food into his mouth and stopped mid-air. He drew his eyebrows together in confusion. Just wanting to enjoy his meal he nearly didn't acknowledge Chet's question. "What are you talking about Chet?"
"Here we go…." Roy mumbled but loud enough for all to hear; Chet had baited and Johnny bit.
Johnny looked at his partner. If Roy had looked up he would have seen the slight hurt in his friend's eyes. Something wasn't right here. He couldn't help but think that Chet and Roy were annoyed with him, but why? He was beginning to feel very self-conscious and guilty; he must have said or done something to annoy his friends. He knew he got on his partner's nerves sometimes after going on about some topic to death. He couldn't help himself, living alone meant his only outlet was the station which included his best friend Roy.
Chet smirked. "The phone call….for the world's 'bestest' fireman…..I got to hand it to you Gage…..only you would have a bunch of kids hero worshipping you." Chet shook his head, pleased that he had been able to let everyone in on Gage's phone call.
Johnny suddenly understood where Chet was coming from and decided his best defence was to ignore him, so he went back to eating. Chet scowled. His pigeon didn't bite, which irritated him no end. He was about to say something when Captain Stanley intercepted. "Chet, John's phone calls are his business. Let's just enjoy supper." Chet took note of the Cap's hard stare and dropped the conversation. The young paramedic kept his eyes on his plate but couldn't help smiling. It didn't go unnoticed by the rest of the crew. They wondered why the Cap, who usually didn't get involved with Chet and Gage's bantering, came to the paramedic's defence.
The next day after leaving the station, Johnny drove to headquarters. Captain Stanley had contacted the section responsible for fire safety equipment and fire drill information for public service departments and had them get together the equipment and information his paramedic needed for the home. They gladly gave him the necessary items and encouraged him to keep up the good work. They were very short staffed, so when firemen volunteered to do this kind of service, it was much appreciated by the fire department.
Johnny was looking forward to visiting the home and helping them make it safe. He grabbed a couple of hours sleep, showered and changed into a clean uniform before visiting the home. Bill had advised him to wear his uniform so that the home occupants could relate to him better. He had grabbed a couple of spare helmets to give to his helpers to wear for the day.
Johnny pulled his Land Rover into the driveway of the home and was enthusiastically met by Satchie. He smiled at the excited young man and promptly placed a helmet on his head. "You need to wear this while you help me Satchie." Together they carried the equipment into the house. Bill and another carer named Stan shook Johnny's hand.
Satchie paraded around the living room showing the other three residents his helmet. "I'm a fireman today because I'm helping Johnny." Satchie declared.
For the next hour Johnny placed various fire extinguishers and a fire blanket for the kitchen around the house. He demonstrated how to use them. Soon Bill, Stan and Satchie efficiently put out a controlled fire Johnny lit. They stopped for lunch. The residents fought over who would sit next to Johnny, so to make sure everyone had a turn, they swapped when Johnny started a new sandwich.
After lunch Johnny organised the fire drill. It was very simple since it only involved six people. He instructed them on keeping low when exiting the home and how to escape through windows if they couldn't get to the front or back door. He emphasized the importance of gathering in the designated spot in the front yard so that heads could be counted. Satchie was put in charge of monthly fire drills and was presented with a helmet of his own to wear during the fire drills and inspections of fire equipment. The smile on his face made the afternoon all worthwhile.
Bill let Johnny know of two other homes in the area. He promised to set them up with the same equipment and fire drill instructions. That evening he had dozed off during a movie, only to be awakened by the phone. "Hello."
"John, it's Cap. How did it go today?" Captain Stanley had been thinking about his young paramedic throughout the day. It wasn't the first time Johnny had asked for help from his Captain about a community task, so he liked to show his paramedic that he had his support.
"It went great Cap. They gave me the addresses of two more homes in our area." Johnny went on to tell his Captain about the special people who lived in the home. He also thanked his Cap for coming up with the idea of a helmet for Satchie. He informed Cap that the residents of the home would be visiting the station in two weeks.
"That's wonderful John." Cap couldn't help but smile at the other end of the phone. His paramedic had no idea how special he was; not many people would give up their free time to carry out tasks within the community.
The next shift Johnny placed the spare helmets in the storage cabinet along with two extinguishers he didn't use at the home. He would use them at the next home.
When he entered the locker room he couldn't help but notice the sudden silence amongst his fellow crewmen. Johnny got the distinct impression that he was being talked about amongst his peers. Noticing John's uncomfortableness Roy broke the silence. "How was your day off?"
"It was great." Johnny replied. If it had just been Roy in the locker room he would have told him about the visit to the home but he remained quiet about it.
The morning included a house fire and an MVA. Soon the crew were sitting down to bowls of Chet's famous chilli.
"So Johnny…How was lunch with your fan club?" Chet asked casually.
"What are you talking about Kelly?" Johnny asked exasperated with the Irishman's teasing.
"You know…..the phone call last shift about lunch."
Johnny sighed and shook his head. He ignored Chet Kelly and continued to eat. For some unknown reason Roy joined in on the bantering. "Wasn't Satchie as happy to see you? Did he change his mind about wanting to be a fireman when he grew up?" Roy joked. Roy wasn't trying to be nasty he was just insensitive sometimes.
Johnny looked sideways at Roy. He was a little surprised with his best friend's question. Roy added more fuel to Chet's teasing. "Didn't he worship you out of uniform?" He chuckled at his statement. Chet and Marco joined in.
John looked up; Cap caught his eye and smiled telling him he knew the truth. "Everything went fine…..they'll be coming by the station for a visit in a couple of weeks…..and before you all complain…..don't worry…..I'll look after them. Go and take a nap in the dorm for all I care." He got up and took his bowl out back and ate in peace at the picnic table.
Roy had hurt Johnny with casual remarks before, and he had no idea where Roy was coming from and it upset him, more than he would admit.
Roy thought Johnny was being over sensitive, as usual. He was surprised his partner left the table to eat alone out back. Cap got up and left the room, retreating to his office without a word. Mike watched him leave. The four remaining crew members finished their meals in silence.
Later the young paramedic came into the kitchen and started the dishes. Mike decided to help. He wasn't sure why, maybe he thought Gage could use a friend right now. They washed and dried in silence. The klaxons remained quiet for the afternoon. Roy caught up on the logs, Chet studied for the engineers' exam, Mike and Marco played chess and Johnny studied the updated paramedic manual.
Chet looked up; he couldn't believe how quiet the station had become. "Geeze Gage…..you really know how to kill a good atmosphere." Chet watched Gage snap his head up and waited for his retort.
Johnny rose, closing the manual as he stood. "The stations the way it is because of YOU. You and Roy were the ones doing all the talking around here earlier." He picked up his manual and walked over and sat on the couch. Marco and Mike looked at Chet and followed his line of sight. Roy was standing in the doorway with a puzzled look on his face. It was obvious he had heard his partner's remark.
He entered the room and poured himself a cup of coffee. He looked over at Johnny who was sitting on the couch with Henry's head in his lap. His partner had reopened the manual and was reading. Roy was used to his partner's moods but wasn't sure why his name had been included with Chet's. Roy had forgotten about his remarks over lunch.
Johnny knew Roy was looking his way but chose to ignore him. "JOHN CAN I SEE YOU FOR A MINUTE!" yelled Cap from his office.
Johnny looked up. "SURE CAP!" He replied as he shut the manual. He left it on the couch, intending to return, to read it. Roy and Chet watched him walk out; wondering why Cap wanted to speak with the paramedic.
"Come in John. I just got off the phone with headquarters. No one has been out to the other two homes so they would be grateful if you would do the honors. Apparently the 'home' setup is so new that other departments haven't had a chance to do their bit….which includes fire inspections by the fire department. " Cap informed his paramedic as he leaned back in his chair.
"Sure Cap…..that's no problem at all…..When do they want me to do it?" Johnny asked.
"As soon as possible. They did say that they didn't expect you to do it during your time off."
"I don't mind Cap. I don't want to take the squad out of service or rush through the inspection in case we get a call." Johnny explained.
"What they wanted to do was replace you for the day and you could use one of the department cars to visit each home. How does that sound?"
"Sounds good Cap…..although I still don't mind doing it on my days off." He was surprised the department was offering him so much support.
"I don't think you understand John…..Sit down." Cap waited for Johnny to sit in the chair next to his desk. "The department and I, for that matter, are really proud of you John. You're not only doing the department a service but you're doing the community a service with nothing in it for you other than the satisfaction that these homes are a little safer." Cap explained.
"Cap, I really enjoy doing this sort of thing. The residents get a real kick out of learning how to use the fire equipment and I feel real good about doing something for them." John turned really serious. "I don't do it to be worshipped as Kelly put it. I just like to help and this is a good way to help. It's like when I help out at the youth centre or the children's ward. I feel like I'm giving something back and it makes me feel good inside."
"I know you don't do it for glory John. Don't listen to Kelly. The chief is well aware of what various fire-fighters do for the community." Cap patted Johnny on the knee.
"That's good they know because I know I'm not the only one. 86's paramedics for example, do a lot more than me." Johnny informed his Cap.
"I know…..Bret used to be a rescue man at my last station…..He's a good man." Cap said with sincerity.
"His partner Tom is also a good man. He does a lot for the children's cancer ward." Johnny added. "I'll check out these homes on my day off and next shift I'll outfit them." He notified his Captain.
"Good….I'll let headquarters know."
"Thanks Cap." Johnny left the office and headed back to the couch to continue reading. The kitchen was silent. Roy was reading the paper while the others continued doing what they were doing before he left the area.
Johnny picked up the manual and continued reading. Unbeknownst to the young paramedic Chet was quietly telling Roy what John and the Cap had discussed. Roy shook his head. "He's definitely in it for the glory Roy. Why else would Gage do it?" Roy frowned, he knew it wasn't the first time Johnny had helped out in the community.
"I don't know Chet…..he seems pretty sincere about doing this kind of stuff…and others do stuff like he's doing." Roy countered. He felt a little guilty for teasing Johnny earlier. He knew now he had given Chet fodder for teasing with his comments and had also given him the wrong impression of his partner's motives.
Chet shrugged, he wasn't convinced. Marco didn't seem convinced either. Mike remained silent and as usual didn't express his feelings.
The silence was broken by the phone. Mike answered and frowned at the receiver.
"John….it's for you." Mike told the paramedic.
Johnny jumped up and took the receiver from Mike and thanked him. "Hello."
"Oh, Hi Satchie." Johnny listened intently.
"Ok…..listen…..Bill's idea is a good one…..yes…..listen can you put Bill on the line." Johnny waited patiently smiling to himself.
"Hello Bill…..yes that's fine….listen I'm going to the other two homes next shift. I was wondering if I could take Satchie with me to help." Johnny asked.
"Great…It will be next Thursday. I'll pick him up around 9.30…..Thanks….Yes I think I can arrange that. He can wear mine. Bye."
Johnny put down the receiver and left the room to talk to Cap. He didn't see Roy shake his head. Roy did feel jealous sometimes of his single partner, who was free to do as he pleased, but then he would remember what it felt like to have your daughter hug and kiss you and tell you that you're the most wonderful father in the world and that she loves you. He knew Johnny would be quite lonely if he didn't get involved with something and what could be better than a community service. He realised he shouldn't have said what he did over lunch, it was thoughtless. He thought about how family life made it hard for him to get involved with community projects. The jobs he did get involved with were related to his children's activities and it was a thankless job.
Roy returned his thoughts to the home. He had never felt at ease around mentally challenged individuals and he couldn't understand how his young single partner could be so unperturbed with them.
"What exactly is this home Johnny's been visiting?" Chet asked Roy interrupting him from his thoughts.
"It's a home for Down Syndrome and mentally challenged adults. They have carers who supervise them and help them with day to day living. I guess they try to give them a little independence. Anything's got to be better than some of those institutes." Roy explained.
"You mean Johnny's fan club is a bunch of mongoloids?" Chet exclaimed.
"Chet!" Mike angrily interrupted his fellow crewman. He scowled at Chet.
"What?" Chet looked at his annoyed engineer.
"Don't call them that. They can't help how they were born….And don't comment on things you know nothing about." Mike got up and stormed out of the day room.
"What got up his nose?" Chet asked Roy and Marco. Both men shrugged.
Mike waited for Johnny to come out of the Cap's office. He wanted to talk to Johnny about the home and find out for himself if the young paramedic was sincere about helping and not just doing it to bolster his ego. He had personal reasons for finding out. Reasons that were of no concern to his friends.
"Oh hey Mike." Johnny went to rush past the engineer.
"John can I have a word?"
"Sure. What's up?" Johnny didn't know why Mike wanted to talk to him. The quiet engineer hardly spoke to him and often laughed at him, not with him. He always got the impression that the engineer didn't really like him, that he found him annoying. When the young paramedic had tried to impress the engineer with a heroic story Mike had quite often scoffed and brushed him off as if it wasn't a big deal at all; that he was exaggerating.
"I heard you've been helping out at a home that has Down Syndrome people living there."
"I wouldn't say that. All I've done is outfit the home with fire safety equipment and instruct them about fire drills. That's all…oh and I promised a tour of the station. Why?" Johnny was trying to work out what Mike wanted.
"What are these homes like?" Johnny frowned a little confused.
"Well….It's a normal residential home and the one I visited had five residents….they all had Down Syndrome. Bill…one of the carers….told me they try to give them the chance to live as close to a normal life as possible. There are two carers there twenty four hours. The residents are never left alone." Johnny watched the engineer process the information. He felt nervous, Mike usually only talked to Roy or Cap.
"What department runs these homes?"
"Ummm….I don't know exactly. I could give Bill a call and ask him." Johnny was a bit bewildered as to why Mike was asking all these questions, but he was afraid to ask why. Mike was a very private man.
"You're visiting a couple more homes?" Mike was very intense with his questions. It was making Johnny very nervous.
"Yeah. I was going to check them out tomorrow and then outfit them next shift."
"Do you mind if I let Nick Sommers from station 43 know about these homes? He might want to come along with you tomorrow."
Johnny shrugged. "N…n…no….sh…sh…sure no problem. I'll be going straight from end of shift." Johnny frowned at Mike as the engineer turned to leave.
"Good. I'll let him know. He's off tomorrow so he'll probably meet you here and follow you." The engineer walked back into the kitchen. Johnny rubbed the back of his neck. He had no idea why Nick would want to go with him. Nick was a rather big and imposing man. Johnny always felt down right puny whenever he stood next to the man. He sighed and headed for his locker. He felt a headache coming on, he needed some aspirin.
The next morning Nick was waiting for him. He followed Johnny to the first home. Both men approached the home's front door. Johnny still didn't understand why Nick was with him. He asked him before they left if he was looking at helping out with the homes in his area but he said no. He glanced sideways at the engineer. The engineer's face was serious as he checked out the appearance of the home.
"The other one was a little bigger than this one." Nick just nodded.
Johnny knocked on the door. A tall man aged about 40 answered the door. He stood in the doorway and stared at the two men.
Johnny cleared his throat. "Hi. My names Johnny Gage .I'm here to see Glen Palmer."
The man turned and called over his shoulder. "Glen. Someone here to see you."
A younger man appeared. "Thankyou Neville." The tall man nodded and left. "I'm Glen. You must be Mr Gage from the fire department." Glen unlocked the security door. "Please come in. Satchie told me all about you."
Johnny smiled and offered Glen his hand. "It's Johnny and this is station 43's engineer Nick Sommers" Nick offered Glen his hand.
"I'm just going to check the layout so that I know what's needed and then on Thursday I'll be back, with Satchie, to install the various fire extinguishers. We'll show you how to use them and organise a fire drill so the residents know what to do in case of a fire."
"Wonderful." Glen showed the two men around the home. Johnny took notes and half listened to Nick ask Glen about the home.
"How do they decide who lives in the home?" Nick finally asked Glen.
"Each resident is screened carefully. They have to meet certain requirements. All of the residents can basically look after themselves as far as dressing, bathing and personal needs but they need guidance with the day to day living. We teach them how to cook, do shopping, wash clothes and keep the home clean." Glen showed Nick a schedule of duties. "It's a new concept and so far it's been very successful."
"Well that's all I need." Johnny shook Glen's hand. "I'll see you Thursday…with Satchie." Johnny smiled. John called out to the residents sitting in the front room as he was leaving. "Bye guys."
"Bye Fireman Johnny." Three men called out.
Glen cleared his throat. "Satchie told them all about you when we all went to the movies last night."
Johnny chuckled. He and Nick made their way back to their cars. Nick climbed into his car.
"Did you find out what you needed to know?" Johnny asked the serious engineer. He was hoping the engineer would tell him why he wanted to know so much about the home since it wasn't to help out with outfitting the homes in his area.
"Yes. Thanks for letting me come with you. Bye Gage." Nick started his car and drove off. Johnny frowned not knowing what to make of the engineer. He thought about asking Cap but he knew he probably wouldn't tell him anything.
Roy was surprised to see Craig Brice sitting in the locker room tying his boots. "Brice."
He looked up. "DeSoto." Roy watched him leave. Roy thought, 'You owe me big time partner saddling me with Brice.' The shift was average with only half dozen runs. Roy, just the same, was glad when his partner turned up late in the afternoon.
"Thanks for filling in for me Craig." Johnny was happy, his day had gone really well.
"Do you have any more homes to do?" Craig asked. Roy listened from the other side of the door that led to the dorm.
"That's all of them in this area. Are you going to check out your area?"
"Bob's doing that today. Will you come with us to the first home?"
"Sure. Just remember to wear your uniforms and bring some spare helmets." Johnny slapped Craig on the back as if they were old friends. "I better find that partner of mine. See ya."
"Bye John. I'll call you." Johnny waved and nodded as he left the locker room. Roy went back into the dorm and sat on his bunk. He couldn't believe how friendly Johnny was with Brice. Only months ago Johnny had been jealous of Craig Brice. He shook his head, 'I'll never understand my partner.'
Roy met up with Johnny in the kitchen. He pointed at his partner. "You owe me big time."
"Huh?" Johnny looked confused.
"Saddling me with Brice."
"Awe come on Roy. Craig's not that bad. Bob's mellowed him." Roy nearly choked on his coffee.
"Since when are you friendly with Brice?"
"I got to know Craig when I was volunteering up in paediatrics. Craig and Bob exchange the reading books every month for the kids. We've run into each other on my day of storytelling." Johnny shrugged his shoulders.
"How long have you been doing that Johnny?" Chet asked.
"Couple of years now. Why?" Johnny's eyes lit up. "You want to come too Chet and tell some stories to the kids. You'd have to keep them clean. We are talking about kids."
Chet shook his head. "I don't have time…..Where do you get the time?"
Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "I make time. It's fun."
"It's fun because you have the same brain capacity as the kids." Chet and Marco chuckled.
"I might join you next time." Roy told his partner as he sat down.
"That would be great Roy. I've heard you tell bedtime stories to your kids. You're a really good storyteller." Johnny smiled at his partner, happy he was no longer mad at him.
"John can I see you in my office?" Cap was standing in the doorway and had been listening to the conversation.
"Sure Cap." Johnny got up and followed Cap to his office.
"How did it go today?" Cap sat back in his chair and put his hands behind his head.
"It went really well Cap. Craig said he and Bob are going to check out their area." Cap smiled at his paramedic.
"That's good John." It still amazed him that Johnny had no idea how special he was.
"I'm going to see if station 48 wants to check their area. If they can't I'll do it."
"Ok I'll leave that in your capable hands."
"Cap….Nick Sommers from station 43 came with me on my day off when I checked over one of the homes. He asked one of the carers a lot of questions."
"Maybe he just wanted to see what the set up was." Johnny nodded. He thought the Cap knew more than he was letting on.
One and half weeks later Johnny prepared for Satchie and his friends to visit the station. He had called in to a local bakery and bought some donuts. When the excited residents from the home arrived Cap introduced them to everyone. Johnny watched as Mike showed off big red and placed his helmet on each resident before they climbed into the engine. The engineer was very relaxed around the residents.
Johnny showed them the squad, but the engine had made too much of an impression on the residents, for them to appreciate the squad. Its sheer size made the squad look unimpressive. They were shown where the firemen slept, where the hoses were hung and lastly where they ate. Mike continued to help with the tour. The afternoon was a big hit. Johnny and the crew waved goodbye to the residents with the paramedic promising to visit the home soon.
A month later Johnny called into the home. He was surprised to see Nick there, sitting in the front room with an unfamiliar resident.
"Hey Nick." Johnny waved to the engineer.
"Gage." Nick only gave Johnny a passing glance before returning his attention to the resident. He got the impression that the engineer was annoyed he had seen him with the resident. Maybe he was just concentrating on the task at hand. He guessed he would find out later.
Satchie gave him a drink and they sat with Bill and talked in the kitchen. Johnny told Satchie about some of his funnier rescues. He noticed that he was not as excited as he usually was. He hoped he wasn't sick.
When Johnny left he heard the engineer call out to him. "I just wanted to ask you not to say anything to the guys about me being here."
"Sure Nick, whatever you want." Johnny started to walk towards his car. Nick grabbed his arm.
"I mean it. Not a word. Not even to your partner DeSoto." Johnny frowned, not understanding why Nick was so determined to make sure he didn't say anything. He nodded, finally satisfied, Nick walked back into the home.
Two shifts later, Satchie came running into the bay area out of breath. Johnny and Roy were busy working on the squad while the engine was out on a run.
"Satchie what are you doing here? Where's Bill?" Johnny grabbed Satchie and sat him down on the running board of the squad.
"It's not fair Johnny. I'm in charge of the fire drills. It's not fair." Satchie was distraught.
"I'll call the home Johnny." Roy left to make the call from Cap's office.
Johnny tried to make sense of Satchie's rambling. "Just calm down. Did someone hurt you?" Johnny looked over the man for signs of injuries.
"It's not fair Johnny."
Roy came back into the bay area. "Bill's on his way. He said something about a problem with one of the other residents."
Johnny rubbed the back of his neck not understanding what was going on with Satchie. He knelt down and spoke calmly to the upset man. "We'll just wait for Bill and sort this out. Everything's going to be ok."
A couple of minutes later a mini bus pulled into the station. Bill jumped out and jogged into the station. He shook his head.
He looked down at Satchie. "I'm really sorry about this. We've been having trouble with one of the new residents. He took Donald's place. Well you know all about that." Bill said with annoyance.
Johnny and Roy looked at each other confused. "What do you mean?" Roy asked both he and his partner had heard Donald was doing ok. He, like Johnny, had just assumed that Donald would return to the home.
"That Daniel Sommers is our new resident. He's been upsetting Satchie by saying that his brother is more important than just firemen because he drives the fire engine. He hid Satchie's helmet." Bill sighed. "One of the problems Down Syndrome people have is expressing their emotions. Jealousy is an emotion they feel strongly and don't know how to handle, so they can become quite upset. It overtakes them and makes them behave…well you've seen how upset Satchie is…..unreasonable would be a good word." Bill knelt down and patted Satchie on the shoulder.
"We didn't know about Daniel Sommers." Johnny simply stated. Bill looked up surprised.
"We were told that since the fire department was helping out with the homes that we should take in Daniel straight away. They even bypassed some of the preliminary procedures, like the residents getting to know the potential new resident first….in case there are conflicts. Some people have been on the waiting list for some time." Johnny looked shocked.
"I don't….I mean I….This wasn't…" Take a breath Junior. Bill could see that Johnny was upset. Satchie jumped up and wrapped his arms around the paramedic.
"I'm sorry." Satchie held Johnny tightly. Bill looked on and smiled.
"It's ok Satchie. I'm not upset….just a little confused." Johnny sighed and put his arm around Satchie as if it was a normal thing to do. Roy watched his partner and was surprised how comfortable he was with Satchie. "I didn't help out with the homes to get something in return. I had no idea Nick…." Johnny thought 'What exactly did Nick do? Use him?'
"We need to talk to Nick and sort all this out." Roy told Bill and Johnny. "In the meantime, Satchie we have a code here in the fire department. All firemen are brothers and since you're Johnny's assistant then that makes you a brother to all firemen."
Satchie's eyes lit up. "You hear that Johnny. You're my brother." He hugged the young man.
"Yeah I hear that…..brother." Johnny smiled at Roy.
"Come on Satchie. It's time to go home." Bill guided the resident towards the van. They waved goodbye.
After Bill and Satchie were gone Johnny looked at his partner. "Thanks Roy."
"No problem Junior. I guess I didn't really see how important this was to you till now. I'm sorry."
"What do you mean?"
"Well you having all this time to do all this community work and getting thanked and idolized, I kind of questioned your motives. I see now I should have supported you more." Roy felt ashamed for the teasing and some of the things he had been feeling about his partner.
"Geez Roy…look at all the work you do?" Johnny pointed out.
"Yeah but that's all mainly to do with my kids….and I don't get any thanks for it."
"Are you kidding? Look at what your kids do every father's day and the schools you've visited, the awards they've given you at assemblies. I'd give anything to have that kind of love and respect." Roy thought about what Johnny just said. His kids did make sure that he knew how much they loved him and were thankful for everything he did for them and others.
The engine started to back into the bay. Roy watched his partner leave and head towards the dorm. To keep things calm he decided to talk to Mike and Cap before Johnny had a chance to talk Mike. He knew his partner was not happy and rightly so. Mike's friend had used Johnny in the worst possible way.
The tones went off sending the station, along with four others, out to a structure fire, before Roy had a chance to speak to his Captain and engineer. Johnny jumped into the squad; Roy could see that his partner was still upset.
"Just concentrate on the run….we'll sort everything out with the Cap when we get back. Alright?" Johnny nodded as Roy started up the squad and headed out.
The fire was at a furniture factory. Several workers were trapped in the back of the warehouse. Roy and Johnny were sent in to find six missing workers. The heat the burning structure was generating was oppressing.
When they finally located the missing workers, two were trapped by a beam. Two linemen from station 36 helped Johnny free the workers while Roy lead the other four out of the warehouse. It took some time to free the remaining workers and by the time Johnny exited the warehouse he was suffering from heat exhaustion. Roy had already left the scene in an ambulance with a burn victim.
Johnny was finding it hard to concentrate. Craig Brice looked up and noticed his friend was slightly disorientated. "Bob can you take over?"
Craig walked over to Johnny and grabbed his arm. "Johnny you ok? Did you get hurt?"
Johnny looked at Craig. He could see his lips moving but he couldn't hear him. His ears were roaring. His head was throbbing in time with his heart. He felt his knees buckle and collapsed. Craig grabbed the paramedic and gently laid him on the ground. The two linemen from station36 were soon lying next to him, having collapsed also.
All three men were treated for heat exhaustion. Roy was waiting for his partner at the ER entrance, having heard 36's transmissions. "He's doing a little better since we started cooling measures and hydrating him." Craig informed Roy as the gurney carrying his unconscious partner was being wheeled into the hospital.
Roy helped transfer his unconscious partner to the bed. Craig hung the IV bags on the pole. "I'll call later and find out how he is." Roy just nodded not taking his eyes off his partner.
Dr Brackett checked Johnny's eyes and blood pressure. He barked out orders. "Get that cooling blanket in here stat."
"Kel, we have four more cases of heat exhaustion coming in." Dixie informed the doctor as she stuck her head into the treatment room.
Dr Brackett looked up. "That must be some fire Roy."
"It's a furniture warehouse. It was pretty hot inside." Roy rubbed the back of his neck, all the time looking at his partner.
"He's coming round Doctor." Nurse Michelle announced as she took Johnny's blood pressure. "It's come down, 160 over 130."
Dr Brackett's mouth twitched. "That's not enough…." He lent over the paramedic. "Johnny….Can you open your eyes for me?"
Johnny's eyes fluttered open. He looked confused. "Roy?"
"Right here Johnny. You got a bit hot." Roy was smiling at his partner.
"I don't feel so good." Johnny started to swallow. A basin was place under his chin as he was turned. He threw up violently.
"I want a temp and blood pressure reading." Dr Brackett ordered. The door opened admitting another fire-fighter. Dr Brackett went over and examined the fire-fighter. Another nurse started to take his blood pressure.
"Temperature is 102. Blood Pressure 145/120."
"That's a little better. Ok, keep monitoring and continue cooling measures." Dr Brackett returned his attention to the fire-fighter.
When the fire was finally brought under control, a total of ten firemen were treated for heat exhaustion. Only two were admitted overnight. Johnny and one of the linemen from station 36.
Roy picked Johnny up the next morning. He was still a little shaky but was feeling much better. He slept most of that day away. The next day he called the home to find out how Satchie was.
"Is it alright to visit Satchie and have a talk with him?" Johnny asked Bill.
"Sure. You don't have to ask." Bill was pleased to hear the paramedic was ok. He had overheard Nick tell his brother that some of the firemen were hurt in a big fire.
Satchie was waiting for Johnny at the front of the home. "Hi Satchie. How are you?"
"Hello Johnny." Satchie's smiled widely.
"You want to sit out here and talk for a while?" Johnny sat down on the front step. Satchie sat beside him.
"Are you and Daniel friends now?" Johnny asked, hoping things had settled down. Satchie scrunched up his nose.
"He's alright….He didn't believe me when I said you were my brother…Bill told him what Roy said." Satchie whispered. "I think he was mad….he wouldn't eat his supper that night."
Johnny smiled at Satchie. If only life was that simple. They talked for a long time. Johnny eased Satchie's fears about firemen getting hurt. He didn't need to know about the real dangers they faced. He stayed for afternoon tea and watched Adam 12 with the residents.
Daniel Sommers was very quiet. Johnny tried to include him in the conversations, but he got the feeling, that he didn't like him. As Johnny drove home he contemplated how he was going to approach Mike about Nick and how he used him. He was not happy with 43s engineer and hoped that Mike had nothing to do with Nick using him and the department to get Daniel an immediate placement.
Roy asked Johnny to wait til he spoke with Cap and Mike. He knew his partner tended to over react in these types of situations, not that this was a small problem. Johnny had agreed but had reminded Roy that he was not the only one it affected. It affected stations 36 and 48 also.
"Cap…can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure Roy…what's up?"
Roy closed the door of the Captains' office and sat down. Captain Stanley frowned and looked serious. He quickly ran through his mind if there had been any problems last shift.
"Cap, you know how Johnny outfitted those homes with the fire safety equipment….and stations 36 and 48 did the homes in their areas?"
Captain Stanley nodded; he scowled not understanding where this conversation was going. "Look pal…I fully supported John….so did the department."
"I know that Cap. It's just that….well you see…" Roy wasn't sure how to word it without accusing Nick and implicating Mike. He had no idea if Mike knew what Nick intended to do. He felt bad about talking unkindly about the quiet engineer and 43s engineer; both were highly respected in the department.
"Look Roy just spit it out; whatever you say won't go beyond this office."
"Ok…Last shift before that big warehouse fire, Johnny and I were in the bay polishing the squad when one of the residents from the home down the road came running in. He was real upset. So while Johnny calmed him down I called the home. The carer, Bill, came to pick up Satchie."
"The resident?"
"Yeah…It turns out that Nick Sommer's brother is now staying at the home and had been teasing Satchie…But that's not the problem….Bill said that there's a long waiting list to get into these homes and that Nick's brother jumped the cue and got in because they were reminded how much help the fire department has been giving the home."
"Oh." Captain Stanley sat back and contemplated the seriousness of the situation.
"Cap, Johnny's real upset over this."
"Yes…I can imagine." Cap ran his hand over his face. "He mentioned to me that Nick visited one of the homes with him…I could see that Nick didn't tell him why and I couldn't tell him. Mike mentioned to me a while back that Nick had a Down Syndrome brother in confidence. Damn!"
"What are we going to do?" Roy waited for his superior to come up with a solution. Something needed to be done quickly to defuse the situation.
"I'll have to talk to Mike."
"Alright." Roy stood. "I'll ask him to come see you."
"Thanks Roy…and Roy…tell John I'll get to the bottom of this."
"Sure Cap." Roy walked over to the engine. "Mike….Cap wants to see you." Mike nodded and walked over to the Cap's office. Johnny was standing in the doorway to the locker room.
"Well…What did Cap say?"
"He told me to tell you that he was going to get to the bottom of it…Let him handle it Junior."
"Ok Roy." Johnny sighed. "You know his brother told Satchie that I got hurt in that warehouse fire?"
"No." Roy was shocked; the home didn't need that kind of upset. He could see his partner getting overwhelmed with guilt for causing it.
"You should have heard him Roy. He was real scared you know. I tried to explain to him that our jobs meant sometimes we got hot and then…sick…but it was real hard telling him and trying to get him to understand. You were right. I shouldn't have got involved. I've hurt these people by being involved…"
"No Johnny. You've helped these homes and put smiles on their faces. I saw how much they loved visiting the station and how comfortable you were with them. That's rare….not everyone can do what you do. Don't feel guilty. This wasn't your fault…..How did he take it after you explained it to him?"
"I'm not too sure…he seemed to understand…it's hard to tell just exactly what he's really thinking."
"Hopefully he's moved on and has forgotten about it." Roy looked towards the Cap's office. He would love to hear Mike's side of the story. He hoped the quiet engineer didn't know about Sommer's intentions because if he did, Roy couldn't understand how Mike could let his friend use Johnny the way he did. He looked at his partner who was sitting on the bench despondently. "Want some coffee?"
Johnny looked up at his partner. "Yeah sure."
The two paramedics walked into the kitchen. When they sat down at the table Johnny sighed. Roy tried to reassure his partner. "It'll be alright…Cap will sort it out."
"I hope so Roy." Johnny couldn't get past the fact that a fellow fireman had used him to get what he wanted. It made him feel like a fraud, helping out someone and then expecting something in return.
"So what if he pointed out how much the department was helping the home. Nick's parents aren't getting any younger….they needed a break and peace of mind knowing Daniel was being well looked after."
"Mike! Do you know what he's done? Johnny is really upset..."
"Oh so that's it. Poor Johnny…somebody has stolen his thunder." Mike interrupted the Captain.
"Michael that's enough." The engineer swallowed. It wasn't often that his Cap raised his voice. "Let's get a few things straight. This isn't about Johnny…it's about someone using a lot of special people to get what they want." He raised his hands to stop the engineer from interrupting. "Station's 36 and 48 are also involved in this and when they find out…let's just say there will be a lot of very unhappy firemen….but….getting back to Johnny." Cap got right up in Mike's personal space and pointed his finger into the engineer's chest. "You knew a friend was going to use him in the worst possible way." Cap stepped back and let his words sink in. "I'm going to speak to HQ and see what they want to do about this. Sommers may find himself under suspension and so could you Michael."
"You've got to be kidding. This has nothing to do with my job."
"That's where you're wrong Mike. You and Sommers used your position in the Fire Department to gain admittance into the home. That makes it very much to do with your jobs…..you should have thought about that. You're dismissed. I have some phone calls to make. Oh and I'd steer clear of Johnny and Roy if I were you."
The engineer walked out of his Captain's office with mixed emotions. He was worried about his job but he didn't regret helping his best friend Nick. Gage's association with the home had given Nick a solution to the growing problem with the engineer's brother and his aging parents. He was sick of the trumpet blowing paramedics. 'He only got involved because they treated him like he was some hero. Always pointing out how he saved someone's life. Big deal! Who cares if he used the paramedic?' The engineer was deep in thought when the klaxons went off.
The run was for the squad only. Mike headed for the bathroom, ignoring the paramedics. Johnny went to get into the squad and noticed the doors weren't opening. He jogged over and pressed the button and scowled at Mike's retreating back. Cap saw the whole thing. He shook his head as he handed the address to Roy.
It was some hours before the paramedics returned to the station, having had back to back runs. Everything seemed quiet as they exited the squad. They walked into the kitchen to find Scott Walker, 48's engineer sitting at the table.
"Johnny boy…Roy….good to see you guys." Both paramedics looked at the engineer in surprise.
"Scotty. What are you doing here?" Johnny looked around for Mike.
"Good to see you Scott." Roy shook his hand.
"Scotty's filling in for Mike. He's been suspended." Chet watched for Johnny's reaction.
Scotty walked over and patted the young paramedic on the back. "He deserved it Johnny. He and Sommers used all of us. It wasn't right."
Johnny looked down shaking his head. "Maybe….If I…I sh..."
"Johnny! Don't go there. This isn't your fault. You were doing what comes naturally to you…to all the firemen who volunteer for various things." Roy tried to convince his partner.
"They used all of us Johnny. Who's to say Craig or Tom wouldn't have got involved with the homes in their area sooner or later. No just because you were the first to help out these homes doesn't make you responsible for their actions." Scotty told his friend.
"I feel like a phony." Johnny said resignedly.
"Johnny, I know I tease you…but….I admire you for what you do. As you pointed out to me, you make time for these people and that takes someone pretty special in my books to do that." Chet confessed to his pigeon.
"Thanks Chet." Johnny smiled. Scotty whacked him on the back. Johnny feigned almost falling over.
"You're getting way too puny Johnny boy. What are they feeding you here?"
"What doesn't the bottomless pit eat?" Chet responded back to his usual comfortable teasing.
"I don't know Chet…a person could starve to death with your cooking." Chet scoffed, Roy and Scotty smiled. They had managed to pull Johnny out of his funk.
Mike had to make a formal apology not only to the department who handled the homes but to the Fire Department. Daniel was moved to a more suitable home, where being the brother of a fireman made no impression on the residents. Nick Sommers had to apologise to the home as well as the fire department and the department that handled the homes. The hardest apology was to his fellow engineers like Scott Walker. Nick realised he had lost a lot of respect from fellow engineers. He apologised to Johnny but the rift was never really repaired just brushed aside for the sake of their jobs.
Six months later….
"The Volunteer Of Year is Fire-Fighter Bret Hunter and to present him with his award is Satchie Anderson. He is a resident at one of the state's many homes for the mentally disabled and has worked closely with our firemen making his home safe. As an honorary brother of all firemen here in LA, the fire department's request that he present this award to Mr Hunter was granted."
Roy and Johnny watched Bret stand on shaky legs as he made his way up to the podium. He was being honoured for all the work he did in the community in front of all his friends. He accepted the award and hugged Satchie.
He stepped up to the microphone. "I would just like to say that I accept this award on behalf of all the fire-fighters who volunteer their time for many community projects. They are all present here today…" He raised the award in the air. "This is for all of us guys and on behalf of the Governor and the community…Thank You."
Everyone stood and clapped the somewhat overawed firemen.
Cap reinforced what he had already known for some time. "You're all special people and you don't even know it."