Chapter 8
1975
Roy beamed ever so proud as his eyes feasted on the uniform that Sam was given to wear. She stood in the blue fireman's uniform that was a bit baggy on her. She wasn't very happy as she never wanted to be a fireman. She never wanted to follow in her grandfather's footsteps. She wanted to be an astronaut and go into space. Her dream job was not of this world. She dreamed of setting up a colony on Mars.
Johnny then handed her the next piece of gear for her to get familiar with. "Here's your bunker gear." he held the coat, trousers, helmet and oversize boots.
She asked. "Do you really think they will let me near a fire or a car accident. I have no training…whatsoever."
Roy told her. "Cap will have you ride observation with me and Johnny in the rescue truck."
"I see. Stick me with you two to keep me out of the way of the real firefighters." she gathered.
"I think it would best if you stick with me." Roy insisted. "You are new here. Not just new to being a firefighter but new to the seventies."
"Okay." she had to agreed. "Do whatever you need to do to pass me off as a firefighter."
Johnny stated. "Put this gear on so you get familiar with it."
She grabbed the gear and looked at the article. "This has suspenders." she noted.
"Put the trousers over the boots. You want to step into it." Roy instructed. He then placed the boots before her and set the trousers up properly. "Like this." He motioned. "Now, step into the boots."
She complied. "Now what?" she asked.
"Raise them up and slide your shoulders in through the suspenders." Roy told her.
She did as instructed.
Johnny stated. "Now the coat."
She placed the coat on. She fiddled with the clasp. "How to you hook these?"
"Like this." Roy showed her.
Johnny then plopped a black helmet on her head. On the front badge it read number 51. He grinned. "Now you look the part."
"I feel so stupid." she confessed. "How did I get myself into this? How do I get back home?"
Roy stated. "Like you said. Build another engine and find that wormhole floating about."
"I don't know how to find it. It's not anchored on this end." she reminded him. "It's anchored on the other end. And I don't know if I can even build another engine much less get a computer powerful enough to run it. Not to mention I would need to come up with a program to control the wormhole using dual engines." she gave a heavy sigh. "This is a catastrophe."
Roy placed her hands on her shoulder and assured. "You will figure it out. I know you will. Me and Johnny. We're right here with you. We got your back."
"Thank you, Grandpa." she nearly cried.
"Now, take that stuff off and we will go over Rescue 51 with you." he instructed.
"Okay." she centered herself to the task at hand. She removed the turnout gear and stored it in the truck as instructed. Next, Roy and Johnny started to go over the equipment and where it was stored in the truck.
Johnny opened doors. "This the jump box and the radio. We will use that the most. Defibrillator. Drug box." He opened the next door. "Repelling straps, ax, saw…ropes."
Soon a call came over the radio. "Station 51: Rescue 51 to 4222 Clinton Way for eight year old male, fall from tree, possible broken arm."
Roy looked at Sam. "It's your first call! You get ride between me and Johnny." He then walked around to the driver's side and opened the door and got behind the wheel.
Sam slid in on the seat and Johnny got in after her. She watched as her grandfather called into dispatch that they were en route. Roy worked the sirens and pulled out of the station for the call.
Clinton Way
The rescue pulled up before a nice house on the street. Even Sam took notice. "Now that's a neat design." she mentioned as the house was a ranch style with an A frame roof. She noticed the young dark haired boy sitting on the grass of the front yard with an older teenage boy and a lady with short blonde hair tending him.
Sam shadowed Johnny as he climbed out and immediate got the jump box. He approached with Roy and Sam following in observation.
"What happened?" Johnny asked the woman.
"This is my son, Bobby. He was playing in the tree and fell out." she explained.
The boy stated. "I was not playing. I was looking for Tiger. He ran away." He was sitting in a guarded position on the grass holding his right arm close. He wore blue jeans, sneakers and a blue t shirt.
Roy handed Sam the clipboard and form. "You get the information from the mom and we will attended to the boy."
As Roy and Johnny tended to the boy Sam pulled the mother aside. "I need the boy's full name."
"Robert Brady. He goes by Bobby." she informed. She wore a blue floral pattern blouse with white pants.
"Your name?" Sam asked.
"Carol Brady." she told her. She asked the two men. "Is Bobby okay?"
Roy replied. "It may not be broke. He needs to x-ray to see for sure. Could be a hairline fracture, Mrs. Brady."
The older boy asked. "Is that serious?" He stood wearing bell bottom jeans and a white pullover shirt with colorful stripes. He too had dark hair.
The mother stated. "I think Bobby will be okay, Greg."
Sam went on to ask the next question. "Does he have any allergies?"
"No." she shook her head.
"On any medication?" she wondered.
"He just finished an antibiotic for strep throat last week." she told her.
"Any daily medications?" she asked.
"No," she shook her head. "He's eight. Why would he be on daily medications?"
Sam mentioned. "Some kids have ADHD and take medications."
She assured. "Not Bobby."
"What is ADHD?" Greg asked.
Mrs. Brady admitted. "I'm not sure."
Roy stated. "It's a rare condition some kinds have, Mr. Brady." He knew back in the seventies few kids were diagnosed with any such conditions.
Greg asked. "They have girl firemen now?"
Mrs. Brady turned slightly and gave a big smile. "I guess they do, Greg. Women can be firemen too."
Sam stated. "Actually, I'm an inventor and engineer. This is my side gig."
Mrs. Brady admitted. "I wish my daughters were here. I would love to tell them about you, Miss…" she didn't see a name badge.
"DeSoto." Sam stated.
Johnny and Roy had finished stabilizing Bobby's arm. "The ambulance will take you to Rampart, Bobby and get that arm x-rayed." Roy assured him as a white ambulance pulled up behind the rescue truck.
The boy complained. "I have to go to the hospital? Can't you just do it here?"
Roy shook his head. "Sorry, Bobby! Only the hospital has the x-ray machine."
"Alright." the boy soured for he wanted to find his dog. "But Tiger."
Greg assured. "We will find Tiger."
Sam had to ask. "Is Tiger a cat?"
"Tiger is not a lousy cat!" Bobby huffed offended. "Tiger is my dog."
Roy assured. "Don't worry about Tiger. I'm sure he's fine and will be home before you know it." He wanted to sooth the boy so he would not be more stressed.
Sam then jumped as something came up behind her and hit her in the behind. She heard a bark. She looked behind her and there was a large shaggy dog sniffing her. "Get away." she shooed.
Bobby became gleeful. "Tiger."
Sam muttered. "Tiger. You should name that dog Sasquatch."
The mother stated. "Greg! Get Tiger. I'm going to the hospital with Bobby. Call your father and have him meet us there."
The older boy got a hold of the dog. Greg looked upon Sam. He found her pretty and though older than he, closer to his age. "Sasquatch." he laughed. "I got a name for Tiger."
"Hmm." Sam was not enthused. She continued to fill out the paperwork as her new job essentially reduced to that of a secretary. "Gran..Roy! What the vitals?"
"Blood pressure is 110 over 60 and pulse is 80 beats per minute. Respirations are 20." he told her.
Bobby asked. "Is that bad?"
"That's good son." he assured him.
"Okay." he was relieved.
The ambulance driver and medic brought the gurney to the boy. Roy assured. "You get to ride in an ambulance on your very own bed. Kind of neat, huh." He wanted the ride to sound like an adventure for the boy and not something scary and strange.
Sam got a good looked at the ambulance that was nothing more than a white painted hearse. She winced at the sight. She mumbled. "What the hell? It's a hearse."
Mrs. Brady did not hear the remark as she was too busy tending to Bobby as he was being transferred to the ambulance. Greg however heard the remark and that made Sam a rebel in his young eyes.
Roy climbed in back of the ambulance to ride in with Bobby and his mother. Johnny gathered up the equipment with Sam's help and then got in the cab of the rescue truck. Johnny sat behind the wheel to follow the ambulance into the hospital.
Teenager Greg Brady came up to Sam's window. "Hey uh, can I have your phone number?" he asked hoping for a date.
Johnny cocked an eyebrow and looked at Sam knowing she was a no nonsense kind of woman.
"What?" she did a double take.
"I thought we could go out on a date." he told her.
She sat beside herself. "No!" she huffed. "I'm not giving you my phone number."
Johnny could not resist. "You can always friend her on Facebook."
She looked at Johnny who was trying very hard to keep a straight face. "Really, Uncle Johnny." she chastised him.
"Facebook?" Greg asked confused.
"You'll see." Johnny chuckled. He placed the truck in gear and soon pulled away following the ambulance to the hospital. He looked over at Sam sitting in the cab with a disturbed look. "You okay?"
"I just hit on by some teenage boy in the seventies." she complained.
"Don't you get hit on by teenage boys in 2025?" he asked.
She shook her head. "No. I don't. Occasionally, I get hit on by some dorky scientist who is having a midlife crises."
"Maybe you need to get out and socialize more." he suggested.
"Like where?" she wondered.
Johnny offered. "You can go to the club with me this weekend."
"Club?" she asked.
"Dancing and drinks." he told her. "Disco is all the rage now."
"Disco!" she laughed. "You dress up in leisure suits and go to the disco, Uncle Johnny."
"It was all the rage." he nodded.
"I'll go with ya." she agreed.
He grew suspicious. "Why?"
"I want to see you in a leisure suit." she laughed.