And Yet Another Day

It was a dark and stormy night…um…day, the third one in a row. The men of station 51 were thoroughly bored. Being confined to the inside of the station all day, they had finished all the chores and drills there were to do. They now sat in the day room waiting for the proverbial “other shoe” to drop. All they had been called out on that day was minor fender benders with minimal injuries and other routine calls. With all the rain that had fallen on L.A. there was sure to be some sort of disaster happening soon. But for now all was quiet.

Roy sat on the couch reading a newspaper, and watching Marco and Mike as they played a rousing game of chess. Chet stood at the counter spreading jelly on his peanut butter sandwich. Pressing the sandwich together he took a bite as he walked toward the chess players. Marco made a move just then and Chet shook his head.

“Shouldn’t have done that, Marco.” He commented around another large bite of sandwich.

“Go away, Chet,” Marco muttered.

Shaking his head Chet turned to the stepladder he had placed behind the day room door earlier. On top perched a bucket of water. Juggling his half-eaten PB&J sandwich he climbed the ladder and picked up the bucket to position it strategically above the door. He had the bucket nearly in place when the door unexpectedly opened, knocking into the ladder. Chet fell backward off the ladder and the water filled bucket followed him.

The other men looked up to see Captain Stanley, holding a large cardboard box, standing over Chet. Chet lay at his feet with the remainder of his peanut butter and jelly sandwich smeared all over his face and uniform, soaking wet from the water in the bucket.

“What the heck?” Cap said, looking down at the flattened, wet firefighter. “I hope that wasn’t meant for me.”

“No, Cap, of course not.” Chet hurried to explain, “I didn’t hear you coming.” Pushing himself up on one elbow, he wiped ineffectually at the water and soggy remains of his sandwich. He glared a the other men who where snickering from their positions safely across the room. Just then Johnny came through the door buckling his black, leather belt pushing the end through the appropriate loops.

“What’s going on here?” He snickered as he took in the tableau. “Got caught in your own trap did you, PHANTOM?” Chet simply glared at him and stood up.

“Chet, clear up this mess,” Cap ordered. “Then clean yourself up. And put that ladder away. Some one could get hurt!”

“Yes, Cap.” Chet bent to pick up the now empty bucket, mumbling.

“Hey, Cap, what’s in the cardboard box?” Roy asked, curious.

“Nothing, I was taking it to the trash.”

“Do you mind if I have it? My kids would love to play with it.”

“Sure.” Cap handed Roy the box.

Yep it was a dark and stormy, but a little less boring, …um…day.

The end.

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Stories by Linda2 Guest Dispatchers

*Ross's challenge:

Use these five items in an E! story of 2,000 words, or less:
a step ladder
a black, leather belt
a cardboard box
a newspaper
and, a half-eaten PB&J sandwich

Also the story has to start with the words, 'It was a dark and stormy night'.