BANDAGING UP A FRIENDSHIP
By Canadagal
Johnny came into the station without saying a word to anyone. He headed straight to the locker room and started to change for work. Roy came in a short time later.
“Morning, Johnny,” he said, as he grabbed a clean uniform out of his locker.
“Morning,” came the brief reply from his partner.
“Something wrong?” Roy asked, seeing the look of annoyance on Johnny's face.
“Nothing I want to talk about,” Johnny said, as he continued to change.
A minute later Chet walked into the locker room. He was equally as gloomy looking. Chet and Johnny never even acknowledged each other as they readied themselves for work.
“Morning,Chet,” Roy said, looking at the newest arrival.
“Morning, Roy,” came Chet’s quick reply.
Johnny stepped out of the room and headed to the kitchen. Roy presumed Johnny was off to grab a cup of coffee. He closed his locker and followed his moody partner.
Soon the crew of Station 51 were sitting around the table drinking their coffee. The conversation was brief and did not involve John or Chet in any capacity.
Finally Roy couldn’t stand the silence any longer, “What is up with you two?” he asked, eyeing Johnny and Chet.
“Nothing,” Johnny said putting down his cup.
“Nothing,” Chet also replied as he watched Johnny storm out of the room. Mike and Marco shook their heads. “It’s going to be a long day,” they said to each other.
Johnny was at the squad pulling out the drug box to begin the morning inventory. Roy came up to him a few minutes later. “You going to tell me what is going on between you and Chet or do I have to put up with this mood all day?” Roy asked.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Johnny said, shaking his head. “I don’t even want to think about it”
Roy frowned. ‘this is definitely going to be a long shift’ he thought to himself.
Roll call soon followed and the day officially started. Captain Stanley sensed the tension between Johnny and Chet and felt they needed to work it out themselves. “Okay duties for today, Cooking and Kitchen – Stoker, Dayroom and dorms – DeSoto, Latrine and Apparatus Bay – Lopez; and Hoses – Gage and Kelly. You two seem to need some time together” the cap said, eyeing the two carefully.
No one said a word as the two moody firemen headed out to the back of the station. Roy walked up behind Captain Stanley, “you think that was wise sending Grouch 1 and Grouch 2 out there to play?” he asked slightly amused.
“Well if nothing else we won’t have to listen to them snarl at each other,” the captain laughed slightly.
Roy chuckled at the captain’s theory on solving Johnny and Chet’s problem.
Johnny stomped over to the hose tower. He never said a word as he climbed to the top. He was furious and Chet knew it. Chet started to feed the first hose up. The two never spoke as they went about their task. The silence was so uncomfortable they almost wanted to leave the hoses and find a neutral corner for themselves.
The only thing that kept them from stopping their assigned task was facing the wrath of their captain if they did. They worked for the next 90 minutes with both of them glaring at each other.
Finally they were on the last hose. Chet hooked it up and sent it up to Johnny. “you can finish the last one yourself,” he snarled, as he turned to go inside.
“That’s right take off again. You’re so good at that,” Johnny yelled down to him.
Chet turned around to face Johnny. “I didn’t take off. I thought you left” he snapped back.
“You know I didn’t!” Johnny yelled back.
“Then where were you?” Chet demanded.
“Exactly where we agreed to meet.” Johnny said. “Are you too stupid to remember where you said to meet?” Johnny was getting more and more annoyed as he went.
“The only stupid thing I did was asking you to go on that double date with me. Next time I’ll just tell Natalie no when she asks if I have a friend for her cousin” Chet said, his temper rising.
“Suit yourself” Johnny shot back. “I was doing you a favor going on this blind date and this is how you repay me. You take off, stick me with the bill and leave me with no way home”
“I told you last night I didn’t stick you with the bill. I just forgot my wallet,” Chet said, defending himself. “I’ll pay you back”
“Yeah whatever,” Johnny said, as he reached for the last hose. He was so angry at Chet at that moment he couldn’t even think straight. “But the crowning glory to the night was you leaving us stranded at the park. We had to walk for over 2 hours in the damn rain to get back to the city”
“I’m sorry about that too,” Chet said annoyed. “Natalie said you two had left, that’s why we didn’t hang around” Chet explained, “how was I to know the girls got into a fight”
Johnny shook his head. “But you know me better than that,” he said quieter this time. “We were five minutes late getting to the meeting place because my date decided to wear 3 inch heels and couldn’t walk very fast. That’s no reason to just leave us there” Johnny said with disgust. “I thought we were friends, how could you do that to ME?” Johnny asked, as he turned away from Chet.
Chet stopped in his tracks for a minute. The full reality of why Johnny was mad hit him. Johnny wasn’t paying attention to Chet anymore as he struggled with the last hose. He reached out to hook it to the line. His attention was not on his job and his hand slipped, cutting his palm on the rigging. “damn it,” he swore as he pulled his hand back.
Chet heard his out burst and came rushing back. He climbed up the tower and saw Johnny holding his hand. “You okay?” Chet asked, concerned.
“I’m fine,” Johnny said as he went to climb down the ladder. Chet was ahead of him and he watched Johnny wincing as he climbed down. Johnny stopped at the bottom to wipe the blood off his hand. Chet watched him. “Let me get Roy,” he offered.
“No it’s fine,” Johnny said, “don’t worry about it”
Chet wasn’t totally convinced. “Come on, Johnny, let Roy check that out,” he said again.
“Chet, I’m fine. I can take care of myself. Just like I had to last night,” Johnny said bitterly, as he walked back into the station.
Chet felt bad. He had been angry at Johnny all night but he realized he had no right to be. Johnny was the one stuck walking for two hours in the pouring rain. He was stuck with the bill at the restaurant, and most importantly he was the one that had a friend take off on him.
Chet went looking for Johnny. He found him in the locker room trying to put a bandage on his hand by himself. “Here let me help you with that” Chet offered.
Johnny looked up at Chet. He was about to say no but he saw the sincerity in Chet’s eyes. “okay” he said.
Chet sat down beside Johnny on the bench. “I’m sorry about last night” Chet said as he started to clean out the cut on Johnny's hand. “I should have known better”
Johnny turned to look at Chet. “I know you are” Johnny admitted. “You want to know what really bugged me the most?” he asked.
“What?” Chet inquired.
“That you could believe for a minute that I would take off on you. Friends don’t do that to each other” Johnny said quietly. “I know that your girlfriend said we had left, but you know me better than that. I don’t care that I was on a blind date with a new chick, I would never walk out on a friend, not even for a girl”
Chet paused to think about his words, “I should have known better and I’m really sorry,” Chet answered softly, as he finished putting the bandage on Johnny's hand.
He stood up and offered out his hand. “I hope we can still be friends”
Johnny looked at the offer of both friendship and apology. “Of course” Johnny said, as he shook Chet’s hand warmly.
Just then Roy walked in. He spotted the bandage on Johnny's hand. “What happened to you?” he asked.
“Chet and I were just bandaging up a friendship” Johnny said as he smiled at Chet. “Nothing for you to worry about”
“Coffee, Johnny?” Chet asked, as the two walked out of the room.
“Sounds good” Johnny replied.
Roy shook his head. ‘I’ll never understand those two’ he thought to himself as he followed them into the kitchen. ‘ but then again, I don’t think I ever want to’ he chuckled.
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