Impact
Johnny sauntered into the dayroom, tucking his green pen into his pocket
and saw Captain Stanley posting notices on the bulletin board. His gaze
transferred to the calendar near him. "Man, where has this year gone?"
"Hard to believe it's October already, isn't it?" The Captain took a cup
of coffee from Roy and plunked onto the black leather sofa. Henry lay
across his lap, sniffed the scented steam and then closed his eyes again.
"When you have young children around they can't wait for holidays and each day
to them seems to take forever." Roy stepped to the board to study the new
flyers and returned to the subject at hand. "They just delivered the
Sears' Holiday Catalog yesterday and the kids have tattered its pages already."
"Never got into Christmas as much as I did Halloween," Chet commented as he
reread the recipe he was planning to make for supper.
"Yeah, bet you had a hard time being nice instead of naughty," Johnny needled.
Chet stuck his tongue out at the remark. "It wasn't hard. I chose to
be naughty."
"I bet Halloween is your favorite holiday, Chet." Marco rinsed out his
coffee cup and went to join Mike in the apparatus bay.
"Yeah it is, partner." Chet said to himself as he ticked off the
ingredients on hand.
Station 51. MVA. Intersection of Spruce and Maple. Timeout
0854.
The men swung into action and arrived at the scene where Officer Vince Coleman
greeted them. "It's a one car accident but the woman's trapped."
"We'll take it from here, Vince." Captain Stanley assigned tasks to the
men
The woman looked alert but scared as Johnny and Roy brought their gear to her
side. Roy's effort's to get into the coupe failed and Mike, who had been
standing by, used a crowbar to unlatch the door.
Johnny was the first into the vehicle. He couldn't find any injuries as he
performed his evaluation but she looked troubled. "Ma'am, do you hurt
anywhere?"
Roy was getting vitals while Johnny spoke to her. The paper he presented
to Johnny showed that all of her numbers were normal. The middle-aged woman sat
up straighter in her seat and peered through the windshield. "Did I hit
it?"
"Hit what?" Johnny pursued as he saw Roy give a report to the Captain.
Expecting him to understand she stated. "The black cat that ran across the
street! I tried to avoid it."
Johnny left her side and circled the car. "No, I don't see any evidence
that you did."
"Well, the fact that it dashed in front of me means I'll have even a worse day
than I have already." The woman took a ragged breath, "I knew I should've
stayed home today. After all it is Friday the 13th."
"You should consider yourself pretty lucky. You could've been badly hurt."
Johnny informed her.
The tow truck pulled up. "Where ya wanna go lady?"
She retrieved her wallet and showed him her auto club membership. "Could
you take me to the station on Wilcox? My husband works just around the
corner."
As the trucker attached a chain to her bumper, Johnny brought a release form to
her. "Please contact your doctor if experience any dizziness or aches and
pains." She scribbled her signature and Johnny helped Roy put their
equipment on the squad.
~~~
As the day progressed the claxons were silent but the crew of Station 51 found
plenty to do. "Cap, why do we always get stuck with C-shift's paperwork?"
Chet bellyached.
"Kelly, when they have a light shift they do ours if the need arises."
"When's the last time that happened?" The firefighter groused, shuffling
through the punch cards.
The Captain fixed him with a glare that refroze the ice cream in the freezer.
"Kelly, I can tell the Chief you'd be glad to help with 36's reports, too."
"Thanks, Cap but I'll stay busy with these." Chet's chair scraped on the
floor as he rose to check on the stew he was cooking for dinner.
~~~
A mile away nine-year old Evan swept his crimson cape behind his back. He
wondered why his class hadn't had a party today but his teacher was home sick.
They'd make up for it on Monday. He slicked his unruly dark hair
back and shifted his pillowcase to his other hand.
Mrs. Samuelson was his first stop. When she answered her doorbell, he
thought he caught an odd look in her eyes but she invited him in and admired his
red cape and the scarlet iron-on S on his navy blue T-shirt. "I just made
molasses cookies. Why don't I put some in a bag for you?"
After he'd tested several for her and given them his seal of approval he took a
flying leap up Mrs. Van Dyke's walk. She greeted him with a smile and then
spied his open bag. "You're a little early, aren't you, Evan?"
"I guess I could've come after dinner." He apologized. He waited at
the porch while she went to her kitchen and returned with a chocolate bar.
It made a satisfying thud in his sack.
"Thanks!" He shouted as he made his next stop. Evan was two blocks
from home when he decided he'd been out long enough. It surprised him he
hadn't run into anyone else dressed up but he shrugged it off. He rubbed at a
scuffmark on his sneakers as he waited to cross the street.
After an auto drove past him, he heard a plaintive yelp. Perhaps he was
mistaken. No, there it was again, at the Old Jones residence, a
dilapidated two-story shell with a large sign posted near the sidewalk.
He hesitated, but a mournful yip made him move. "Something's in there."
He wove through the deteriorating chain link fence, anchored for a moment by his
cape. With great care, he released it and continued his quest. Now
that he was closer, the animal whimpered and he ascertained that it on the upper
floor.
The stairs were not welcoming. Over time, the decaying roof had let the
elements into the building, causing decay. Remnants of the balusters
dotted the ascension.
His first step elicited an alarming creak. The noise caused the distressed
animal to yowl. With resolve, he forced himself up the risers.
By testing each one and staying as close to the wall as he could, he finally
reached the top. He heard a skittering and a scrambling as the animal
tried to escape.
He passed a door and then spotted the puppy, caught by its leash around a rusted
bed frame. At first the mutt growled at him, but grew quiet, sensing
that Evan was trying to release him. Evan thought the pooch was a mix of
toy poodle, schnauzer and Chihuahua. He managed to untangle the canine but
as he strode toward the stairway the floor gave way, pitching him onto the level
below. The lad gasped when he struck the floor below. Oversize splinters
gouged his jeans and gripped his left leg.
Evan's face paled as he struggled to free himself. The stray barked once
and left the premises. His rescuer felt marooned, and frightened.
~~~
Marco put his pencil down. "I'm done, Cap."
"Me, too." Johnny erased a final code and slid his report sheet toward the
corner of the table.
The captain saw the others nod. "Okay, give them back to me and I'll
send them to the battalion chief."
"Wanna play some ping pong?" Chet invited Mike, moving toward the back of
the apparatus bay.
Hank Stanley stopped them in their tracks. "Since you were so efficient
you can start checking hydrants."
Chet opened his mouth to complain but instead asked. "What's our assignment?"
"The squad can head to Wilmington and 220nd Street. We'll go to Wilmington
and 218th."
Roy and Johnny were at their third stop when they heard a cry for help.
"You hear that?" Johnny scanned the area, trying to zero in on the sound.
"Yeah. It wasn't your imagination." Roy raced to the squad, relayed
their location to headquarters and donned his turnout coat. Trading the
drug box for his spanner, he hurried toward the victim in the rickety building.
Johnny followed his partner, snatching an ax. They hopped the fence and
rushed toward the front porch. "Looks fragile, Johnny. We better
take it easy." Speed changed to caution as they proceeded at a slower,
deliberate pace. Roy repositioned his leg when the support sagged under
his weight.
"Anybody in here?" Johnny called. Light shafted into the room
through the front window.
"Me!" Evan's voice quavered as the flooring around him shifted.
"Help!"
"We're coming in to get you." Roy's voice held the special timbre of
emergency workers, calm and reassuring.
Johnny and Roy got closer and could see the child. "I'm Johnny.
What's your name?"
"Evan. Evan Wadsworth. I'm stuck."
"Don't worry. We'll get ya out," Johnny promised as he and Roy appraised
the situation. "I'll get the K-12."
As Johnny bounded out to the squad, Engine 51 pulled up. Captain Stanley
descended from the cab. "Whatcha got?"
"Boy trapped in this condemned building. I'm pretty sure his leg is
broken." Johnny opened the case for the cutting tool.
"Mike, you and Marco give them a hand. Chet, get the Stokes. Got the
biocom?"
"No, it's still on the truck." Johnny led them into the house.
Roy crept closer and counted his respirations. Noting their frequency, he
decided to chat with him. "Evan, I like your cape. Are you
Superman?"
"No. I came in cuz a dog was stuck in here." He gritted his teeth.
"He ran off when I fell."
Roy now saw the stained "S" on his dark shirt. "Why are you dressed up then?"
"Haven't you heard of Halloween?" Evan eyebrows crinkled, and before he
could say more, Johnny returned with two firemen to back him up.
Mike evaluated the situation while Marco knelt by him. "We'll have you out of
here in a jiffy."
"Evan, could you tell us your address so we can let your mom know what
happened?" Roy had his notebook out to jot down the information.
Evan recited it for him as Chet set the Stokes at the end of the room.
"Thanks, Chet. Could you give this to Cap?" He tore off the page for
him.
By now, Vince Coleman was at the scene. He took the slip from Chet and
started the ball rolling to notify Evan's mother.
Johnny stooped by the youth. "Didn't you see the sign outside warning you
not to come in?"
"Sure. It said something about 'On' and a big word I didn't stop to read."
Evan explained. Further conversation was cut short by the din of the saw.
Johnny splinted the boy's leg as soon as Evan was freed and then transferred him
to the Stokes. The paramedics reported his condition and vitals to Rampart
and received their orders. Johnny had just started an IV of Normal Saline
when the ambulance arrived.
"I'll go in with him." Roy snapped the biophone shut and rose to follow
the attendants.
Ten minutes later he accompanied his patient to a treatment room. After
conveying a new set of vitals to Dr. Morton he went out into the hall.
Dixie was consoling a woman. "Mrs. Wadsworth, he's with the doctor now.
We'll give you news as soon as we can."
She entered Evan's exam room to see if she could help.
Roy advanced toward her and cleared his throat when he reached her chair.
Her black hair was an exact match for Evan's. "Mrs. Wadsworth?"
She raised a bleak face to him, "Yes?"
"My name is Roy DeSoto. I'm a paramedic and I brought your son to the
hospital."
"How is he?" She blotted the corner of her eyes as she looked at him with
hope.
Roy deliberated before he spoke. "He was stable when I brought him in.
I believe he has a broken leg but the doctor will give you more information."
"How did this happen?"
"Ma'am, we found him in a rundown building on Vera Street. He said he went
in because there was an animal in distress."
"Sounds like the Jones' place. Shoulda been torn down years ago.
That place is dangerous."
"Yes, ma'am. It is." Roy decided to take the plunge. "Mrs.
Wadsworth, did you know your son thought today was October 31st?"
She thought for a moment. "But it's the 13th! Evan does get mixed up
sometimes."
"I'm no expert but he mentioned a 'No Trespassing' sign. Said it read
'on.'
Evan's mother pursed her lips. "He's always had a hard time reading."
"I don't mean to pry but I read an article the last time I was at the
barbershop. It was about a condition called dyslexia. It mentioned
people inverting letters and numbers. " He saw her alarm. "No, it's not a
disease. It just means some people have brains that process things
differently." She still looked confused.
"Have ya ever looked at an abstract painting with someone and their
interpretation of it is totally different from yours?"
"Yeah, that has happened." She conceded.
Roy saw Dr. Morton in the corridor. "I noticed there's an organization
here in LA to help diagnose people with dyslexia. They're in the phone
book."
She grasped Roy's hand. "Thank you. I'll check into it."
Johnny, who had been chatting with a new nurse, caught up with his partner and
Roy filled him in on his discussion with Mrs. Wadsworth.
~~~
Chet stabbed the calendar. "I can't believe A-Shift has to work on
Halloween. We had to last year!"
"All right, guys. Roll call in 5 minutes." Captain Stanley stood
anxious to begin the shift. His crew assembled. After the routine
announcements, he concluded by saying, "Now we all know that on this date the
fire department receives more false alarms than usual but we need to take each
and every call as if it's the real thing."
As the sky darkened in the early evening, they grew busy. First there was
the fire on Mariposa. It was a candle burning in a pumpkin.
They were almost at the station when the dispatcher sent the squad to a possible
heart attack on Chestnut. A woman became overwrought at a party when they
blindfolded her and led her to a basement they'd converted into witch's lair.
The paramedics checked her over, calmed her and headed home
.
Suddenly on the street before them, they saw a boy on crutches with a red cape
fluttering behind him as he traveled along the sidewalk. Beside him was a
woman in a slinky black dress, shuffling along.
Roy tapped on the brakes. "Evan? Mrs. Wadsworth?"
Mrs. Wadsworth didn't answer until Johnny elucidated. "We're the ones that
helped Evan when he broke his leg."
"I'm sorry. I couldn't tell in the dark." She swished over to them.
"Evan insisted I dress up tonight. I'm Morticia Addams."
"And who are you?" Roy prodded the boy.
Without hesitation, Evan replied, "I'm Superman. I had a run in with
Kryptonite and injured my leg hurtling away from it."
Intrigued, Johnny struck up a conversation with the boy. At the same time,
Roy ambled toward Mrs. Wadsworth. "I wanted to thank you. Roy, isn't
it?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"I'm glad I ran into you. I contacted several of Evan's teachers and last
week I took him for testing. You were right." Evan was animated as
he spoke to Johnny, not paying any attention to his mother.
"Happy to help." Roy moved to the side so a group of trick or treaters
could pass.
Mrs. Wadsworth continued. "They'll give him training to deal with his
dyslexia. It won't be easy but Evan's a hard worker. I wish I
could express how grateful I am to you."
"There's no need for that." Roy assured her and then heard the tones on
the squad's radio. "I'm sorry. We've gotta run."
~~~
Roy backed into the empty firehouse. "What were you and Evan talking about
while I chatted with his mom?"
"He mentioned some famous people with dyslexia. Did you know Thomas
Edison, Walt Disney, Winston Churchill and Leonardo da Vinci had it? I had
no idea."
"Yeah, so do Bruce Jenner and Ansel Adams." Roy enlightened him.
Johnny emitted a whistle. "Ansel Adams? Wow, I love his
photography."
"Ya know?" Roy leaned against the counter in the day room. "I
wanted to be a fireman, and then a paramedic to make a difference in people's
lives. Little did I know that something as simple reading a magazine
article would impact someone's life, too.
All in all, I guess it's being willing to step into a situation to help, even if
it's just giving someone information."
There was a pause as both men reflected. "You're right, Roy. There
are times ya never know what will make a difference."
Author's note: Heartfelt thanks to Kim for assisting in the
final product. You made it better!
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October Picture 2019 Stories by Marty P
