Thinking outside the Bunker Coat

It isn't that I am dumb... or at least that is what I think. And it isn't that I can't handle myself in stressful situations. What I DON'T like is having "all attention on me" when I am in the public view. I have often turned over the "glory" to one of my men in the Firehouse because I could not deal with the attention the media tried to give me. My partner, Rick, has been a "HERO" more times than I can count (combining his and my own "accomplishments.") I don't feel like I am a hero when I save a life. I just feel happy and grateful that that person will be here tomorrow to enjoy the sunrise. This is my reward.... nothing else.

So it is an ordinary day..... with ordinary things happening. I was trying to forget the previous day that I got an illegal parking ticket for parking on the sidewalk on one of San Francisco's streets. I mean.... the parking situation is BAD there...... most every parking spot is a PREPAID parking place. What was I to do when a 911 call sent me out to the city???? I parked on the sidewalk to avoid blocking traffic. The call was a stroke victim. As we were rushing our patient to the squad..... there it was....... ON THE WINDSHIELD UNDER THE WIPER. A ticket. A ticket for illegal parking on the street. Now..... tell me please! What kind of police officer would TICKET a city Fire Department Rescue Squad??? Well, as far as I was concerned......... a drunk one.... or tired one........ or one who was a stone's throw away from a brain.

That was yesterday. Today I am still trying to ignore it. We get a call for a "domestic violence" incident. The scene is not secure yet so we wait by our Squad waiting to run in and save the day. I live for this.... I long for these moments... my adrenaline is going....... I am waiting.

I get out of my Squad and close the door. I take a step away to start gathering our gear.... "just in case".... and something is holding me back. It seems that the back of my Bunker Coat got caught in the door when I slammed it closed and I was pinned to the Squad. Damn! To top it off, I had locked the keys in the squad.... a bad habit of mine even in my own personal vehicle (but at least I have a "spare" hidden under the bumper!

So there I am...... "attached" to my Squad with no escape. I call out to my partner. He is laughing hysterically. I tell him to shut up and have some respect and all he can say is, "Whatcha gonna do? Come AFTER me???" I hate my partner right now. Really I do. He tells me he will call our Captain. He does, and Captain Harold says he will be there in 20 minutes. I am ready to die of embarrassment. So many people are gathering around the Squad. The lights are still flashing. I can't even get into it to turn them off. I have noticed the "public" loves sirens and red flashing lights. I can relate to them. I get the same "high" even after all these years when I see those lights or hear that wail of the siren. I know.... I am strange. But to me....... so are those people standing around..... and multiplying...... around us.

THIRTY minutes later......... Captain Harold arrives. He looks at me...... assesses the situation....... looks around........ does some strange inspection. I am ready to scream at him to OPEN THE DOOR but I don't want to push my luck. This is not the first time (or last, I suppose) that he will save my butt.

He walks up to me and tells me I don't need him.

"WHAT???" I ask.

"You don't need me."

"Yes I do," I tell him. "I need you to UNLOCK the door!"

He looks at me again and claims I don't need him. I am ready to strangle him.

"YES I DO! UNLOCK THE DOOR!" I (quietly) scream.

"Have you not considered this?" he asks. "You could have UNBUTTONED your Bunker Coat and just walked away from all this!"

Well......... DUH!!!!!!!!!