Coffee and Puppy Dogs by Kajakat 'I sit here today, in my kitchen, staring at my steaming cup of coffee. Can never really get a real hot cuppa coffee at work. If it's hot, then the tones will ring ya out....... I'm wondering what today will be like. I even have butterflies in my stomach, something I haven't had in more than 20 years. Ahhh, now that coffee tastes good. Better then what'll be left at the station. My workday will start today with a new partner. A new partner. I can't believe I'm saying that. A new partner. Someone right out of training. A probie. A rookie. A pigeon. My former partner, my friend, had one injury too many. One too many beams falling on him. One too many fractures. One too many concussions to safely perform the job. Hell, forget about performing the job….worry about the man's health, dammit. We've been through so much together. Too many fires to count. A couple of landslides, earthquakes, cave-ins, water rescues, scaffolding rescues … Boy, I really never thought about all the different types of saves we've done together. We've done together. And the injuries we've had from burns to fractures to concussions to smoke inhalation to the more serious operations we've been through, together. Now it's gonna be a new we. Will I be able to adjust to a new partner? Will I remember to call him by his name and not insult him by using my partner's name? I mean my former partner. Will we get into a flow so that we know each other's thoughts and actions? Am I going to have to worry about his safety? Will he be there for me? And can he cover my back? I'm getting too old for this. Maybe I should just put in for a transfer and do something else. Hell, I've been a paramedic for more than 10 years. Some people feel that a paramedic's job is for the young. And mornings like this, I believe 'em. I wonder what the pigeon is thinking about now. I bet his uniform is pressed, his shoes are shined and his badge is sparkling. He's gonna be excited to be in his first assignment. He'll be like a new puppy dog, jumping all over the place, waiting for that first run. I wonder what my old partner is thinking about. Does he jump when he hears sirens screaming down his street? Does he want to chase the rig to watch and reminisce about his life in the trenches? I wish he'd talk about how he feels, but he's shut everyone out. He's taking his forced retirement really hard. He'll come around one day and when he does, I'll be there for him. Wow, my coffee is incredible. Well, I better get moving now. Cap still hates it when I'm late, which is more the routine lately than the exception.' John Gage October 1983 Kajakat's comments: I have to thank everyone at the E!FANFIC board for their title suggestions and their wonderful support of this Mini E!. |