Santa's Helpers by Maura Another year had flown by. Christmas was just a day away. The older Johnny was, the faster the season seemed to come around. Decorations went up in the business district of L.A. County, earlier and earlier each year. It seemed like Halloween was barely over when red and green decorations began popping up like flowers in the spring. For once the season hadn't caught him off guard. He was completely prepared this year. All his presents were purchased and wrapped and waiting to be picked up in his apartment as soon as he came home from work Christmas morning. He couldn't wait to see the look on Chris and Jennifer's faces when they opened their presents. He was so glad Roy and Joanne included him in their celebration. They made him feel like part of the family and this time of year that meant more to him than any other present he could receive. This year A shift was working Christmas Eve through Christmas morning. None of them were thrilled with the shift, but it was better than working Christmas day. At least they would be off duty early and still have the day to celebrate. The day had been pretty light so far. There was a minor traffic accident outside of the local toy store as two drivers hurried to get a parking space and get inside the store before it closed. Neither of the victims were hurt badly, just a couple scrapes and bruises. Johnny had laughed as he talked to Roy about it. "Why do people get so desperate to get a toy? Don't they know Santa takes care of that?" he said as he flashed his crooked grin. "Very funny partner," Roy smiled. He was hoping Santa had thought of everything for his house. He had  made a point of getting everything assembled yesterday when he was off, so Joanne didn't have to do it all herself. She had enough to do trying to keep the kids under control and prepare the Christmas dinner. Johnny would be coming over to spend the day with them. The kids loved him and he acted like a kid as he helped them try out all of their new toys that Santa brought. The house would be a sea of torn wrapping paper and ribbons, toys, music, and happiness. The children brought the magic of the holiday back to life for all of them. Their innocent wonder was contagious. There had been a steady rise of excitement in their household as the big day approached. Chris and Jennifer eagerly watched Joanne transform their home into a winter wonderland, even though they lived in L. A. Roy hung lights outside the house. The kids were wide eyed as he turned them on after nightfall. For them it was like a magic wand had been waved over their home. The Christmas tree filled the house with its fragrant pine perfume. Freshly baked cookies added to the delicious aroma of the home. Gifts were wrapped lovingly and placed carefully under the tree. There was an energy in the air. There had been for weeks and tomorrow all the work and careful planning would all be worth it. Roy was looking forward to the day although he regretted not being home to watch the kids hang their stockings. But Joanne had promised to keep them from going downstairs Christmas morning until he was home from the station. All the guys pitched in to make a big dinner that evening. They made a small turkey with all the trimmings, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, and plenty of pumpkin pie and coffee for desert. The station smelled like "home" all day. They were lucky enough to get through the meal without interruption. After the dishes were washed and the leftovers were put away, they settled into the day room to watch television before going to bed. It was a chilly evening. The temperature had dropped about fifteen degrees after sundown. Johnny commented on the chill in the air. "You know why it got so cold, don't you Gage?" Chet asked waiting for a straight line from Johnny, so he could finish with the punch line. "No Chet, why did it get so cold?" Johnny was used to it. He was starting to feel like Chet's Ed McMahon. "Because Santa must be around here, he brings the cold air from the North Pole with him. He might be right down the block." Chet grinned, his mischievous grin. "Oh, really?" Johnny said suspiciously, not sure how far Chet was going to take this. "Why does he do that Chet?" "I'm not sure, I think it has something to do with the aerodynamics of the sleigh. Or maybe the reindeer can't take the heat." Chet said with a thoughtful look as if there really were an explanation to be found. "Well, I hope its cold enough for him then, I wouldn't want Santa to crash. That would make an awful mess," Captain Stanley said with a smile. "Just imagine, injured reindeer, toys all over, it could take us all night to clean it up." He laughed picturing the scene. "Gee Cap, do you think they could treat the reindeer at Rampart, or would we have to call a Vet?" Marco added to the mix. "Does Santa wear a seatbelt? I'd hate to think of him getting hurt. All the kids would be disappointed in the morning," Mike said with an almost serious look on his face. It was funny, just talking about Santa in this way made them all "Believe" if only for a moment. Each had their own cherished memories of their childhood and Santa's annual visit. Each could remember a special toy they had received. These memories would be with them throughout their lives.  The conversation was ended when the klaxons sounded. "Squad 51, man bitten by a dog. 1453 Johnson Drive, time out 21:05"  "Squad 51, KMG 365," Captain Stanley responded, then handed them the call slip. When the squad arrived at the scene Johnny and Roy removed the drug box and headed toward the house. As they went up the walkway they heard a noise coming from the bushes. Johnny wondered if maybe it was the dog in question. He went closer to look. It was dark. He took out his penlight, which was all he had with him. He quickly realized it wouldn't be any help to him. He made out a shadow standing next to the bushes at the far end of the house. He could see a lot of white hair and assumed it was a long haired dog of some kind. "Pssst, over here fellas. But please be quiet, I don't want to wake up the kids." The figure motioned to them to come closer. "Sir, did you call the fire department?" Johnny asked in a whisper, a little confused by the site before him. There was a man in a Santa suit standing there. He was holding a large black boot and one leg of the red pants he was wearing was rolled up to show his calf. Johnny noticed the size of the man. He was either naturally heavy or had a lot of padding on, Johnny wasn't sure. "Yes I did, I was trying to get inside, when their dog saw me. He bit me before I could get away. I'm usually much faster than this." "Where did he bite you?" Johnny said kneeling down to check for the injury. "In my shin. It was bleeding a lot. I don't have anything with me to clean it up. My wife usually packs a first aid kit, but we were in such a rush this afternoon, she must have forgotten." Johnny took a good look at the wound with his penlight, which was more appropriate for this situation. Roy got some four by fours and antiseptic out of the drug box to clean it. "That's a pretty deep bite, sir. Do you know if the dog has had his rabies shots?" Johnny asked. "Oh yes, the family is very responsible. Little Ben promised last year if he got a puppy for Christmas he would take care of it. He has been doing such a good job. He's a good boy," said the man, sounding very sure of his information. "Well, the bleeding has stopped, but I think you should go to the hospital and have it checked out as soon as you can," Johnny said as he finished applying the bandage. "Oh I will, I just need to finish my work then I will have plenty of time to have this looked after. Thank you so much for coming. I didn't want to be bleeding all over everything tonight, and my wife would be upset if I stained this suit. She just made it for me this year." "Well, it's beautiful, very authentic," Roy said with a warm smile. The suit was a heavy red velvet trimmed with soft white fur all around. He wore a wide black leather belt with a beautiful gold buckle. He even had a beautiful white beard and red Santa cap. It was probably the nicest costume Roy had ever seen. It was much nicer than the Santa at the local department store. "Well, thank you again boys. You have a good night and a very Merry Christmas." "Thank you, sir, you too," Johnny said as he closed the drug box and they headed back to the squad. They returned to the station and went to the kitchen. The crew was watching Allister Simms in Scrooge. It was in black and white. But so was everything for them. Their color television had given out on them a couple days before, after five years of dependable service. Since it was so close to Christmas, Marco offered to bring in an old black and white set he had. That way the crews wouldn't have to put out any extra money until after the holiday. Johnny poured a glass of milk and grabbed some Christmas cookies Captain Stanley's wife had made. They were butter cookies she had cut out in Christmas shapes and decorated with colored sugar. He offered some to Roy who declined. He had had his fill, and more, at home when Joanne made her cookies. He was starting to wonder if he would need a bigger uniform after the holidays were over. But he knew Johnny didn't have to worry about that. He could eat anything and never gain weight. He wasn't sure how he did it. They sat down to watch the rest of the movie with the crew. Scrooge was revisiting Feziwig when the klaxons sounded. "Squad 51, man down 1515 Milner Avenue, time out 21:45." "Squad 51 KMG 365," Roy responded and he and Johnny left the station. When they arrived at the scene there was a man in a red suit sitting on the front lawn of the home, holding his hands out. They grabbed their equipment and hurried to him. "Sir, what happened?" Roy asked as he knelt down beside him. "I'm not sure. The Christmas lights weren't working, I was trying to check the plug. I didn't realize I was standing in a puddle. I took a jolt. I think my hands are burnt," he said as he looked at the palm of his hands. Johnny looked closely at the man. He wasn't sure if it was just because he was wearing a Santa suit, but he looked very much like the man they had treated for the dog bite almost an hour ago. But this address was several blocks in the opposite direction. It didn't seem possible that it could be the same person. He was sure there had to be more than one man running around in a Santa suit on Christmas Eve. He thought it was a nice gesture to make the holiday special for the children. Roy took the man's pulse and blood pressure. Both were normal. Johnny looked at the burns on the man's hands. They were only minor. He applied some ointment to each hand. "You should have them checked by a doctor, sir. You will want to keep them clean and dry to prevent infection," Johnny instructed. "Oh, I will young man. I assure you my wife won't let me take any chances with my health. She watches me like a hawk all year," he laughed. It was a deep, hearty laugh. It made both Johnny and Roy smile to hear it. He was playing the part for all it was worth. "Thank you very much for your help, now go back and watch your movie," he said as he stood up. "Thank you, sir," Johnny responded automatically. Then it struck him. How did this man know they were watching a movie before they came? He started to ask him, but the man had already scurried off. Roy didn't seem to have noticed anything unusual. Johnny told himself it must have been a coincidence. By the time they got back to the station the ghost of 'Christmas yet to come' had arrived. When Scrooge was over the television station aired, It's a Wonderful Life. They were well into the movie when the call came. "Engine 51, possible structure fire with smoke showing, 458 Sunnybrook Way, time out 23:30." "Engine 51, KMG 365," Captain Stanley took the slip and headed for the engine. They arrived at a two story residence. There were Christmas lights outlining the window frames and the soft lights from the Christmas tree could be seen through the picture window.  The red lights flashing from the engine almost looked like part of the Christmas display. There was a small amount of smoke coming from a kitchen window toward the back of the home. "Chet and Marco, get a reel line and an extinguisher, I'll check it out," Captain Stanley directed as he went toward the back door of the home. "Oh, come in Captain. I think it's under control now. There were cookies in the oven. Someone must have forgotten. I was in the living room when I smelled something burning. I didn't want to take any chances, so I called right away. Then I turned the oven off and put the cookie tray outside and opened a window. I think most of the smoke is gone now. Poor dears, they were just trying to make me a snack." Captain Stanley looked closely at the man speaking to him. He was elderly with a beautiful Santa suit on. He appeared to have everything under control. When Chet and Marco arrived at the back door, Captain Stanley sent them back to the engine and made them available. "You did a good job, sir," Captain Stanley said to the man. He knew first hand many civilians panicked in these situations and sometimes made matters worse. "Well thank you Hank, you do good work too," the man looked at him with a very warm, friendly smile. Captain Stanley looked confused for a moment wondering how the man knew his name. "Well, I've got to get back," said the man. "This is a very busy night for me," he headed back to the living room of the home. Captain Stanley stood for a moment, pondering the events that had just occurred. It didn't make sense to him, but maybe he was just tired. It was almost midnight. When they got back to the station it would be time for bed. Then in the morning he could go home and spend the day with his wife and kids.  Everyone had gone to sleep after the engine returned to the station. The Christmas movies were over and most stations were ending their broadcast day. They were all hoping for a quiet night, but at 1 AM the klaxons sounded, "Squad 51 unknown type injury 4270 Kent Court, Apartment 3-C. Time out 1:01." "Squad 51, KMG 365," Roy replied as he and Johnny headed for the squad. The door to the station lifted and they were on their way. Johnny wiped his eyes trying to get focused. This could be anything. He hoped it wasn't something serious, more for the victim's sake than theirs. No one should become seriously ill on Christmas. It was cold in the cab of the squad, the heater took a long time to warm up the compartment. They would probably be on the scene before it began to make a difference. Johnny briefly thought about what Chet had said about the cold air coming with Santa. Then his mind returned to the work at hand. They parked in front of the apartment building and took the gear from the squad. They found apartment 3-C. The door was wide open, but no one was there to meet them. "Hello, fire department," Johnny called loudly to be sure he was heard. They walked into the living room and saw a man in a Santa suit lying on his back next to a Christmas tree which was also lying on the ground. There was a pile of neatly wrapped presents sitting in the corner of the room. The house was very quiet. If anyone other than this man were home they must be sound sleepers, Johnny thought. "Shhh," the man said. "Everyone is sleeping. I don't want to frighten them," he said as he winced in pain. Roy began getting vital signs. "What happened, sir?" Johnny asked. He was almost certain this was the same man they had seen earlier. But they were on the other end of town. He found the whole situation very strange. "I was trying to put this tree up in the stand. I think I pulled my back. My wife told me I should lose some weight. She thinks my big belly is weakening my back muscles." "Well, your vital signs are normal. Can you move your hands and feet," Roy asked. The man did as directed. "Do you have any numbness or tingling?" Johnny asked as he prepared to establish contact with Rampart. "No, I just need some aspirin and a little help getting up and I'll be fine," he said calmly. "Well sir, we're going to contact the hospital and speak to a doctor. He'll probably want you to go in for some x-rays," Johnny informed him. "Nonsense, all I need is some aspirin. This happens all the time. I just didn't have anyone to help me up. It usually takes two of my helpers to get me on my feet and there are two of you. Could you be my helpers?" he asked in such a way that Johnny and Roy did as he wished. They suddenly felt an urge to please this man. He emanated such a kindness, that they were compelled to respond with kindness. They helped him to his feet and Johnny got him some water for the aspirin he had in the pocket of his red suit. Then they helped him get the tree in the stand. "Thank you so much boys. I don't think I will need to disturb you again. I just have one more stop and then I am heading home." He shook each of their hands and looked at them warmly with his bright blue eyes. Johnny and Roy each felt an unexplained connection to this man. There was something about him that touched them deep down. On some level they felt like they had reconnected with a dear old friend, yet neither of them could imagine why. Johnny and Roy said goodbye and headed back to the station. They went right back to bed and quickly fell asleep. They all slept as sound as children. A peace had descended upon the station as quietly as a snowfall and it blanketed everyone within. There were no more calls that night. The crew woke up in the morning to the sound of the wake up bell. "Merry Christmas guys," Captain Stanley said after he called the station in to dispatch. "Merry Christmas Cap," they each responded in turn.  They headed to the kitchen to make coffee. Each was anxious to get off duty and get home to their own celebrations. There was an excitement in the air as the anticipation of the holiday reached its full force. Johnny almost felt like a kid again. They all did in some way. None of them were immune to the joy of the season. Maybe they were more open to it than most. They knew first hand that life could be unkind. Bad things happened to good people for no apparent reason. Learning this lesson allowed them to take each simple joy as a blessing. There were no guarantees associated with life. But good times were meant to be enjoyed to their fullest.  Something caught Johnny's attention as he glanced toward the day room. There sat a large screen television with a bright red bow. There was a card taped to it. Johnny tapped Roy's shoulder to direct his attention to the site. One by one each man noticed the new addition to the room. Johnny went over and pulled the card from the screen and opened it. He read it out loud. "To the men of Station 51 who helped make Christmas possible this year. Many thanks, Enjoy the color TV. Stay safe. See you next year! SC." "SC?" asked Marco. "Santa Claus!" exclaimed Chet. They each looked at him in disbelief. Then Johnny, Roy and even Captain Stanley thought about the unusual man in the red suit they had encountered the night before. Was it possible?... No!... Was it?... feedback for Maura Return to main page