A Rock and a Hard Place
By
Min was sitting on her office, she was chewing on her fingernails as she watched the small television she kept in the office. She was giving her son a bottle watching the coverage of the talks between the City of Los Angeles and the Fire Department. For the past month and a half the city and the Fire Department had been trying to negotiate a new contract. The firemen and the paramedics were due for raises but the City was being very tight with their purse. The scene in the City Council office was not a pretty one, the representatives of the Firefighters/Paramedics unions were all arguing with the members of the city council, the scene was very ugly and it was on TV for everyone to see.
Bo came into his sister’s office, he could hear the arguing on her television all the way into his office.
“Sis what in the world are you watching?” He was wearing his white SKIDZ t-shirt and jeans shorts, he saw his sister feeding her son.
Min sighed and shook her head. “The negotiations between the city and the LAFD.”
Bo sat down on the edge of her desk and looked at the screen. “Doesn’t look like they are going too well.”
She watched as her son finished his bottle, she put him on her shoulder and started patting his back. “You can say that again, things aren’t going well at all.”
Evan burped loudly and Min laughed, she touched her forehead to his and kissed his nose. “Nice one Ev, you sound like your father.”
Bo shook his head. “He sounds like me when I’ve had too many beers.” He stuck his hands out. “Can I hold him?”
“Sure.” Min handed the little baby to her brother, the little boy was dressed a white bodysuit with puppy dogs on it.
“You’re getting big Evan, how old is he now Sis?”
Min reached out and stroked his dark hair. “3 months.”
“3 months? Already? You need to stop growing!” Bo lifted the little boy high above his head and the baby smiled and laughed.
“Now don’t you drop my child! I can guarantee that neither his father nor I will be happy if you do.”
Bo scoffed. “Relax Sis I’m not going to drop him.”
Min was watching the coverage, the arguing was getting worse. “I wish they would settle this mess and soon.”
Min wasn’t the only one watching, Station 51 was too, it had been a slow day so they had all taken their lunch on paper plates into the living room, they had the television on.
Johnny shook his head and wiped his mouth with a napkin, he was sitting beside his partner. “Man I’m glad I’m not there, talk about a tense room.”
Roy nodded. “Yeah tempers are really flying.”
Chet was sitting on the floor near the TV, he shushed them and got on his knees and turned it up. “They got our raises in the palms of their hands.”
“What raises Chet? The only thing they got in their hands is anger and frustration.” Johnny had another bite of his sandwich.
Captain Stanley had his hands folded in his lap. “Yeah that’s the problem everyone is so busy being angry they aren’t seeing each other’s point of view.”
“Think it’s going to get resolved Cap?”
Hank turned towards one of his paramedics. “I don’t know Johnny, but something has got to give.”
Roy shook his head. “Why do I get the feeling it’s going to be us?” He looked towards his partner who gave him a puzzled look.
“What do you mean?”
“If they don’t settle this thing we are the ones going to be left out in the cold.”
Johnny wiped his mouth. “Think the Unions will call for a strike?”
“I don’t know Johnny, before all this started I would have said no way but now, it looks like it could happen.”
Chet heard what Roy said and he scoffed. “No way Roy, there is no way the city will let the Unions leave Los Angeles unprotected without firemen or paramedics.”
“That’s what I thought too Chet but listen to them, cooler heads aren’t prevailing here, they just might do something like that to try and get the city to see things their way.”
Chet turned his attention back to the TV. “I’d have to see it to believe it.”
The alarm went off and Captain Stanley turned off the television. “Well we can’t worry about that now Gentlemen, we have a job to do, let’s go.”
The 6 men all got up and ran into the garage.
Evan was asleep in his playpen, he was in his mother’s office that now also served as a nursery. Bo had done a great job, he had put down carpeting in his sister’s office and had put in a big toy chest, and a high chair that would come in handy whenever Evan was old enough to start eating solid foods. He had taken down all of his sister’s posters on the walls and had an artist come in and paint nursery rhyme characters on all 4 walls. Min’s desk and her couch were still there but everything else had been changed to accommodate her son. Min and Bo were in his office eating lunch, the baby monitor was turned on, Min was listening to her son sleep while she sat on the other side of her brother’s desk and nibbled on her pizza slice.
Bo had a sip of his soda, he could see how tense his sister was. “You’re worried about those negotiations aren’t you?”
Min lifted her head and looked at her brother. “Yeah I am, as much as I think Johnny and the rest of the firemen deserve a raise, it sure is causing a mess.” She shook out her head and picked up her slice and took a bite. “I think we should change the subject. So how are things with the anesthesiologist?”
Bo gave his sister a wide grin and he sighed. “Jenna is great Min, she really is.”
“How long has she been a doctor?”
“She’s still doing residency, she’s a few years older then me, she’s 30.”
Min shrugged. “So what, I’m 27 and Johnny is almost 30.”
“Oh I’m not saying that’s a problem, you know me, I love older women, they can teach you a lot.”
“Charming Bo, very charming.”
Bo grinned. “Yeah I know.” He ate more of his pizza. “Hey did you know she was the anesthesiologist on duty the night your friend had his appendix out?”
Min sipped her soda. “No, I didn’t know she was there for MacGyver’s surgery.”
“She was, how is he doing?”
“Fine, we just had dinner with him and Gillian at their house earlier this week.”
Min sighed, she felt better, her brother always had a way to cheer her up. “You’ve been seeing her since Evan was born right?”
Bo nodded. “Yeah, things are getting pretty hot and heavy.”
“Have you introduced her to Luke?”
“You should have seen his face, he was greener than a frog with envy.”
Min shook her head. “You two, this isn’t Hazzard you know, there are plenty of women to go around, the two of you don’t have to compete anymore.”
“We aren’t competing, Luke doesn’t even have a girlfriend, he puts all of his time in that shop of his.”
“And you put a lot of your time in the club, have you shown it to her?”
Bo scoffed. “Of course I have, I took her here on the first date we had.”
“What did she think of it?”
“She loves it.”
Min reached out and touched her brother on the shoulder. “Bo, I want you to level with me.”
The blond man nodded. “Okay, I’ll tell you the truth.”
She gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Do you love Jenna?”
Bo dropped his head for a second and ran his fingers through his blond hair. “I don’t know Sis, I mean I really don’t.”
Min touched her brother on the chin and lifted it. “You said you were going to be honest with me.”
“I am, I honestly don’t know, I’ve never really loved anyone Min, how do I know what it feels like?”
Min gave her brother a big smile. “Well, that is a tough question, but let me say this. Whenever Johnny comes home and I see him, my heart starts pounding so hard it feels like it’s going to burst, if Jenna does the same thing to you then I think you have a problem.”
It was half past 6 and Min was stretched out on the bed she shared with her husband, Evan was taking his late afternoon nap, he had played hard at the club and the little boy had worn himself out. Min too was tired, she was dozing waiting for Johnny to come home. She heard the sound of the front door closing and she sat up immediately. The thumping of her husband’s work boots on the hard wood floor got louder as he made his way down the hall. The bedroom door opened and she smiled when she saw her husband.
“Hi.”
The dark haired man left the door open and walked over to the bed, he sat down on the edge and sighed. “Hi.”
Min moved close to the edge and touched her husband’s dark hair. “Tough day Honey?”
He was leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “No more than usual.” He turned towards her and hugged her. Min put her arms around her husband and held him. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah I’m sure, and those negotiations have everyone pretty tense.”
“Including you?”
“Yeah including me.” He sighed and buried his head against her shoulder. “Everyone seems to think we are going to strike.”
Min stroked her husband’s hair. “I hope not Johnny, then things will really be a mess.” She pulled back and touched his face. “What can I do to make you feel better?”
The paramedic sighed. “How about a massage?”
Min leaned forward and gave her husband a kiss. “If that’s what will make you feel better, I’ll do it.”
Johnny let go of his wife and stood up, he was standing in front of her and he began unbuttoning his uniform shirt, he opened it all the way and let it slide down his shoulders. He had on a light grey t-shirt that read JUST LIE BACK AND DO WHAT THE NICE PARAMEDIC TELLS YOU. He was looking at his wife with a tiny hint of wickedness swimming in his dark eyes. She was watching him very closely, enjoying every second of the wonderful view.
“I feel as though I should have a wad of dollar bills in my hand.”
Johnny laughed as he crossed his arms and grabbed the ends of his shirt, he lifted it over his head and dropped it on the floor. He climbed back on the bed and slid forward on his stomach, he put his arms in front of him and rested his head on them.
“Okay, I’m all yours.”
“Maybe, depends on how well this massage goes.”
She got off the bed and went into the bathroom, she put a tiny bit of baby oil in the palm of her hand and went back into the bedroom. She sat down on his behind and rubbed her hands together, and leaned forward, she put her hands on his shoulder and started squeezing the muscles, they were very tight.
“It’s like trying to rub a brick.”
“I know, I told you I was tense.” Johnny closed his eyes and let his wife workout all the stress he was feeling.
Min was working on his neck, it was just as stiff and tight as his shoulders. “Johnny are you one big ball of tension.”
“Sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry, I’m just amazed you can move your head.”
She finally worked out the tightness in his neck and shoulders and started working on his back. “When will you guys know about the negotiations?”
“Tonight, we have to go to a meeting at the Union headquarters at 8.” Johnny could feel the oil his wife was using, her hands were sliding down his backbone, it felt really good.
“Is Roy going?”
“Yeah I have to pick him up.”
Min was now working on his lower back, it wasn’t tense at all and she was glad. “I’m done Johnny, let me get a washcloth so I can wipe off the oil.”
“Okay.”
She came back from the bathroom with two washcloths, one wet, one dry. She used them to wipe off the baby oil off of her husband’s back and then dry it. Johnny sighed, this felt as good as the massage did.
“Okay you’re done.”
She got off of his behind and he rolled over, she started to get up but he grabbed her by the right wrist. “Where are you going?”
“To put these washcloths in the hamper.”
Johnny smiled at her and shook his head. “No, they can wait.”
Min raised an eyebrow and simply put the washcloths on the nightstand, Johnny pulled her on top of him. “Thanks for the rub down but I don’t think you’re done.”
“No?”
The paramedic shook his head. “No, I still feel a little stressed.”
Min smiled. “Oh I
see.” She put both hands on his face and leaned down, she brushed her lips against
his gently, she felt his mouth move against hers as the kiss deepened. She opened
her eyes and sighed.
”Do we have time?”
Johnny turned his head towards the clock on the nightstand, it read 6 45. “Yeah, we have time.”
Min nodded her head as she kissed her husband again, she moved her fingers up his face and into his dark hair.
The Union hall of Firefighters/Paramedics local 13 looked like a library. The building was grey, it had two giant concrete lions in the front of it and steep looking stairs that went all the way to the door. Johnny parked his Land Rover around the side of the building, the place was packed.
“Looks like everyone is here.” He had worn his grey t-shirt and a pair of grey shorts.
“Yeah, well they said that all the unions were going to be meeting here.” Roy had blue jeans and a red t-shirt, he and his partner climbed the steps to the door. They were met there by the rest of the 51, everyone was dressed casual.
“Well that takes care of 51, shall we go in?” Chet had his hands on his hips.
“Yeah let’s go in before all the seats are taken.” Roy led the way and everyone followed him inside the building.
A middle aged brown haired man with graying sides was standing up on the stage, the place was wall to wall angry and frustrated firemen and paramedics. The murmurs throughout the hall were not happy ones and the men of 51 all looked at each other, the 6 of them were probably the only men that were calm and collected. The man’s name was Robert Bishop, he put his arms up and tried to quiet everyone down.
“All right, let’s have it quiet.”
The angry murmurs finally stopped and all eyes turned to him. “Now you all know why we are here tonight, I’m sure you all have been watching the coverage. I don’t have to lie to you and tell you that things are going well, you all have seen that they aren’t.”
There were 5 other men behind him, all of them were scowling.
“My counterparts and I have been talking and we have decided that if the city does not agree to our temporary contract we have no choice but to go on strike.”
Roy shook his head and stood up. “When will you be presenting this new contract to them?”
Bishop looked at him. “And you are?”
“DeSoto, 51.”
“Ah, you are one of the ones that is both a FM and a PM. To answer your question, tomorrow morning.”
Roy sat back down and leaned towards his partner. “Great, tomorrow morning.”
Johnny looked at him. “If this does happen, I don’t know about you but I don’t think I can just walk away.”
“Me either Johnny, it wouldn’t feel right.”
“This new contract is more than fair, it gives you all a 10 percent raise and better benefits, we don’t think the city will have a problem with it.”
A fireman in the back named Luke Brett stood up, he was known as being a hothead; he was about 6 foot 4, had short shaved hair and weighed about 250 pounds of solid muscle. “Yeah right Bishop, they won’t go for it! The contract you gave them earlier only had us getting a 5 % raise and they rejected it!”
Johnny turned around and saw who was talking. “Oh great, it’s Brett.”
Roy looked behind him and saw the big man. “He’s going to stir up trouble.”
Bishop shook his head. “Then we’ll strike, it’s that simple, we have the advantage here, the city wouldn’t dare leave 7 and a half million people without emergency services.”
Brett made his way through the crowd. “Why wait for them to say no? Let’s just do it now!”
Roy and Johnny both stood up, they had both heard enough. “Now wait a second Brett, we can’t go jumping to conclusions.”
Johnny nodded. “That’s right, the city has been just a bullheaded about this as all of you have been, if we walk out they just might fire all of us.”
Brett was getting angry and his comments were starting to rile the other firemen, the angry murmurs started back up. “They wouldn’t fire us! Without us this rotten city is up a creek!”
Roy shook his head. “You don’t know that for sure Brett.”
Brett got closer to both Johnny and Roy. “This city treats all of us like second class citizens, why should we be on the job if they aren’t going to treat us right? We go through this hassle and bull every time we need something, you know how badly some of the stations need new fire engines but do you think that the city will cough up one red cent? They always give us some baloney about not enough money in the budget, well I say enough is enough. I say we strike now!”
The rest of the firemen and paramedics in the building all got to their feet to show their support. Bishop put his hands out so they would settle down. “Now wait a minute, we can’t do this half cocked, we have to all agree. I want to see a show of hands, all in favor of a strike, raise them high.”
Every hand in the building went up in the air with one exception, the men of 51, not a one of them raised their hands and the rest of the men in the hall all turned and looked at them. Brett saw none of them was for the strike.
“What’s wrong with you 51 guys? Don’t have any guts?”
The 6 men stood up. “We have plenty of guts and brains, this is a dumb idea, if we do this the city will cut us off at the knees.”
Brett shook his head at Roy. “I never have liked you DeSoto, you and that partner of yours think you are better just because you are paramedics.”
Roy was just staring at him. “No we don’t, and we aren’t the only paramedics in this room Brett and you know that.”
“You’re the only ones in this room that don’t have their hands raised.”
“Johnny and I have families to think about, what about them?” He looked at all of the men. “What about your families? What are they going to do if you go through with this and walk out on your job?”
Johnny totally agreed with his partner. “That’s right, I have a brand new son, I’m not about to do something stupid and rash that is going to jeopardize his future.”
“Just calm down all of you and think about that for a minute.”
The noise in the hall started to calm down, all of a sudden some hands started to go down, Brett shook his head. “Cowards, that’s what you are.”
Roy shook his head. “No Brett, they aren’t cowards, they are smart and they are thinking about more than themselves, maybe you should try it.”
Brett scowled deeply and grabbed Roy by his shirt. Johnny grabbed Brett’s hand and tried to pry his partner’s shirt out of the closed fist. “What are you doing? Let him go!”
The rest of 51 tried to help Roy, Brett let go of Roy’s shirt and started to push the men that were around him away. Brett was getting angry, he started swinging his fists around and that’s when it happened, the hall had just started to calm down, but that was over in a heartbeat, now it had erupted into a full scale brawl.
Min was in her white robe, she reading a book to Evan in the living room, he was on her lap and the little boy yawned widely, the young mother smiled at him. “Someone is getting sleepy.” She gave her son a kiss on the head. “Don’t worry I’ll put you to bed as soon as the story is over.”
The phone suddenly started ringing and she reached over to the end table and picked it up.
“Hello?”
“Min, it’s me.”
It was her husband. “Johnny, what’s wrong?” She couldn’t help but notice how funny he sounded.
“Listen I don’t have time to explain right now but you have to come downtown and bail me out.”
Both of her eyebrows went up. “What? What happened?”
“I’ll explain later, just bring the checkbook, you have to get both me and Roy out.”
“What happened to JoAnne?”
“Roy can’t get a hold of her.”
Min sighed. “Okay Honey, I’ll pack up Evan and be right down.”
“Thanks Min, bye.”
Min closed the book and set it down on the couch. “Come on Evan, we have to go rescue your father.” She held him close to her chest as she went to go get his stroller and his diaper bag.
Johnny, Roy and the rest of 51 was in one jail cell, the entire hall had been arrested. The men were all beaten up, Johnny had a paper towel pressed against the area above his eye, it was split open. Roy turned towards his partner, he had a cut on the corner of his mouth and one of his eyes was starting to turn purple.
“How’s the head Johnny?”
“Hurts, what about your eye?”
“Hurts, I don’t even know how it happened.”
“Same with my head.”
Chet sighed, he too had a black eye. “Who knows, everyone was swinging.”
Johnny turned his attention to Chet. “None of us were, we were trying to get out of there.”
“Yeah and it didn’t do any good, this is all Brett’s fault, him and his temper got everyone riled up.”
Roy shook his head. “I don’t know how that guy can even be a fireman.” He touched his damaged eye carefully. “The one good thing out of all this is we aren’t going to strike.”
“Tonight but there is always tomorrow.” Johnny’s head was hurting him, he sighed and wished his wife would hurry up and get there. The bench he was sitting on was not comfortable at all, his body had been through enough for one night.
The metal door at the end of the hall opened and Min wheeled Evan in his stroller down the hall, she was followed by a policeman. She had put on her husband’s bright blue 911 t-shirt and blue shorts. Johnny saw her and he stood up, he put his hands on the cold bars. “Min!”
The young woman saw her husband. “Oh my God Johnny what happened?”
“Long story, I’m glad to see you.”
The officer unlocked the cell door. “Okay 51, this young woman has made bail for all of you, everyone out.”
The men were surprised. “You did? You didn’t have to do that Min.” Chet came out of the cell and kissed her cheek.
“It was nothing Chet, don’t worry about it, I know you, Marco and Mike don’t have wives to bail you out. She looked at Captain Stanley. “And I know that Irene is out of town. I couldn’t leave you all here in this little concrete box.”
Hank took her hand and shook it. “Thanks Min, I’ll give the money back to you.”
“Don’t worry about it, just go home and rest.”
Mike smiled at her. “He’s right, I will pay it back.” He gave her a nod of his head and left.
Marco nodded. “Me too, good night.”
Min looked at the two paramedics. “Come on, let’s go back to the house and clean you both up.”
They all left the cell area and headed back to the Union hall to get the Land Rover and then it was home.
“Hold still Johnny.”
The threesome was sitting at the dining room table, Min was sitting on the edge of the table carefully cleaning the wound above her husband’s right eye. They had put Evan to bed and Roy had a steak pressed against his eye. “Well this has been an eventful evening.”
Johnny hissed through his teeth as his wife put peroxide on his cut. “Yeah it’s been great, we all get beat up and arrested.”
Min sighed as she dabbed his cut with a cotton ball. “I can’t believe a brawl broke out at the hall, who started it?”
“Luke Brett.”
Min took some butterfly bandages out of her husband’s black tackle box and carefully put 4 of them on her husband’s cut. “There, that should do it.”
Johnny touched it. “Thanks.”
Roy took the piece of meat off of his eye, it felt like it was the size of a golf ball. “How does it look?”
Min turned her attention to Roy. “It looks okay, I don’t think it’ll swell. What did JoAnne say?”
“She just got home and had put the kids to bed, she said she’s get the neighbor to watch the kids and be right over. She is going to flip when she sees my eye and my mouth.”
“Well she can blame that Brett guy.”
There was a knock at the door and Roy got up and went through the French doors and into the living room, he went to the front door and opened it. JoAnne was there wearing a set of pink sweats, she saw her husband and she gasped.
“Roy what happened?”
He gave her a small kiss. “I’ll tell you on the way home.”
Min and Johnny left the dining room and went to the front door, Roy smiled at them. “Thanks for taking care of me.” He looked at his partner especially, Johnny was the first one to jump to his rescue Brett had grabbed him. The dark haired man smiled at his partner and gave him a nod. “Anytime.”
Min smiled at the paramedic. “You go get some rest Roy.”
“I will, bye.”
“Bye, see you in the morning.”
Roy nodded as he closed the door behind him and JoAnne.
Johnny’s head was still hurting him, he was lying on the bed, he had taken some aspirin but it hadn’t kicked in yet. Min had gone to the kitchen and brought back a sandwich on a plate.
“Here Johnny, have something to eat, you’ll feel better.”
“Not unless you cut off my head.” He sat up slowly and picked up the sandwich, it was ham and cheese and he took a bite. “That was unreal Min, a bunch of grown men all pounding each other like teenage boys.”
Min sat beside her husband and stroked his hair. “Well, a lot of tempers have been going off lately Johnny, this thing with the city has everyone on the edge.”
“Brett wanted all of us to agree to strike tonight.”
“Tonight?”
“Yeah, Bishop said they have a new contract to present to the city in the morning, he said if the city rejects it, we’re going to strike.”
Min closed her eyes briefly. “I don’t even want to think about that.”
“Me either, Roy and I both agreed that we couldn’t just walk away from our jobs, even if they do strike.”
“What do you think the city is going to do if all of the stations strike?”
Johnny ate more of his sandwich and wiped the crumbs off of his face. “There is a possibility they will fire anyone that leaves their job.”
Min sighed. “Great, you all are going to be put in between a rock and a hard place. If you stay on the job you won’t get paid if you walk away you’re fired.”
He was done with his sandwich and put the plate over the side of the bed onto the floor. “Yeah that’s about the size of it, either way we are in trouble.”
Bo came into his sister’s office, he was absolutely happy, he was whistling but when he saw her face, it made him stop in mid tune.
“Hi Min, what’s with the face?”
The young woman was holding Evan in her lap and watching the negotiation coverage. “They are about to announce whether or not they are going to accept the new Union contract.”
Bo sat down on the edge of her desk. “Oh good, maybe it’ll finally be over.”
Min saw her brother and how happy he looked. “So what are you so happy about?”
He grinned. “Well, I’ll tell you when they make the announcement.”
Min sighed and hugged her son to her, she was hoping that the city would accept it, the thought of all the firemen in the city on strike terrified her. The city would be in chaos without emergency services, it was a dreadful thought and she shook it out of her mind. She watched as the man that represented the city stepped up to the podium to address the press. He was an older man with salt and pepper hair, he was dressed in a dark grey suit. The man’s named was Donald Tate, he cleared his throat and pushed his wire rim glasses up, beside him was the members of the Unions, they were sitting on chairs, Robert Bishop was among them.
“Ladies and Gentlemen of the press, after much deliberation between myself and the City Council, we have decided to reject the contract given to us by the Union.”
Min gasped and closed her eyes, she hung her head. “Oh God.”
Robert Bishop was furious, he stood up and almost pushed his counterpart aside. “That is fine, the City wants to play that way well so can we, effective immediately all fire department personnel are officially on strike.”
The press naturally got on their feet fast and started shouting questions to the Union members, to Robert Bishop and to Donald Tate. The older man raised his hands to silence the mob.
“I have been authorized by the City to inform any members of the fire department that if they abandon their jobs they will be considered as voluntarily terminated.”
Bishop once again almost pushed him aside. “I urge all firemen and paramedics to walk away this moment from their stations and go home, this fight is not over yet, not by a long shot!”
Min had heard enough she pressed the button on the television, it turned off and she shook her head. “That’s it then, they are on strike.”
Bo reached out and touched her shoulder. “So what does that mean? Is Johnny going to walk away?”
Min touched her brother’s hand. “No, he wouldn’t do that.”
The phone on Bo’s desk rang and she picked it up, she knew who it was. “Johnny?”
“Yeah it’s me, you heard?”
She sighed. “Yeah, I was watching, what are you and the rest of 51 going to do?”
“We talked about it and we’re going to let HQ know that we are going to stay.”
Min nodded. “I’m glad, I bet you guys aren’t the only station that does.”
Johnny sighed on the line. “I don’t know Min there were a lot of firemen at that meeting the other night that agreed with Brett.”
“I hope not Johnny, 51 can’t handle the whole city by itself.”
Johnny and the rest of the men were sitting at the kitchen table, all of them were silent, Captain Stanley was on the phone with Headquarters, he didn’t look too happy, he was talking to Chief Forrester.
“Yes Sir, I understand, I’ll let them know, yes Sir, bye.”
He hung up the phone and ran his fingers through his hair. He was in the garage in the small office out there, he walked back into the kitchen and saw his men.
“51, we need to talk.”
Five pairs of eyes turned their attention to the Captain, he put his hands on his hips. “I just got off the phone with Chief Forrester, at least half of the firefighters and paramedics in this city left their stations, the city is now running at less than half its usual capacity for emergency personnel. Out of this whole city, 51 is the only station that is complete. Chief Forrester is thrilled about that but because of the sudden shortage, HQ has instituted Crisis Procedures.”
The men all looked at each other, Roy uncrossed his arms and looked at the Captain. “Crisis Procedures? But that means-”
Hank nodded his head at one half of his paramedic team. “As of this moment, we are officially on ES.”
All of them shifted in their chairs and Johnny sighed and covered his eyes with his hands. “Man, Endless Shift, that means we are on duty until they resolve this strike, we won’t be allowed to go home.”
“That’s right Johnny, I know this is hard but it has to be this way, there are no other options.”
Johnny thought of his wife and his son. “And what if they don’t end it? When am I going to get to see Min or Evan?”
Hank sighed, he felt for all of his men and himself. “I wish I knew, there are no days off, you can call your family but that’s it, you can’t go home.”
The two paramedics looked at each other, they were in for a heck of a time, with the way the City and the LAFD were getting along, the possibility of going home sometime in the next century looked pretty bleak.
Continued in part II