Turning Tables Part 4
With special thanks to Chris Umscheid
It was evening when the room finally quit spinning for Chet. His head was pounding so hard from the effects of the alcohol he thought it might explode. He looked around at his room, taking in the confinement of the detox ward. Unlike the pleasant rooms on the other wards in Rampart, detox was anything but homey. The door was locked and had one small window that the orderly could observe him through. He had no television, no radio, nothing but a bed. "I want out of this hell." Chet murmured, but nobody heard him. "Maybe this is what I deserve." The extent of his despair frightened him, more than anything he wanted to see Roy and apologize. The sudden knock on the door startled him.
"Chet?" In the open door a man in his mid-forties was eyeing him. He wore a doctor's lab coat and had thick black glasses and thinning blond hair. "My name is Dr. McNamara, can I come in?"
"I'd offer you a chair, but..." Chet said with a smirk.
"That's okay. I brought my own." Behind the doctor an orderly was carrying a folding chair.
"So you're the shrink." Chet had talked to Dr. Brackett, he had hoped that he could help Chet get out of his depression.
"Yup. So how do you like detox?"
"That's a stupid question, how do you think I like it?" Chet eyed him suspiciously. "This was what you get from the best shrink at Rampart?" he thought to himself. "It sucks. How would you like having to be followed around by an orderly every time you need to go to the bathroom."
"Well, would you like to get out of here? Move you down to a regular floor."
"Are you kidding? Can you do that?" Chet look at him incredulously.
"Sure, on one condition. You have to promise to talk to me about what's happened. I want complete honesty."
"I tell you what happened and you get me out?" Chet thought it sounded too good to be true.
"I can get you out of the ward, but I can't get you out of the trouble you are in." Dr. McNamara had been in contact with the Battalion Chief; he knew the penalty that Chet would pay for his mistake.
"I've already been suspended, what are they going to do, fire me?" Chet laughed nervously.
"I talked with your Battalion Chief, Chet. They are planning on terminating your employment with the LA County Fire Department."
"I've been fired." Chet stood up and stared out the barred window.
"Not officially, not yet." Dr. McNamara reached into his pocket and pulled out a tape recorder. "I have to record this session for my records, is that okay?"
"Yeah, sure, whatever. How long before they make it official?"
"They are waiting on some final testimony in the investigation, namely that of John Gage and Roy DeSoto. They are also waiting for my report."
"What do I do? I love being a firefighter." Chet turned to face him.
"Be honest with me. I will do everything I can to help you. You can start by telling me what happened that day."
Chet spent the next three hours talking with Dr. McNamara. He told him everything as he remembered it, even taking the blame on himself for not having the good sense to stay out of the engine in the first place. He told him about leaving the station and heading straight for Jonsey's Tavern and drinking. Chet had never been a heavy drinker, but that night he just wanted the picture of Roy behind the engine to go away. He drank and drank and drank, until he felt nothing. As promised, Dr. McNamara had Chet released from detox and admitted to one of the regular wards. Little did Chet know that while he was talking about the accident, Roy was again fighting for his life on the operating room table.
#####
JoAnne and Johnny sat in the surgical waiting room and watched the clock tick. It had been an hour since they took Roy into surgery to remove the pulmonary embolism that had formed as a result of his earlier injuries.
"Would you like some coffee, JoAnne?"
"No, Johnny. Thank you." JoAnne stared at her wedding ring, twisting it slowly in a circle. "Johnny, he's already been weakened by the first surgery, what happens if his heart stops this time?"
"Dr. Burgwyn is the best in the business, they're taking good care of him. Don't worry about that." Johnny put his arm around her shaking shoulders.
"I'm scared. I'm scared of having to live without him. I'm scared of rolling over in bed and knowing he won't be there, ever. I'm scared that our children will grow up without their father." JoAnne had been so strong for so long, she finally collapsed against Johnny's chest and cried. She was still there when Dr. Brackett came into the room.
"Doc, how's Roy?" Johnny asked.
"He's doing well, considering." Dr. Brackett pulled up a chair. "Roy had a relatively large pulmonary embolism. Dr. Burgwyn was able to remove it rather easily and Roy should be in recovery in the next thirty minutes or so."
"Oh! Thank God." JoAnne threw her arms around Johnny and they hugged each other tightly.
"See, I told you. Roy's not going anywhere."
"He should be back in ICU in a couple of hours. Why don't you go get something to eat and then go back to Roy's room and get some rest. We will know more when he wakes up."
#####
It was almost ten o'clock when Roy was wheeled back into his room on ICU. JoAnne was forced to return home shortly after eleven after Jennifer took sick. It was just a cold, but she wanted her mommy anyway. Johnny promised he would stay with Roy and call her the minute he woke up. Meanwhile, Johnny found himself with nothing to do, except talk to Roy. Even though it was a very one-sided conversation.
"Man, you scared us all to death. I sure am glad that the doctor was able to get all of the emboli. It was real strange, one minute you were turning on the game, and the next... Let's not talk about that right now. You're going to be fine. That's the important thing."
Johnny continued to pace the room. He had so many things that he wanted to say. So while he paced, he talked.
"JoAnne, she had to go home. Jennifer has a cold and really wants her mommy. You know how it is. Man, I sure do adore your kids. They were kinda disappointed that I didn't get to take them to the park today. Of course, with Jen coming down with a cold, it was probably best that we postponed."
Finally he sat down and turned on the television. He turned on a ball game and began giving Roy the play-by-play.
"I can't believe the Ump missed that call! He must be blind!" Johnny shifted in his chair and pointed wildly at the television. "That just sucks!"
During the last half of the eighth inning while Johnny was commenting on relief pitchers, he felt a sudden slap on his arm. He turned around to find a semi-conscious partner.
"Man, Roy! Hey, don't try to talk, you still have the ET tube in place. How do you feel? Are you in pain?" Johnny asked excitedly. He hadn't expected Roy to regain consciousness quite so soon.
Roy had to relax to keep from fighting the respirator that was helping his damaged lung to properly inflate. He pointed to the pen and paper beside the bed.
"Huh? Oh, you want paper. Sure, here, Pally." Johnny said handing him the paper.
Roy held the paper up to where he could see what he was writing. It was difficult, because he was so very weak. Still, he had to tell Johnny something. He wouldn't be able to rest until he did. Using all of his concentration he began scrawling words on the paper.
"What, you have a message for me?" Johnny leaned over to see what Roy was writing. His normally good handwriting was difficult to read, so Johnny repeated it out loud so that Roy knew he had gotten the message.
"Johnny...you complain about Phil." He read. "I am trying to get rest. Please shut the fuck up."
Johnny looked in disbelief at his partner. Then he saw the laughter in Roy's eyes as Roy gave him the thumbs up signal, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep. Johnny gave a sigh of relief. His partner would still be his partner, and his friend. Johnny turned off the TV and quietly slipped out of the room. He needed to go let JoAnne know that everything was going to be fine.
#####
Two Weeks Later
After the surgery to remove his pulmonary embolism, Roy improved steadily. He had been out of ICU for a week when Battalion Chief McConnikee paid him a visit.
"Hi, DeSoto. How are you feeling?"
"Much better, thank you." Roy knew this wouldn't just be a social call. "You're here to take my statement about the accident, aren't you?"
"If you feel up to it."
"I have heard rumors that Chet may be fired because of my accident." Roy usually wasn't so up front, but he didn't want to see Chet punished for something that wasn't really his fault.
"Who told you that?"
"You know you can't keep a secret among firefighters." Roy said with a laugh. "The accident wasn't his fault, it was mine."
"Your fault, how do you figure?"
"I know better than to walk up next to an engine that is backing up. I was right in his blind spot. There was no way for him to know that I was there." Roy continued rapidly. "Chet is one of the best guys I have ever worked with. I know that he and Johnny were foolin around, but it wasn't their fault. If I had done the smart thing, I would have walked right back in the door, and none of this would have happened."
"Fireman Kelly was an unqualified driver behind the wheel of an engine. He had no business doing what he was doing. Following the accident, he went on a three-day drunk, only to finally be discovered under the pool table in a seedy bar. Don't you think that he is too immature and unstable to be an asset to the fire department?"
"No, sir. The only reason he was so upset is because he thought he had killed me." Roy hoped he was getting through.
"He nearly did." The chief stood up and began pacing around the room.
"He made a mistake, everybody does." Roy pleaded. "He is too good at his job to lose it over a mistake."
"I think I have all of the information that I need. Thank you DeSoto." Said the Chief as he picked up his hat and left the room quickly.
#####
Three Weeks Later
Chet had been released from the hospital after only three days. He was still suspended, but no longer so terribly depressed. It was terrifying at first, going to see Roy. It was embarrassing too. Mostly because Chet started to cry.
"You know Chet," Roy put his hand on Chet's shoulder, "you gotta stop that before Johnny sees ya."
"Oh God! Not Johnny, I'd never be able to live it down." Chet and Roy both began to laugh. "You won't tell him, will you?"
Chet smiled at the memory. It felt good to be able to smile, even though he was sitting alone in the hallway, waiting to hear his fate. Roy had finished testifying yesterday. He was released temporarily from the hospital to be allowed to appear before the review board. "Review board, hell." He thought to himself. "Feels more like a fucking inquisition!" Johnny was testifying now, Chet could hear his voice every now and then, but couldn't make out what he was saying. It wouldn't be too long before he knew if he would still be a firefighter. Chet could feel his whole world slipping between his fingers and there was nothing he could do about it. "There's Johnny's voice again." He wondered what could be going on that he would be raising his voice? It was only a few minutes later that a very distraught Gage came bursting out of the conference room.
"Fucking assholes!" Johnny muttered as he kicked the bench that Chet was sitting on.
"That good, huh?" Chet asked.
"Chet, do you know what they are saying in there?"
"They think I should be fired, that I am too unstable to be a firefighter." Chet said dryly. He had heard all about it for Chief McConnikee.
"You know?" Johnny looked at him incredulously, he couldn't believe Chet was taking this lying down.
"Pretty much everybody knows. Roy and Cap thought it would be better if they didn't tell you." Chet gave him a little smile. "You have a tendency to be a little passionate about things. They didn't want you to go into the hearing pissed off."
"That was probably a good thing, cause right now I want to rip all of their fucking heads off." Johnny stared hatefully at the conference room doors. He couldn't believe they were doing this. It was a horrible mistake and should have been avoided. By trying to fire Chet, they were making an even bigger mistake.
"Man, I think I'm fucked." Chet put his head in his hands.
"No way. You are one of the best men on the department." Johnny sat down next to him. "It's just as much my fault anyway. We are going to get you out of this. No matter what, we can appeal it."
"Yeah, and Roy says it's his fault." Chet shook his head. "The Chiefs are going to decide whose fault it is. They've got me by the short hairs and there's not a fucking thing I can do about it."
"Well, I was the last person to testify. We should know by tomorrow. Nothing that we can do until then. Come on, I'll buy you a..."
"Don't even say beer." Chet said raising his hands with a small laugh. "I don't want another thing to drink ever."
"I was going to say Coke, buy you a Coke."
"Okay." Chet stood up and walked beside Johnny. They spent the rest of the day in a local bar, drinking soda and talking about anything. Anything that would keep his mind off the decision of the Chiefs. Anything that would help him forget that today might be his last day as a firefighter.
#####
Chet had gotten up early, shaved and gotten dressed. Looking at himself in his dress uniform in the mirror was almost too much for him. He turned away from his image and tried not to think that he might never see himself in that uniform again. Captain Stanley picked him up at 7AM and they went for coffee and some breakfast at a nearby restaurant. Chet realized that the Captain offering to buy him breakfast was for emotional support, and he was grateful. They lingered over their second cup before reporting to the 8:30 meeting.
"So how does it look in there?" Chet dared to ask Captain Stanley, since he had remained in the hearing through all of the witnesses.
"I don't know, pal. I wish I could tell you more. Both Roy and Johnny gave great testimony. They made sure that the panel knew that the department needed you. Johnny, of course, became very vocal when he found out that they were considering terminating you."
"I could hear his voice, but I couldn't make out what he was saying." Chet said around a sip of coffee.
"Well, we'll know soon enough. Are you ready to go?" Both men finished off the last of their coffee cups and left. It was a quiet ride to headquarters.
#####
Chet sat at the table next to Captain Stanley. Nobody else was allowed in the room. Chet faced a row of five Department Chiefs; he tried to read their faces, but saw nothing. He took a deep breath and clutched his hands in his lap to keep from fidgeting. He was scared.
"Firefighter Chester B. Kelly." Chief McConnikee spoke. "Before we render the decision of the panel, do you have anything to say in your own defense."
Chet had been preparing for this for two days. When he stood up to talk his mouth turned dry and his voice cracked.
"Yes sir. I know that what I did was stupid and immature. I wish more than anything else I could turn back the clock so that none of this ever happened. The men that I work with, they are like family to me. I think that most of us think of the people we work with as brothers. I can't even begin to tell you how awful it is to know that you injured one of those brothers. It doesn't matter that I didn't mean for it to happen, it did happen. All I can say is that I am so terribly sorry. I don't want to lose my job as a firefighter, not because it is a job, but because it is my life." Chet couldn't go on. He simply looked at the floor and waited for their decision.
"If there is nothing else, then I will inform you of the review boards decision." Chief McConnikee picked up a piece of paper and began to read. "It is the decision of the Department Chiefs that Firefighter Chester B. Kelly..."
Suddenly, it seemed to Chet that Chief McConnikee paused. "This is it. Be a man, look him in the eyes." Chet thought as he raised his eyes from the floor to meet the Chiefs.
"Be suspended from the fire department for a period of three months. During this time you will attend basic safety courses at the LA County Fire Department Academy. Following the three months of suspension you will be placed on a probationary status for a period of one year. Your name has also been removed from the Engineer's list for this testing period and you will be ineligible to test again for a period of two years. Do you have any questions?"
"No sir." Chet breathed a sigh of relief. He was still a firefighter, no matter how unstable that position might be, for now.
#####
Four months later
"Hey Mike, hand me that other tack, will ya?" Johnny was standing on a chair in the kitchen trying to hang up the huge "WELCOME BACK ROY" sign the guys had made. Johnny was looking forward to having his partner back this morning. After four and a half months he was looking forward to being Junior again.
"Look who's here." Marco said in a loud voice. "Good to have you back, man."
"It's good to be back." Roy laughed and took the cup of coffee that Marco had offered him.
"Hey, Roy." Chet stepped forward and shook his hand. He had started back less than a month ago. Now with Roy back, the station felt like home again. "Finally, somebody who can keep Gage in line around here."
"Keep me in line..." Johnny perked up. "Look here..."
For the first time on the shift the tones sounded and the men of Station 51 moved to the vehicles.
"Structure fire 1821 Harris Ave. 1821 Harris, cross-street Park. Time out 0815."
Roy took a deep breath before starting up the squad. "God it was good to be back." He thought. "Ready to go Junior?"
"Okay, Pally." Johnny smiled at Roy as they pulled out of the station followed by the engine. "Just another day." He thought, and he wished for many more like them.
THE END
Author's notes: I hope that you have enjoyed my first attempt to write down Johnny and Roy's world. Special thanks to Chris Umscheid, without whom I would never have gotten through all of this. Thank you also to Tangee for all of her help.
"Turning Tables" ©1999 Barbara Black. "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction, and any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.
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