Everything was going according to schedule, no calls had come in all day, and the unrest in the station was beginning to be palpable. All of the firefighters on duty were sitting around a table in the kitchen of the station, there were four of them on the clock on this particular Saturday night. Being a firefighter in a small town in Minnesota isn’t the most interesting job they weren’t anything special, but when something is on fire there’s no one you’d rather have there than these men.
The oldest man there, sitting at the head of the table giving his gear a thorough look over was the Fire Chief, Chief O’Sullivan. He was hassling the new firefighter they had just hired, telling him to do menial tasks the whole day for his entertainment. Now, realizing how hungry he was, the chief yells to the young firefighter, “Hey Jack, why don’t you go make us some food to eat we’re all starving in here, hurry it up.” While picking up his mop and bucket Jack replied, “Alright Chief I’ll see what I can whip up in the kitchen”
Jack exited the room leaving the chief behind with his two sons, Adam and Jerry. “What’s up with that kid? Is there something wrong with him? He has the IQ of a toaster!” Jerry said sounding rather annoyed with Jack’s presence. “You’re just salty because the kid scored better than you on the civil service exam, you can’t hold the kids achievements against him just because you’re jealous!” “Act like that’s my problem with him, I just don’t like” before he could finish the sentence his father interjected, “both of you shut your mouths, from the day you two could talk all you’ve done is bitch at each other, now go clean the fire truck off before I put my foot in your ass”
As the two brothers leave the room, Jack returned with the ingredients necessary for his meal. He planned on making some baked chicken, nothing flashy or overly indulgent, just needed a simple healthy meal for some simple working men. He began the process of making dinner, slicing the chicken, breading it, preparing the side dishes. And when all the prep work was done, Jack triumphantly threw the pan into the oven and with a noticeable look of delight declared, “Alright Chief, food should be done soon enough!” “Great, I’m withering away over here.” the chief replied sarcastically while rubbing his protruding stomach.
Out of nowhere, a deafening siren cut through the silence that filled the station, as the two brothers scrambled to get dressed and onto the truck the Chief turned to Jack. “You know what, you go today, I’m old and it’s probably only someone with a campfire that got out of hand, there be plenty more times for me to go out. It’s your time to get your feet wet.” Nervously Jack replied, “Are you sure? I usually stay here and everything goes alright that way, I don’t want to mess anything up!” “How are you going to learn if you don’t go out there and get experience? Now go, I’ll be able to handle this station by myself, I’ve done it for 30 years! Now go get dressed before they leave your ass here.”
As soon as the chief was done saying it, Jack was already halfway out the door on his way to the truck, he was enthused for his first call, knowing it would be the first of many. The three firefighters leave the station fully clad in their gear, ready to put out any fire in their path. When they arrive on scene, it’s immediately evident that this is no routine call. A large house is engulfed in flames and they are the only thing standing between the fire and the surrounding homes and businesses. They start battling the fire and after hours of search and attempted rescue, the grim truth is revealed, there are no survivors. And on top they would have to start an investigation because the fire started in a suspicious pattern, destroying a large house in such a short time period.
“Call the chief down, he’ll save us hours of work figuring this shit out.” Adam said as he turned to his brother and motioned towards the fire truck. Jerry jumped in the front seat, grabbed his phone and started to dial, thirty seconds pass and he shakes his head, “No answer…” “Keep calling him, you know he can’t hear shit.” Jerry tried a couple more times before he started to get worried, “You don’t think the old man lost his phone again do you?” “Try the station, he’ll have to pick it up!” After dialing the number in, his heart dropped, running from the truck he grabbed his brother and put the phone to his ear. The monotone electronic voice calmly says, “The number you have tried to reach has been disconnected, please hang up and try again.”
“Budget cuts, huh? How do they expect us to put fires out if no one can even fucking call us! Jerry, take the car back and grab our Dad, he needs to be here.” “Alright, let me grab the keys, I'll be right back!"
The short drive back to the station drew on for what seemed like years, and something just seemed off. Jack noticed it for the first time when he turned the corner at the old graveyard, he was speechless. Fierce flames had engulfed the entirety of the fire station, and the flames were rapidly spreading to other parts of the building. Jack sat there in his car, immobilized, not knowing what to do. "Who the fuck do you call when your fire station burns down?."
The oldest man there, sitting at the head of the table giving his gear a thorough look over was the Fire Chief, Chief O’Sullivan. He was hassling the new firefighter they had just hired, telling him to do menial tasks the whole day for his entertainment. Now, realizing how hungry he was, the chief yells to the young firefighter, “Hey Jack, why don’t you go make us some food to eat we’re all starving in here, hurry it up.” While picking up his mop and bucket Jack replied, “Alright Chief I’ll see what I can whip up in the kitchen”
Jack exited the room leaving the chief behind with his two sons, Adam and Jerry. “What’s up with that kid? Is there something wrong with him? He has the IQ of a toaster!” Jerry said sounding rather annoyed with Jack’s presence. “You’re just salty because the kid scored better than you on the civil service exam, you can’t hold the kids achievements against him just because you’re jealous!” “Act like that’s my problem with him, I just don’t like” before he could finish the sentence his father interjected, “both of you shut your mouths, from the day you two could talk all you’ve done is bitch at each other, now go clean the fire truck off before I put my foot in your ass”
As the two brothers leave the room, Jack returned with the ingredients necessary for his meal. He planned on making some baked chicken, nothing flashy or overly indulgent, just needed a simple healthy meal for some simple working men. He began the process of making dinner, slicing the chicken, breading it, preparing the side dishes. And when all the prep work was done, Jack triumphantly threw the pan into the oven and with a noticeable look of delight declared, “Alright Chief, food should be done soon enough!” “Great, I’m withering away over here.” the chief replied sarcastically while rubbing his protruding stomach.
Out of nowhere, a deafening siren cut through the silence that filled the station, as the two brothers scrambled to get dressed and onto the truck the Chief turned to Jack. “You know what, you go today, I’m old and it’s probably only someone with a campfire that got out of hand, there be plenty more times for me to go out. It’s your time to get your feet wet.” Nervously Jack replied, “Are you sure? I usually stay here and everything goes alright that way, I don’t want to mess anything up!” “How are you going to learn if you don’t go out there and get experience? Now go, I’ll be able to handle this station by myself, I’ve done it for 30 years! Now go get dressed before they leave your ass here.”
As soon as the chief was done saying it, Jack was already halfway out the door on his way to the truck, he was enthused for his first call, knowing it would be the first of many. The three firefighters leave the station fully clad in their gear, ready to put out any fire in their path. When they arrive on scene, it’s immediately evident that this is no routine call. A large house is engulfed in flames and they are the only thing standing between the fire and the surrounding homes and businesses. They start battling the fire and after hours of search and attempted rescue, the grim truth is revealed, there are no survivors. And on top they would have to start an investigation because the fire started in a suspicious pattern, destroying a large house in such a short time period.
“Call the chief down, he’ll save us hours of work figuring this shit out.” Adam said as he turned to his brother and motioned towards the fire truck. Jerry jumped in the front seat, grabbed his phone and started to dial, thirty seconds pass and he shakes his head, “No answer…” “Keep calling him, you know he can’t hear shit.” Jerry tried a couple more times before he started to get worried, “You don’t think the old man lost his phone again do you?” “Try the station, he’ll have to pick it up!” After dialing the number in, his heart dropped, running from the truck he grabbed his brother and put the phone to his ear. The monotone electronic voice calmly says, “The number you have tried to reach has been disconnected, please hang up and try again.”
“Budget cuts, huh? How do they expect us to put fires out if no one can even fucking call us! Jerry, take the car back and grab our Dad, he needs to be here.” “Alright, let me grab the keys, I'll be right back!"
