Mike Stoker looked down from the engine. The child couldn't have been any more the five years old. "Just keeping an eye on things." That seemed as good an answer as any.
It had been another typical heart attack run. The entire station had been called out to the victim's home. The captain, Chet and Marco all helped carry equipment. Mike's last instructions were to "Keep an eye on things, Pal."
"Is that all you do?" the child asked. "Don't you put out fires?"
"Well, it's not ALL I do," Mike told him. "It's just they don't need me inside right now." He climbed from the engine. "See these dials. At a fire I control these." Mike tried to explain the inner workings of his prize Ward Lefrance but the youth was not impressed.
"You don't go in the fire?"
"They need me out here."
"Sissy!" the lad called as he ran down the sidewalk.
"Oh, well, can't blame him," Mike thought. Sometimes his position as engineer didn't seem too exciting next to the guys who hauled hose regularly, especially to a little boy.
Mike new better though. He'd seen more than enough danger in his job. He started back to the door when he heard giggling. Turning he saw two teenage girls giving him the once over.
"Hello," Mike said to be friendly.
The two burst into a fit of laughter and walked away. Mike never did figure out what was so funny.
"Excuse me," a woman's voice said a short time later.
Mike looked out of the engine. "Ma'am," he acknowledged.
"Excuse me but my little boy was wondering if he could sit in the fire truck."
Mike wanted to explain to her that this was not a fire truck but an engine, that they were two totally different vehicles. But he understood that most people just generically referred to everything from the department as a "truck".
Mike stepped from the vehicle. Looking at his watch he answered, "I think that would be okay." It wasn't exactly within regulations but he wasn't doing anything else.
"Geoffrey!," The lady called.
A small boy came tearing off the porch of the house across the street.
"This nice man said you can sit in the truck," his mother told him.
Geoffrey smiled at Mike. "I'm four years old," he said proudly holding up a finger for each year.
Mike smiled and scooped the boy up, placing him in the engineer's seat.
Geoffrey took hold of the wheel and started making race car sounding noises.
"This is so kind of you," his mother said. "He wants to be a fireman" Then she added, "At least this year he does."
"You're doing fine, Sport," Mike told the child. "Just don't touch the..."
BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"...horn," Mike finished meekly when the noise subsided.
Embarrassed that her son had woken the dead the lady remarked. "Well, I think you've had your fun."
Mike lifted the boy from the engine and climbed back in to watch the two hurriedly walk away.
"Captain Stanley to engine 51"
Mike raised the radio mic. "Engine 51," he answered already knowing what the rare call to him was about.
"Getting impatient out there, Stoker?"
"No, sir," Mike replied sheepishly. "There was this little boy... his mother wanted to know if he could sit..."
"Stoker," Hank Stanley interrupted, "you know very well that..."
"It's against department policy while on a run," Mike continued for him.
"We'll discuss this later. Captain Stanley out."
Mike gazed out the windshield. He'd have to try to explain to the Cap' later how absolutely boring it could be just sitting here. "I know CPR and how to use the other equipment, well not ALL of it. Why can't Marco or Chet babysit sometime. Maybe they're afraid I'll break a finger and won't be able to drive."
He gripped the steering wheel as he thought. Soon, though, he was absently drumming out a nice rhythm. The beat picked up and he began to sing. "If you knew Peggy Sue then you'd know why I feel blue....." He sang the entire Buddy Holly tune all while using the wheel as a conga drum. Both drumming and singing increased in volume. Unknown to him a small crowd had developed by the driver's door.
When he ended the number with a flair applause rose from the gathered group. Mike turned with a start and looked out the window. Not knowing what else to do he simply said, "Thank you. Thank you very much. No autographs please."
The crowd dispersed. One middle aged woman, her hair in curlers remained. "Do you know "Suspicious Minds?"
The arrival of the ambulance signified to Mike that this run was about over. At least for the engine crew it was. John and Roy would go to the hospital with the victim. He would drive the group back to the station to wait for another call and have lunch. Hmmm, it was Chet's turn to cook. Maybe if he swapped and made something really great the Captain wouldn't be so upset about that little horn incident. His thoughts were interrupted by Captain Stanley climbing aboard and telling the dispatcher. "Engine 51 available."
Immediately the dispatcher responded, "Engine 51 assist station 110, structure fire..."
"Well," Mike thought as he pulled from the curb. "At least I won't just be keeping an eye on things on this one."
"Engine 51, KMG-365."
THE END