The State Of The ARTT
Page 5
Captain McMenn says, “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
Later back at the station, Jose is at his locker looking at the morphine shot he wants badly. Jose remembers when Jesse said that he believed in him even though he is a drug addict. Jose can’t get it off his mind. Jose grabs the morphine and flushes it down the toilet.
Jesse is sitting in the break room watching TV.
Lieutenant Kendrick walks in and sits near Jesse then says, “They say you’re good with advice. Well, I’m just having family issues. My temper is affecting my marriage. At times, I get physical with her, but I know it’s wrong. My dad was the same way to my mom. I promised myself I would never be like that.”
Jesse replies, “We become like the people we think of the most. You made a commitment not to be abusive like your dad, and through remembering his demeanor, you became like him. I know it sounds old-fashioned, but forgiving and forgetting is the best way to stop a family cycle of abuse.”
“Just forget my father totally?”
“If it makes you emotional, yes. Only remember his good attributes in the good times if you can.”
“Thanks for the advice, Jesse.” Lieutenant Kendrick walks away.
6.
Mayor Bowls and Captain McMenn are talking in the mayor’s office.
Mayor Bowls says, “The media seems to love your new recruit Jesse Cole. Even though he refuses to do interviews, his heroics are seen over and over on the local news.”
Captain McMenn replies, “He is reckless, sir.”
“That very well may be, but he is popular. People follow courage. My campaign could use his popularity. Pinning medals on civil servants makes voters happy. Let’s give Jesse a medal for the person he saved the other day.”
“All right. I will let him know.”
The next day, in Captain McMenn’s office, he speaks to Jesse. “Mayor Bowls is awarding you a medal for your rescue the other day in the chemical fire. The ceremony will be held on Friday, your day off. Be at Mayor Bowls’s office steps by 1:00 p.m. in your dress uniform.”
Jesse replies, “Okay, Captain.”
Later that night, at Fire Station 7, Jesse is by his locker after a workout. He picks up the burned locket and looks at the girl’s picture inside. His successes always make him think of his only failure. He clinches the locket, closes his eyes, and puts the locket up to his forehead.
He shakes his head, saying, “No.” He is trying not to think of the event.
The next day, the award ceremony is about to begin, and there is no sign of Jesse.
Captain McMenn says to himself, “Where is he son of a bitch?” Captain motions at Stewart, and Stewart walks over to him. “You hang out with Jesse. Find out what den of heathens he is at.”
Stewart replies, “Yes, Captain.”
Mayor Bowls walks over to Fire Chief Bodett and asks, “Chief Bodett, where is Jesse? The media is here now.”
Chief Bodett replies, “Captain McMenn said he would be here at 1:00 p.m. I will find out what is going on.” He walks over to Captain McMenn. “Captain McMenn, any sign of him?”
Captain McMenn replies, “He is not answering his phone. I have a man looking for him now. He is the most unpredictable person I have ever known.”
“Maybe, but if you were caught in a fire, would you want him coming to your rescue?”
“I suppose.”
“He is a true life saver, an adrenaline junkie, as the psych evaluation said. He doesn’t have time for a dog and pony show for an arrogant mayor, and in my younger day, I wouldn’t either.”
Stewart arrives at his and Jesse’s favorite nightclub and sees Jesse by the bar. Agitated, Stewart walks up behind Jesse at a table, ready to give Jesse a piece of his mind. Then Stewart sees over Jesse’s shoulder that Jesse is looking at a picture of the little girl in a burned locket in his left hand. Stewart stops in his tracks, looks up, takes a deep breath, and has a little moisture well up in his eyes as he looks down at Jesse.
Stewart says, “You can’t save them all, Jesse.”
Jesse replies, “I know, and I have never gotten used to it. I can remember, I was able to reach for her, but she was too scared to take my hand. The floor beneath her collapsed into the inferno below. Some things are hard to forget.”
Stewart sits beside Jesse. “You got some heavy brass pissed off at you for standing them up today.”
“Why? I’m just an hour late.” Stewart and Jesse smile. “I’ll get any medals I deserve when I’m dead.”
“Fair enough, I’ll call captain and let him know we are going back to Fire Station 7.”
Stewart and Jesse arrive back at the station. Jesse walks into Captain McMenn’s office.
Captain McMenn says, “Have a seat.”
Jesse sits down.
Captain McMenn continues, “Did you think I would be mad?”
Jesse replies, “I suspected.”
“Well, I’m not. The mayor just wanted to use you and your popularity to help his image by pinning a medal on you. Stewart told me why you were not there to get your medal. I sympathize. The failures hit us all from time to time. I explained it to the mayor. He sympathizes with your PTSD. Feel free to schedule another meeting with the department psych anytime you feel it’s necessary.”
“I apologize, Captain, but awards don’t mean much to me.”
“No apology needed. It’s all right. I actually kind of admire your tendency to avoid attention or gratitude for your efforts. Be back to work tomorrow. That will be all.”
The next day, Captain McMenn approaches Jesse in the gym on the bench press.
Captain McMenn says, “Jesse, there was a fire engine bumper delivered to us today. I know the mayor didn’t pay for it. Do you know anything about it?”
Jesse replies, “Yes, Captain. I felt so bad about damaging the fire engine bumper that I wrote the governor for a grant to get a more tactical bumper. The governor knows our city’s financial issues and approved the bumper I purposed.”
“I appreciate the initiative of you trying to find funds from outward sources. I just wish you would have talked to me about getting the ram version of a bumper first though.”
“I thought you might say no to the idea of the upgraded ram bumper with built in wench, but I wanted you to see it before you made that call. I can send it back for a regular bumper.”
“You’re right, I probably would have rejected the idea of a ram bumper. Now that I’ve seen it though, I like it. Good call. We will get the boys to put it on right away. Something tells with you around, we might be needing that kind of bumper in the future.” Captain smiles and walks away. Jesse grins and continues his workout.
The next night, Fire Station 7 is called out to an apartment building fire. Again, debris and obstructions block off entrances. Jesse sees a victim in the window and then sees the news reporter on scene and the news helicopter above. He trots over to the news reporter who has been hounding him for an interview.
Jesse says, “If you give me a lift on your chopper, I might give you an interview.”
Reporter Ted Doss replies, “You got it.”
On a portable radio, reporter Doss calls the news chopper pilot to pick up Jesse. Then reporter Doss gives the radio to Jesse.
Reporter Doss tells Jesse, “Take this radio, it communicates with the pilot.”
Jesse nods yes.
Lieutenant Kendrick gets an order from captain to withdraw. He sees Jesse gathering gear and rope. He runs to Jesse.
Lieutenant Kendrick says, “Jesse, Captain says the fire is out of control and to stand down and withdraw!”
Just then the news chopper hovers down to Jesse and lands. With some repelling rope, Jesse gets on the chopper-landing rail and hangs on the side as the copper goes up. Lieutenant Kendrick can only watch as the chopper flies to the roof. Jesse hears the song “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones on the chopper’s radio.
Jesse asks the pilot, “Turn that up, man.”
The news chopper pilot smiles and turns up the radio.
As they approach smoke and fire is everywhere. As “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones is playing Jesse begins to have a flashback to his combat days when he was surrounded and being shot at by gun fire and rocket propelled grenades in that compound in the Middle East. Jesse closes his eyes and the music sooths him. Jesse opens his eyes and ties a rope to the landing rail of chopper and tells the pilot to maintain his position until he gives him a thumbs up. The cameraman films from inside the chopper. With the inspiration of “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones playing, Jesse jumps off chopper onto the roof with rope in hand. He clips the rope on a modified D-ring then he takes a running leap off the roof and makes a looping repel to the eighteenth floor window and goes through it. He sees the boy just standing there crying.
Jesse says, “Don’t be scared, you are saved.”
The boy looks up at Jesse with his stuffed bear and asks, “Are you Superman?”
Jesse kneels down. “What is your name?”
“Jimmy Miles.”
“Look into my eyes, Jimmy. I’m calm without fear. If you stay calm, there will always be a way out. Focus on me, not the fire.” Jesse stands up with a smile as flames cover the ceiling.
Jimmy sees fire everywhere, but it does not affect Jesse.
With the rope still in his harness, Jesse ties it around the boy, and then he gives the pilot the thumbs up. With Jesse and the boy on the ledge, the chopper slowly elevates them from the window. Then the chopper descends slowly. The boy is too scared to open his eyes.
Jesse puts his hands out wide and says, “Don’t be scared. This is called spy rigging. You are flying like Superman now.”
Jimmy opens his eyes and looks at Jesse. Jimmy laughs and puts his hands out like Jesse’s. Then they land safely, and EMTs immediately tend to Jimmy.
With excitement, Jimmy says, “Again!”
Jesse replies, “Sorry, one ride per customer.”
With the chopper hovering, Jesse sees multiple people piled up on one of the higher windows.
He radios the pilot and says, “Can you take me to the top of the building and bring me down by that window?”
The pilot gives Jesse a thumbs up and lifts Jesse dangling from repel rope to the top of the building. Then Jesse descends ten feet out from the window. He sees five people gasping for air, looking like they are ready to jump from the smoke-filled window.
Jesse says to the trapped people, “When the rope gets near, you grab it, and you are going to use the S-wrap method. After grabbing the rope, wrap your dominate foot around the outside of the rope so the rope lies over your foot. Then step on the rope with the heel of your other foot so you don’t have to put all your weight on your hands.”
Jesse shows this by letting one hand off the rope and stretching it out.
He says, “See nothing to it. My feet are clamped on the rope and taking the strain off my hands.”
He radios the pilot and says, “Okay, bring me in closer to the building.”
The pilot brings Jesse close to the window.
Jesse says to the trapped people, “Okay. As I rise up, one at a time, grab the rope with two hands, and then lock your feet like I showed you.”
He radios the pilot and says, “Okay, slowly raise me up until I say stop.” As Jesse rises, one person grabs on, then the next, and the next until all five are on the rope.
Jesse radios the pilot and says, “Take us down, slow landing.”
He says to the trapped people, “We will land slowly. Once your feet touch the ground, get out of the way of the next person above you.”
The chopper descends, and one at a time, everyone lands safely.
Lieutenant Kendrick walks over to Jesse and says, “You never cease to amaze me.”
Later that day, back at Fire Station 7, Jesse is standing tall in Captain McMenn’s office.
Captain McMenn says, “You’re not some kind of superman! Do you know what a circus you have turned Station 7 into the media coverage you attracted? Of course, the news crew helped you. They want to use you for ratings. I can’t believe I found out what you were doing by watching the news. I am almost at the end of my rope with you. We do things by the book around here. Is that clear!”
Jesse replies, “Yes, Captain.”
“Good, now get the hell out of my office.”
Jesse goes to his locker, and Stewart walks by.
Stewarts says, “Hey cowboy! You are all over the news. Nice rescue.”
Jesse says, “Thanks, Stewart.”
Maggie walks up to Jesse. She asks, “How about having dinner with me tonight?”
Jesse replies, “Sure, where and when?”
“The Italian Grill downtown at 7:00 p.m.?”
“Great, I’ll be there.”
Maggie walks away. Then Jesse looks at Stewart and grins. Stewart shakes his head as he walks away.
Later that night, Maggie and Jesse are sitting at a table at the Italian Grill restaurant. The waitress comes over.
The waitress asks, “What can I get you two?”
Jesse replies, “I will take a steak and water.”
Maggie then smiles. She says, “I will have a steak and a light beer.”
The waitress walks away.
Maggie says, “Jesse, I wanted to ask you something.”
Jesse replies, “Go ahead.”
“I graduated top of my class at the fire academy. I have worked at five different fire stations and never felt respected or equal.
“I was sexually assaulted at my first department. It put me in therapy, but I didn’t give up on my dream to be a firefighter. After that, I was slandered for my sexual orientation at my second department. Then I was wrongfully passed over for promotion without cause at my third department. This is my fourth department and would have transferred after being disrespected in the shower room by Chuck before I met you. That was nothing new to me considering I was raped as a teenager.
“Anxiety gets to me and causes me not to trust many. GAD or generalized anxiety disorder is what they call it. I decided to stay after meeting you. Working with you is the first time I have felt accepted and treated as an equal. Why are you different than any man I have ever met?”
Jesse replies, “I can’t say why I’m different, but I believe in you, Maggie. I am sorry for how men have wronged you in the past. The firefighting profession has a lot of growing up to do when it comes to gender discrimination and in other ways.”
“Other way? What do you mean?”
“Well, in our department, I believe Captain McMenn was wrong to say it was a mistake for the firefighters not to withdraw from the Twin Towers on 9/11. The terrorists knew to hit the Twin Towers two-thirds of the way up so it would take the firefighters a while to get hoses up there. That would give the jet fuel time to burn through the structure, causing it to collapse. It was a calculated risk. Many of the trapped victims ran to the roof, but the roof doors were locked. A plan was never developed for a helicopter rescue.
I have reached out and contacted politicia
ns about changing this. Three hundred and forty-three fire and rescue workers as well as seventy-two policemen died there on that day—the most ever in one incident. No one forced them to go into those buildings. They could have refused. They voluntarily chose to risk their lives and died trying to save others. There is no more honorable way to die than that. We owe it to them to learn from it and be better prepared next time. Extreme measures of destruction require extreme measures of rescue or overcome it.”
Maggie says, “I agree. Thanks for believing in me.”
Jesse says, “The odds were against a woman passing the CPAT physical fitness test. The odds are against you lasting in this occupation or getting promoted to a high position. Still you have not given up. How could I not believe in you? On 9/11, 343 firemen fought to save lives, refusing to surrender against all odds. That is why I wear this NYFD 343 symbol on my dog tags. Their never-give-up spirit is with me.”
“Thank you for proving to me all men are not dogs. You are the first man I have ever been attracted to. I don’t know what it is about you that gets my attention. Not sure if it’s your fearlessness or tendency to break the rules that I find appealing.
I don’t open up to many. No one has ever known the real me. You have not known me long, and it’s like you know what is in me better than me.”
“Everyone is different but becomes similar when you show them the potential they could have when they focus inward instead of outward. We are only complex when we focus on external issues. Many young firefighters die of a heart attack because they panic when they can’t find their way out of an inferno around them. You’re better than that and getting better every day. I am glad I make you feel comfortable though.”
“I like to hang with you. You’re not judgmental or after my body.”
“Good, kite surfing next weekend.”
“Okay.”
The next weekend, Maggie and Jesse are kite surfing on the Jersey Shore. They are jumping waves down the coastline. After a while, they get tired and pull off on the beach. They sit down on the beach side by side.