Coffee Anyone

It’s was a freezing cold Sunday morning in January in the suburbs of New York. Snow all over the grounds starting to ice up, snow capped green trees. Brick houses filled the streets. The snow coming down to fluff up the grounds could be found coming down from grey white clouds.

Just outside the firehouse, Colonial NY setting with inside looking like an average Fire Department, almost 100 years old building with five garage doors on the street front. Doors open and fire trucks and ambulance stay ready to rock whilst the team decides to relax before their Sunday Morning training.

::Coded Beats Over Intercom::

Stu, a lanky lawyer and Captain for the Rescue Company looked over to DBag and asked him “Think we can get breakfast on our day off, or paperwork first?”

DBag, chubby, firefighter mustache with glasses and always either disgruntled, laughing, or ranking on someone...started responding.

“I need a coffee, I’m going back up to make one. Did you also hear they have a new Dunkin Donuts coming soon! Glad they got rid of Del Taco...” just then the intercom announcement went through and the house siren started to blair.

::Signal-9 Unresponsive Victim requires cardiac::

Stu, always wearing his Medic turnout gear, walked over to the ambulance. He turned the ignition since the keys are already pre-set in the vehicle as protocol and he waited for Keith to get his boots on while Chandler took front officer proceeded to pull out of the bay.

Keith a good looking skinny kid with eagerness to learn and practice life saving skills, jumped into the rig and gave out a howl “Ow Ow OWOOOO Let’s Get this shocker set!” He began to prepare the 800 bag and a AED as the location was fairly close to the Station and there was no more time to lose.

Within moment the ambulance had arrived. Shrubs around the parking lot, and snow all over. Red bricks lay under the icy stairs and a double gated door to enter the house.

Stu asked Keith to follow him and for Chandler to grab the stretcher from the back and meet inside. Stu went in, Keith could see Jimmy in the room with the patient.

Jimmy, a nerd and Advanced EMT never married but skillful with radios and old school technology and Department key guard, had heard the call and went directly to the house where the patient was so he can provide immediate care before the ambulance.

Keith looked over to Stu and Jimmy “What are we dealing with” said Keith, as he examined the setting without interrupting or touching anything.

“Well i called it for 9:13, waiting on the M.E. To come and sign over from here”

It was only 9:15am, the medical examiner was on there way.

They looked at the bed in the center of the room against the wall adjacent to the door.

An Elderly male was seen lying on the bed, completely stretched out right hand holding a coffee can. He was wearing boxers, a white t-shirt, pale and breathless. Around him was a organized room and most of his wife’s things Makeup still on the makeup table and clothes filled in the closets and dresser. Outside the room was his daughter and grandkids waiting to hear how grandpa was doing.

First patrol finally made it through. He came in and started talking to the daughter in the hallway. She was devastated, 45 years old still in shock but also understanding the reality.

Before Chandler, the 23 year old paramedic who also studied Nursing as a current student, could come back, Keith gave him the signal to simply just bring a white sheet from the stretcher and leave it in the ambulance.

Stu was still baffled as to what he was seeing, not the matter of a dead person but rather, “Why was he holding a cylinder Folgers can?” He asked Jimmy.

Jimmy went into a story of how the daughter and dad had been distraught over the passing of here mother two weeks prior.

“The two had a full life and lived every moment together. A few weeks ago his wife turned ill and passed which had caused such a deep pain to the family. His wife, She passed away right there too, i was on that call. The cold weather definitely didn’t help, the wife died and was never buried”

Stu looked at Keith and Jimmy with a sudden *Did I hear this right* face.

Just then Officer Rizutto came into the room “Good Sunday morning gentlemen, are we watching the game at moms tonight?”

Jimmy looked at Rizzuto responded “We beat county, that’s $40.00 you owe me”

As the two decided they were going to catch up Rizutto glances at the deceased

”Screw that Jimmy, Moms cooking tonight but you have to bring the Kosher if you want it. How long has he been out and what’s up with the can? That’s a sick joke. Trying to wake the guy back up with coffee?”

The whole room let out a giggle. Keith looked over at them all “I mean you’re saying that’s his wife is in the can... and they pretty much died together, that’s...that’s trippy and cute as heck.”

Stu talked with Rizutto to inquire how much longer until the medical examiner would take “Coroner is on their way, the raccoon down the street slipped down a snow hill and onto incoming traffic on the Belt. That was two hours ago though, but let me check with dispatch. Just as he was about to radio in, A white van with the county logo on it came riding up in the driveway. “They’re here! Send your guys home, good work”

“You heard the man, let’s get out of here and home before we get called back out. I’m too damn cold right now, I’m going to Dunkin Donuts for coffee” Keith shouted too the team as they started up the Ambulance. Officer Rizutto came running down asking them to roll down the window.

“Couldn’t say it in there, but make sure to check the coffee before they pour them in from now on...just sayin...alright Broski stay alive”