Summer of 51's Day 8 - Missing
Johnny lay in bed, unable to sleep, staring at the shiny fireman's pole just a few yards away.
It wasn't that long ago he had been reminiscing about this very station with Roy.
I was working B shift at Station 8. Boy, that's a great station, you know it?
Yeah, 'cause they have a pole.
That's right. A station without a pole just isn't a fire station.
Now he's not so sure. A station without his partner…
Johnny sits up in his bed, running his fingers through his hair, scrunching his nose in displeasure when he feels the short length. They'd made him cut it. He didn't want to. He sighs at yet another memory coming to mind.
Do you remember when we first met? When you first came into the paramedic program? You were as bad as a little kid getting his first haircut.
He looks around at the men in the other bunks. His crew. His men. They call him Cap now.
Uh, hey, Roy? Listen, I know this may sound silly, but… Suppose you can call me Cap? I mean, I just want to hear how it sounds.
It didn't feel right then and it still doesn't feel right now.
I'm not Cap…that's-well-I guess it's Chief Stanley now…
Johnny swings his feet around, lazily pulling up his turnout suspenders, trying to tiptoe as quietly as possible to the kitchen downstairs.
After grabbing a cup of cocoa, he heads to his office figuring he might as well get some paperwork done. He finds himself staring at the scrap of paper taped onto his phone with Station 110's phone number scribbled on it, a second number just below. Each Captain has their own desk phone. He wonders if he should–
"LA County Fire Department, Station 8, Captain Gage speaking, how can I help you?"
He hears a familiar chuckle on the other end of the line and his heart soars.
