Different Worlds

The baby was still, staring blankly at nothing. This had happened before, only not for as long. After a minute the parents called 911. Two more minutes before the first help arrived. The guys from Engine 4 entered the home just as the baby came out of his seizure. We were still five minutes away, responding from the other end of Providence.

The East Side is different from South Providence. The streets are tree lined and quiet, a fire truck causes quite a commotion. I don’t think we are even noticed on the other side, our trips into the neighborhood commonplace.

“Engine 4 to Rescue 1, we have an eighteen month old male, conscious and alert at this time following three minutes of seizure activity. History of febrile seizures.”

“Rescue 1, received.”

I put the mike back into the cradle as Rob, my new partner turned onto North Main. Two minutes later we joined Engine 4 and the patient. Neighbors looked out windows and filled doorways, concerned. Bob Randle, the officer of Engine 4 met me outside and gave the preliminary report. The baby was in the doorway of his home, held by his dad as his mother sat in a chair in the living room holding an infant. An old dog came over, sniffed my leg, decided I was ok and went back to the couch, satisfied there was no danger here.

The baby was fine, the parents had the proper medication to treat the situation and decided to take care of the situation themselves. They apologized for “bothering” us. We talked for a while, insisted they call for help whenever the felt it necessary, no bother whatsoever, this is our job. They stood in the doorway and waved as we drove away.

Sometimes I think a space ship picked me up and put me on another planet, then I remember, this is how it’s supposed to be.