Johnny and Roy are walking out of Rampart Emergency shaking their heads and laughing after delivering their latest patient who had been in a car accident.

“I was ready to put a bucket over his head” Roy told Johnny.

Johnny replied “I was thinking the same thing the way he kept saying about needing a bucket while he was being loaded in the ambulance.”

While they are riding down the road back to Station 51, Johnny gets a look on his face when something occurs to him.

Excitedly Johnny looks to Roy, “Hey Roy, I just realized who that last guy we took in was.  That was Harold!”

Roy looks at Johnny and asks “Harold who?”

Johnny just shakes his head and says “Remember a couple of years ago when Chet saw the mouse go under the refrigerator?”

Roy nods.

Seeing that Roy remembered that, Johnny continues, “we received that call for a man down outside of the laundry mat and on our way there the engine company said that they had a full arrest.  Then by the time we got there he had started breathing on his own again.”

“Yeah, I remember that now, he had been drinking and taking pills for his asthma”

“That is the one” Johnny stated.

Roy shakes his head and states “I remember how Dr. Morton told us to transport non-code R, on our way to the hospital I had just got done checking Harold’s BP when he said that he did not feel so good.  I asked him to explain how he felt and the next thing we knew he was in full arrest again.”

“I remember hearing the ambulance driver call into Rampart about it and we took off with lights and sirens blaring.”

“Yeah and then when we get there he is coming around again.  Boy, I was ready discouraged with Dr. Morton saying “this is your full arrest”.  I knew that I was not crazy when the same thing happened where Morton was talking to him and Harold went into full arrest again.”

Johnny is sitting there shaking his head and laughing.  “I could not believe when Harold said that he took pills for his asthma and had been down at the bar drinking while waiting for his wash.  Then when Morton pulled Harold’s pills out of his pocket and saw that they were.  After figuring out what the problem was that he kept going into full arrest I could not believe he said about “getting out of here so I can get my wash”. 

When Roy backs the squad into the apparatus bay both Johnny and Roy were laughing about it and walked into the dayroom where all of the guys were sitting at the table talking and drinking coffee.

“What are you guys laughing about” Chet asks when Johnny and Roy walk.

Roy just shakes his head and tells him “We were just talking about that last rescue and we figured out that we had that guy before.”

“Really, where did you rescue him before” asked Cap.

Johnny pours both Roy and himself a cup of coffee and starts by saying “Remember a couple of years ago when we had the mouse here and got called out for a man down?”

All of the guys nod their heads that they remembered it. 

Roy takes over with the story about it being a guy by the name of Harold.

Marco looks at Johnny and Roy and states “That was Harold?”

“It sure was” Johnny said.

Chet is sitting there shaking his head and laughing .  “That guy was something else.  I would have liked to have had a inch and a half just to shut him up when I turned the reel line on for the smoking wires.” 

“I was thinking the same thing Chet” stated Marco.  “That guy was something and to think he was drunk while he was driving.”

Cap looks at Johnny and Roy and says “Before you guys got back we were just talking about that last rescue.  Now that you told us who he was, why don’t you enlighten us as to when you had him as a patient before.”

Johnny shakes his head and says “sure.  You will get a laugh out of this.”

“At first I did not realize who it was until Johnny and I were talking on our way back.  However, when we were called to the laundry mat a couple of years ago we were on our way there when we received a call saying that the victim was in full arrest.”

“Hey, I remember hearing that over the speaker” Marco said.

Chet shakes his head and says “yeah, I remember that and hoping that you guys got there quickly enough for him.”

Mike remembers that also and states “How long did it take you to get there?”

Roy says “only about 2 minutes and the engine crew were doing CPR”

Roy continues “well, when we get there he is laying on the ground and Johnny gets his vitals while I am talking to him and asking questions.  Good old Harold says that he was not sure that he had been at the corner bar having a couple of belts while waiting for his wash to get done.”

All of the guys shake their heads.

All of a sudden, Mike states to everyone “Hey I remember that guy now.  I remember you saying he was taking pills also.”

Johnny and Roy both shake their head “Yep, that is the same guy.” Johnny replies.

Just at that time it clicked into Marco, Chet and Caps head.  “You mean to tell me that was the guy that kept going into full arrest? Chet asks.

“The one and only” Roy says. 

Johnny looks to Roy and says “well, one good thing about this time is he was not taking any pills along with his drinking.”

“You are right there, Johnny” stated Roy “it was bad enough hearing him say the whole way to the hospital ‘I need a bucket’.  I told Johnny that I wanted to put a bucket over his head.”

All of the guys started laughing.

Cap looks at the guys and says “well, I hope we do not have to do another run on him but if he keeps drinking we definitely will.”

Each and every guys sitting at the table not their heads.

Johnny looks up from his cup of coffee and looks at Roy “hey Roy, I wanted to thank you for getting Harold to quiet down while I was trying to talk to Rampart.”

“Not a problem Junior, I am just sorry that I did not realize who it was at first.”

“That is ok, Pally.”  Johnny says.

As a after thought, Johnny looks to Roy and says “hey, I wonder if Morton was in the room when Harold was taken in.”

Roy looks at Johnny, “well I can tell you that he was going into the room as I was leaving.”

All of a sudden Johnny jumps up.  Five fellow firefighters asks at once “what are you doing?”

Johnny picks up the phone and states :”I have to call Rampart and talk to Morton.  See if he remembered Harold.”  Roy just shakes his head.

Johnny waits while the phone at Rampart rings.  On the second ring Dixie picks up “Rampart Emergency” she states.

“Hi Dix, would Dr. Morton happen to be around?’

“Yes Johnny, he is just coming down the hall.”  Dixie waves Dr. Morton over to the phone. 

Dr. Morton says “yes, Dix what is up?”

Dix goes to hand Dr. Morton the phone and states “Johnny Gage is on the phone for you?”

“For me?” Morton asks and with Dixie’s nod he picks up the receiver “Yes Gage, what can I do for you?”

Johnny starts by saying “Hey doc, that last guy that we just brought in, do you know who that was?”

Morton get irritated and says “no Gage, why should I know who that was?”

Johnny tells Morton “that was Harold from a couple of years ago.”

Then it registers in Dr. Morton’s head, “you know, I thought he looked familiar but I was not sure.”

Just then the klaxons went off sending the squad out on another call “I got to go Doc” and hangs up and rushes to the squad.

Harold will always leave a lasting memory for the firefighters and the staff at Rampart.

The End.