"All right, men, listen up," Cap announced as he walked in on lunch being prepared. "Here it is, what you’ve all been waiting for…the second annual Firehouse Cook-off."
"We were robbed last year, Cap!" Chet just wouldn’t let last year’s defeat to Station 86 go.
"No Mike was robbed," Johnny interrupted. "Mike’s fried chicken is the best in the entire department. Station 86 cheated!!"
"Thanks, John." Mike was in charge of lunch that day, and was busy making the sandwiches.
"Now, John, do we have to over through this again?" Cap knew where Johnny was going with this. A year had passed since Station 51 had lost by one vote to 86. Johnny ranted on for two months that 86 had some how cheated. Captain Stanley really didn’t want to go through another two months of the same.
"Come on, Cap. How else would you explain it? Mike’s chicken is the best! Isn’t it?"
"Yes." Cap hoped that if he just agreed it would be over sooner.
"Well, then they must have cheated."
"Your logic is flawless, Partner." Roy added without looking up from his paper.
"All this talk of food is making me hungry," Chet got up from the table to check Stoker’s progress. "Hey, Mike, what’s keeping those sandwiches?"
"Chet, give Mike some room to work, man. You’re right on top of him." Johnny turned and picked up where he left off. "Cap, can you tell me just how Mike’s fried chicken lost out to 86’s?"
Cap looked around the room. Things were starting to slide down hill fast. Gage had a habit of latching onto something and not letting go, and it looked like that’s where this was headed. He needed to get things back on track. He looked at Roy, but Roy knew better and was doing a pretty good job of looking thoroughly engrossed in reading the newspaper. Chet was pestering Mike, so that left Marco.
Marco caught his glance and knew he had to say something.
"Well, we have to win this time - to win back our honor."
It wasn’t much, but it was all Cap needed.
"Well, Marco my friend, you will have a chance at regaining Station 51’s honor. The dish of choice for this contest is…chili."
"All right Marco!!!" Johnny jumped up and slapped Marco on the back.
"I don’t know, John. I’ve never cooked that way before. I mean for judges. I don’t even have a recipe. It’s all in my head."
"Oh, Marco, don’t worry. We’ll help." Johnny pulled up a chair next to Marco.
Now it was Marco’s turn to look around the room for help. The only one with a sympathetic glance was Roy. Roy peeked up from his paper for just a moment. He knew exactly what Marco was about to get into - the over enthusiastic Johnny Gage. And he knew he wanted no part of it. The rest of the guys might have to work with Johnny, but he was his partner. It would be a nice change to have someone else deal with Johnny’s enthusiasm.
Captain Stanley walked around to Marco.
"Don’t worry Marco, my friend," it was his turn to slap Marco on the back, which was really more of a pat than a slap. "All that’s required is a list of ingredients and what to do with them. We’ll watch you cook and take notes. How hard could it be?"
Marco looked at Mike. Mike had the slightest of smirks on his face as he placed the plate piled high with sandwiches on the table. Johnny had ‘helped’ him with last year’s entry. Marco knew he was on his own.
Chet couldn’t wait any longer, and reached across everyone to grab a sandwich. Johnny had reached for the same sandwich, but Chet was quicker. Johnny gave Chet a dirty look and took a different sandwich. Chet made a face and took a huge bite. Johnny made a face back at Chet. Captain Stanley just stared at the two of them in disbelief.
"So, Cap, what’s the grand prize this year?" Chet mumbled through a mouthful of sandwich.
"Kelly, that’s disgusting. Can’t you eat with your mouth closed?"
"Mmmuf…sorry," Chet swallowed.
Cap turned his attention back to the sheet of paper in his hands and sighed.
"The grand prize is better than last year." Captain Stanley was trying to build some suspense into the announcement. When the memo came across his desk this morning, he couldn’t wait to tell the men. But now, the Kelly and Gage circus had begun. Just once, he’d like to get through a shift without the two of them acting up.
Chet knew better that to make the same mistake twice, or at least not make the same mistake twice in the span of five minutes. He swallowed.
"I don’t know, Cap, last year’s prize was pretty good. Great seats to the big game. It has to be pretty good to beat that."
"Well it is." Captain Stanley looked around to see if he had everyone’s attention. He paused until he did. "It’s a weekend deep sea fishing trip for the winning shift."
"No way!!!" Johnny jumped up again. It was his turn to talk with his mouth full.
"Oh Jeeze, Gage! Not you too! Didn’t your mothers’ teach you two any manners?" Chet and Johnny’s table manners were one of Captain Stanley’s pet peeves. Times like these made him feel more like a Cub Scout den mother then a captain in charge of a fire station full of trained professionals.
Johnny practically ignored the Captain’s comments, and slapped Marco on the back again. This time a bit harder than before.
"John!" Marco winced in pain.
"Marco, man! We’ve got to win!" Johnny was practically in Marco’s face. "But don’t worry. Relax. You cook and we’ll take care of everything. No pressure!"
Marco just surrendered and put his head down on the table.
The klaxons sounded. Marco said a silent prayer of thanks.
Squad 51 Woman down, unknown injuries. 2142 Palmer. 2-1-4-2 Palmer. Cross street Ocean. Time out 12:20.
Johnny and Roy jumped up and out. Marco was grateful for the interruption, and he was hoping that the run would keep the Squad, and in particular Johnny, out for a while. He then felt really guilty for thinking such things. What if the woman was seriously hurt? He put the thought out of his mind, got up from the table and went to the stove. It was going to be a very long week, so he decided to get started cooking.
***
Marco was putting the finishing touches on his second batch of chili, when the squad returned. The first batch was good, but he was asked to make some ‘adjustments’. Mike was taking notes for Marco. Stoker had agreed to help only on the condition that it was only when Johnny wasn’t around. Marco served up a bowl to Chet and the Captain.
"Marco, I think this needs a little bit more spice."
"No, Cap. I disagree. I think it’s hot enough," Chet walked over to the stove. "It needs more depth, Marco. It needs…layers. Layers of flavors, like a fine wine."
Although the deadline for the contest was a week away, Marco’s patience was already wearing thin.
"Do you like it or not?"
"It’s great. Don’t get me wrong, Marco," Chet tried to reassure him. "It’s just that we have to win. We really have to beat the competition."
"And, Marco," the Captain came up to the stove, and took a look into the pot, "We really need to give 86 a run for their money."
"No. We really need to beat 86 ‘cause none of us could stand to be around Gage if they win again," Chet added.
"Marco, you have to win." Captain Stanley, thinking of just how long those two months were, was almost pleading, but he quickly regained his composure. "That’s an order."
Marco and Mike just looked at each other. How was it that, here was something that they both enjoyed and did well, and the rest of the crew was doing a pretty good job of draining all the fun out of it. Marco lifted the pot off the stove and started to walk towards the trash when Roy and Johnny came in.
"Hey, Marco, smells great."
"Thanks, Roy. That’s the first nice thing anyone’s said to me all day."
"You’re not going to throw that out are you?"
Marco returned the pot to the stove and took out two bowls from the cupboard.
Roy pulled up a chair next to Johnny. Both of them had missed most of lunch due to the run. "Johnny, you hungry?"
"Uh?"
"I said, are you hungry?"
"Uh? Yeah, I’m starved." Johnny spoke without looking up, his head in his hands.
"What’s the matter guys - rough run?" the Cap knew something had effected Johnny. He was so up when he left. Something serious must have happened to change that.
"Yeah, uh thanks, Marco," Johnny taking the bowl with both hands. "She had an adverse reaction to atropine we administered. She went into anaphylactic shock. We nearly lost her."
Marco really said a prayer now.
"But we got her back, Partner."
"I know, but still. You’d think if you had a drug allergy, you’d have one of those medical alert tags."
"Maybe she didn’t know she was allergic," Roy tired to reassure his partner. "I mean, it’s not every day you have to get a shot of atropine."
Johnny wasn’t looking up from his bowl. Roy continued.
"But she’s fine now, and if she didn’t know it then, she knows it now." Roy hoped this would end this. Johnny had given the injection and felt responsible. He tended to have a the bad habit of becoming emotionally invested with the victims, especially when they were young, female and pretty.
"I know, you’re right, Roy," Johnny seemed to be coming back to his normal self. "Hey, Marco, this is really good."
"Thanks, Johnny."
"But, you know, it’s missing something…"
"Arrgghh!!!" Marco tore off his apron, threw it down to the floor and stormed out of the kitchen. Johnny sat in disbelief.
Johnny sat there shocked at Marco’s reaction.
"Nice going, Gage," Chet jabbed.
"What’s with him?" Johnny looked around the room innocently.
"Are you always this clueless, Gage?" Chet could never miss an opportunity.
"Wha? What I say?"
Chet took full advantage.
"You hurt Marco’s feelings. He’s been slaving over a hot stove all day, so that we," Chet animated the point for full effect by opening his arms wide, "can go on a fishing trip. We, who can will contribute nothing more than our sitting on our butts and eating, while Marco wins for us!"
"But I didn’t mean…I was just trying to help…"
Chet had Johnny going now. It very was tempting to see just how far he could take this.
"You know what I think, Gage? I think you should go to Marco and apologize." Chet didn’t want to push things too far, but somehow he always did.
"But, but, I…"
"No buts, Gage. I really think you should tell Marco you’re sorry."
"Chet…"
"Johnny, do you want to go fishing?"
"Well, yes…"
"Then go and tell Marco you’re sorry."
Johnny opened his mouth to say something, but just thought better of it. He got up from the table and went to look for Marco. He wasn’t out of the room for ten seconds, when Chet started to gloat about it.
"Ha, ha!!! Got him again!!"
"Chet?" Roy intruded into Chet’s good mood.
"Yeah, Roy?"
"What do you think Marco’s going to say after Johnny apologizes?"
Chet shrugged his shoulders and looked at Roy."I don’t know. What?"
"He’s probably going to say that it wasn’t just Johnny alone and that you’ve been giving him a hard time as well. So I wouldn’t gloat too much right now."
"Who said anything about me giving him a hard time? You guys weren’t even here!"
Roy didn’t dignify that with an answer. Instead, he just gave Chet a look and went back to his paper and lunch.
Just as Roy finished, Marco and Johnny walked back into the room, the best of friends.
"So thanks, John. I hadn’t thought of that," Marco smiled.
"No problem. Anytime. Just here to help." Johnny smiled back as sat down to finish his chili. Roy had gotten up to get another cup of coffee. Johnny had taken his paper. Roy just stood there, staring. If Gage wasn’t taking his cup of coffee when he wasn’t looking, he was taking his paper. Roy went over to the couch, and sat down next to Henry.
Marco went back to the stove to start putting stuff away. He was done for the day.
Chet wasn’t too sure what to make of the exchange. It certainly wasn’t what he expected. He went up to Marco.
"So, uh, Marco, Johnny gave you an idea for the chili?"
"No, Chet. Not exactly." Marco answered without turning to look at Chet as he put away the spices.
Chet looked around the room. No one else seemed to be phased by this. Johnny was sitting at the table reading Roy’s paper with the slightest of smirks.
"Gage, what are you up to?"
As Johnny was about to answer when the klaxons sounded. He got up, shrugged his shoulders and smiled innocently at Chet. Chet would have to wait until after the run. Johnny wasn’t up to anything. He just decided to give Chet a bit of his own medicine for a change.
Station 51 Structure fire 2175 Victoria Boulevard, 2-1-7-5 Victoria cross street Franklin. Time out 15:30.
***
Back at the station, Chet picked up where he left off before the run.
"Come on, Gage. What did you say to Marco?" It was Chet’s turn to be hooked.
"What makes you think I said anything?" Johnny walked up the fridge and got himself a carton of milk. He turned around to face Chet, who was sitting at the table, eyeing a left over cinnamon bun from the morning.
Chet turned to Marco. This was eating him up. He just couldn’t stand to have Gage one up on him."Marco, come on. What did Gage say?"
Chet’s brief lack of attention was what Johnny was looking for. Before Marco could answer or Chet could notice, Johnny moved in and took the cinnamon bun Chet had been eyeing.
"Hey, Gage!!!" Chet reached for the bun, but Johnny was too quick for him. He took two big bites out of it. Chet was about to try to swat the milk container out of Johnny’s hand, when Captain Stanley walked in. The two of them separated. Chet went moping back to the table, and Johnny leaned up against the kitchen counter with a mouth full of food and the slightest of grins.
"What’s going on here, men?" He really didn’t want to know. He just wanted it to stop. The structure fire had taken a lot out of him, and he just wasn’t in the mood to deal with the on going shenanigans between Kelly and Gage. He looked around. First at Gage, who still hadn’t finished chewing, at least his mouth was closed this time. Then at Chet, who was doing his best ‘who me’ routine.
"I deduct by your silence, that nothing’s going on. And, if I’m not mistaken, there are still chores from this morning that need to be finished. So, if you all don’t mind…" He motioned them out towards the bay, but he stopped Marco. "Marco, don’t you have some cooking to do?"
"Uh, yes, Cap."
"Good. Well get to it, man."
And with that, Captain Stanley turned, went back towards his office, and Marco got another pot. He obviously wasn't done for the day.
***
The deadline for the contest approached quickly for the 'A' shift of Station 51, but not quick enough for Macro. He had made a total of nine pots of chili. All of them were great, except for one little thing…and it was never the same little thing. One was too hot, another was wasn’t spicy enough, yet another had too many beans in it. They even had the nerve to tell him it wasn’t ‘red’ enough. That was Gage’s observation, after all, chili is known as a ‘bowl of red’.
But he struggled on, he wanted to go fishing just as badly as the rest of them.
***
Chet had not yet exacted revenge on Gage for the cinnamon bun incident. It wasn’t because he wasn’t trying. It was because Gage was particularly on his toes lately, and was having a good time at Chet’s expense.
But Chet wouldn’t be denied forever.
Marco was working on the last batch of chili. He was in the kitchen, slaving over the pot on the stove. This one would go to the judges. All that was left was to finish typing out the recipe, adjust the seasonings and add that one secret ingredient.
"Hey, Marco, are you done yet? They’ll be here in ten minutes to pick up that chili." Cap had just gotten off the phone with the news that the committee rep was on his way.
"I’m just making some final adjustments. " Marco was working feverishly - tasting, testing, stirring. Adding a little of this, a pinch of that.
"Don’t mess with success, my friend. This batch is the best you’ve ever made. Now, remember you need to include every ingredient." The Cap shepherded Marco away form the stove, and back to his office to finish typing the recipe.
"But, Cap, not my secret ingredient…my mother would kill me!"
"Okay, Okay, Marco, than just put it in as that, your mother’s secret ingredient." Captain Stanley had grown tired of Marco’s fierce loyalty to not disclosing his mother’s secret ingredient, but it was okay. He was convinced that it wouldn’t make a difference. This pot of chili was that good. The judges were certain to overlook this one thing.
With Marco out of the room, Chet was alone in the kitchen. He looked around and listened. Silence. Nobody was around. He got up from his paper and went over to the stove for a little taste. He was interrupted.
"Hey, Chet, whatcha’ doing? You’re not messing with Marco’s prize wining chili? Are ya?" Johnny came in with a mouthful of chocolate. Chet began to see the Captain’s point.
"Jeeze, Gage, the Captain was right. That is disgusting! Can you please not talk with your mouth full!"
"What, and you don’t?" Johnny scooffed, taking another bite.
"Well at least I don’t do it all the time!" Chet defended himself the only way he knew how.
Johnny walked over to the stove and took another bite, chewed a bit, and opened his mouth for Chet to see.
"Jeeze! Didn’t your mother teach you any manners! If you can’t behave, then you can’t have any candy!"
Chet grabbed for the chocolate bar. They both fumbled and in it went into the pot.
Dumfounded, they both just stared at the chocolate bar, watching it slowly start to slip under the surface. That was until they heard voices out in the bay…
"They’re here, Marco! Hurry up!"
Johnny and Chet exchanged wide eyed looks. Johnny quickly tried to fish out the bar by grabbing at the wrapper. It came out without the chocolate. He went in after the bar, it melted in his grip. The chili was too hot and the chocolate slipped beneath the surface before he had a second chance. Panic started to set in.
The footsteps were getting louder. Chet grabbed the wooden spoon and stirred sloppily, trying to get rid of the evidence. All trace of the chocolate disappeared as the Captain burst into the room with Marco was close behind.
"You two weren’t messing with that, were you?" the Captain now really felt like a den mother. He stood there, hands on hips, staring at Chet and Johnny. He had really had enough of the two of them lately. He felt his blood pressure rise as he began to interrogate them. "Kelly, what are you doing with that spoon?" He spoke slowly and deliberately.
"Nothing, Cap, Captain…sir. um, just don’t, er, I didn’t want it to burn, so I stirred it." Chet was now backed up against the sink.
Captain Stanley now turned slowly to Johnny.
"And you, Gage?" and like a den mother, he always used their last names when he wanted their full, undivided attention.
"Making sure Chester here doesn’t mess with Marco’s prize winning chili." Johnny was handling it a little better that Chet.
Cap eyed Johnny, not really sure if he was telling the truth or not. He paused to see if Gage had anything else to say. Johnny had a habit to trying to fill awkward silences, but this time he managed not to take the bait.
"Good." Captain Stanley was satisfied for the moment, "Marco, put a lid on that pot and let’s go. We don’t want to keep them waiting."
Marco slapped the lid on and followed the Captain back out into the bay. Johnny and Chet were left standing in the kitchen alone. Chet finally backed away from the sink, and relaxed. He still had the wooden spoon in his hand. Johnny grabbed it from him.
"If we lose…" Johnny shook the spoon at Chet.
"If we lose, it’s as much your fault as it is mine!" Chet hissed back.
"Yeah, but the Captain caught you in the act…"Johnny stopped. More footsteps.
"So," Captain Stanley walked back in and clasped his hands together. "That’s it. We’ll know on Saturday if we’ve won." He paused and looked at both of them. "And if we don’t, you boys will have some explaining to do." With that, he turned and walked out of the kitchen.
Chet and Johnny looked at each other nervously. The klaxon sounded and they nearly jumped out of their skins.
Station 51 man trapped in car. 1453 Lakeview, 1-4-5-3 Lakeview, cross street Foster time out 10:10.
***
The next four days went slowly. Rumors filtered in from the other shifts. All they knew for sure was that the judges had narrowed it down to ten entries. Rumor also had it that 86 had made it to the finals. This really riled Johnny up, and he wasn’t afraid to show it when he came in on Saturday morning. He seemed to have forgotten all about the little incident four days previous with the chocolate bar.
"You know, that really makes me mad. They probably cheated again!" Johnny slammed his locker door for emphasis.
Roy was tying his shoes and trying not to make eye contact.
"Roy, you know they cheated."
"How do you know they even made it to the finals? All we’ve heard are rumors."
"Henderson from C Shift had it on good authority that 86 made it to the finals. And I know Henderson, Henderson wouldn’t lie."
Roy sighed. "Well, we’re going to find out soon. Come on, let’s fall in."
Everyone was already in line as Johnny and Roy walked into the bay.
"Nice of the two of you to join us." Captain Stanley was terse, and that wasn’t a good sign.
Roy and Johnny fell into line as the Captain read off the various memos and announcements. He didn’t seem to be in a good mood.
Johnny whispered to Roy.
"I don’t think we’ve won."
"Gage!"
"Yes, Cap, Captain."
"Do you have something to say?"
"No, Captain."
"I heard you say something to DeSoto. What was it?"
Johnny shifted uneasily from one foot to the other.
"Nothing, Captain Stanley."
Hank would have none of this.
"What was it, Gage?" Captain Stanley walked over to Johnny, and stood right in front of him. Johnny looked around nervously, sure that they hadn’t won, and that he and Chet was about to be reamed out for their little mishap in the kitchen.
"Um, Cap…Captain, Sir…well, uh, I said to Roy here, that we didn’t win the cook-off."
"Is that so, Gage? And why, pray tell, why do you think that?" Captain Stanley was pretty much in Johnny’s face by now.
"Well, uh, Cap," Johnny wasn’t exactly sure where to go with this. He smiled nervously and quickly ran through his options in his head. Should he confess and rat out Chet? He glanced quickly over to Chet. Chet was looking straight ahead. There were beads of sweat on his forehead, and it wasn’t a warm day. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Chet’s face, but Chet didn’t move a muscle. Or, should he play it cool. Maybe the gig wasn’t up. Johnny quickly turned back to face Captain Stanley.
"Well, uh, Cap, you’re not in the best of moods right now."
Chet wiped his brow with the back of his hand.
"And that’s the reason why you think we haven’t won?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Well, Gage, you’re wrong…"
Johnny waited for the other shoe to drop. The silence was killing him.
"So you’re in a bad mood about something else?"
"We won."
"What?" Johnny asked in disbelief. Roy could see Johnny’s mind actually start to change gears, from being convinced that they had lost to be told that they were all going fishing.
"We WON! We’re all going finishing! Great job, Marco! The judges loved it. It was best chili they have very tasted!!!" Captain Stanley did a sudden change. The only reason for his seemingly bad mood was to keep control of the situation until he had time to make the announcement. That, and maybe to give Chet and Johnny a bit of their own medicine. He went over to Marco and slapped him on the back. Marco tried to move out if the way, but Captain Stanley was too quick. "Marco, they’re even willing to pay for your secret ingredient."
Everyone around him was slapping him on the back congratulating him, but Marco was being uncharacteristically quiet.
"Marco, we won. They loved it. Why are you so quiet?" The Captain was truly puzzled.
"Cap, I never got to add my secret ingredient. We were in such a rush that I just didn’t have time." Marco sheepishly looked around.
"What?" Then it dawned on the Captain. Chet and Johnny had already started to slither away from the group, hoping not to be noticed.
"Kelly…Gage…what did the two of you do?"
"But, Cap, we won! Remember?" Chet made a feeble attempt to diffuse the situation.
"Yeah, Cap, we won. What does it matter…" Johnny’s attempt was met with a harsh stare from the Cap.
"Gage, what did you two of you put in that pot?" Cap meant business now and the two of them knew it. The gig was up. Chet came clean, much to Johnny’s chagrin.
"Johnny dropped his chocolate bar into the chili." Chet made sure he didn’t make eye contact with Gage.
"I? I?!? I dropped my chocolate bar?!? Chester B. Kelly you knocked it into the pot when you grabbed for it. You’re still sore ‘cause I ate that cinnamon bun, aren’t you!"
"You knew I had my eye on it…"
"Oh yeah! Well you took my sandwich!"
"Did it have your name on it?"
They both got into a very loud and long argument. A good two or three minutes passed before Marco got everyone’s attention. No one had taken notice of him climbing up into the cab of the engine. Marco reached for the air horn.
BNNNNAAAAAAA!!!!
Silence.
Marco got down from the cab and walked over to the guys.
"John, Chet, that was my secret ingredient - chocolate. Mexican cooking has a long history of using chocolate in cooking, and not just in desserts. Don’t you know that molé sauce is made from chocolate?"
"You mean we didn’t ruin it? All right!" Johnny was quite pleased with himself. Chet however, remained unconvinced. He was standing closer to the Cap than Johnny was.
"Obviously not, John. What kind if chocolate was it?" Marco was curious just how close did they came to his mother’s secret ingredient.
Chet and Johnny looked at each other. Johnny scratched his head.
"Let me see…I think it was dark chocolate."
"Almost perfect, John. I would have used baking chocolate." Marco was very pleased and happy. "Thanks, John, that’s what probably did it."
Captain Stanley, who was waiting to pounce on Johnny, realized he couldn’t now. But there was always Chet…
"Hey, Marco, what about me? Don’t I get any thanks? After all I was the one who knocked into the pot."
"Why yes, Kelly, and your reward for rough housing in the kitchen is two days latrine duty." The Cap had to be happy with just getting Chet.
"But, Cap!!!"
"No buts, Kelly." And sensing then next question. "Because I’m the captain, that’s why. Here’s the mop." Cap handed the mop to Chet.
Chet knew it was over. There would be no further discussion on the matter. He made a mental note to somehow thank Gage for this. Chet was left holding the mop, alone in the bay while everyone moved into the kitchen. He grabbed the bucket and started towards the head. Gage would pay for this somehow…maybe the Phantom would have to come fishing…
###
Author’s note: please forgive me for taking some liberties on who cooks what at the station. The story just evolved the way it did, and it just ‘told’ better with Marco making the chili.
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