The last thing I could really remember was running into the supermarket to grab a few things. It was raining, of course. This stupid El Nino was going to wash us all out to sea. I couldn't remember it raining like this ever before since I came to sunny California and that was more years ago than I wanted to think about. I didn't actually want to think about anything. I just wanted to pick up a few things for dinner, maybe a nice bottle of wine, then go home, take my phone off the hook and take a few hours off from life. Ever since El Nino started we'd been kept hopping down at Rampart. But there was now a lull and I was going to take advantage of it. I had vowed to Kel and Joe that I wasn't setting foot back in that place for two whole days come hell or high water. Joe, of course, had made a joke about the high water part of my remark.
Okay, I remember that much. Then what? I was reaching down to get some fat free mayonnaise from a shelf while trying to convince myself that it DID taste just as good as the real stuff. Then there was a strange rumbling sound and then....darkness. Okay, I'm a nurse. I know I was knocked out by something. Maybe there was a quake. But I'm conscious now. Why is it still dark? I try to move but my arms and legs feel like they are asleep. I am finally able to get one arm free. I can feel around enough to know that I am in a little air pocket and am surrounded by rubble.
I feel an overwhelming urge to panic. I am trapped and I have no idea what is going on around me. I fight it down. I assess myself as I have been trained to do with any other patient. I can feel and move all my extremities although I can't move them much due to my surroundings. My pulse is a little fast and my breathing a little labored. I don't feel any pain upon inhaling or exhaling so I am assuming it is the dust that still hangs in the air that is the cause of the problem. I have found a very small cut at my scalp line but it has stopped bleeding on its own so I have to assume it is superficial. It crosses my mind that I might have a limited amount of breathable air in my pocket and it would probably be helpful to slow down my breathing or something. Too bad I always poo-pooed yoga.
There is really a weird feeling of non reality. I know it's not a dream. I would have made myself wake up by now. There is also a tremendous feeling of isolation. There have been days where I swore I'd kill for some nice isolation. But I don't like it. Not at all. Calm down, Dixie. Panicking won't help anything. I'm supposed to be the one helping people. Now I need help. I have to do something. Maybe I should yell or something.. Maybe someone is close by and coming to help. I feel like a fool but I'm going to try it anyway.
"HELP. Can anybody hear me?"
"Call out again."
Did I really hear that or did I imagine that someone answered. I don't care -- even an imaginary conversation is better than none at all. "I'm over here."
"Okay, Lady. I hear you. There's a bunch of rubble and we have to move it real careful. We are going to get you out. Just relax. Okay?"
"Easy for you to say," I muttered. I heard him laugh.
"Are you hurt at all?" he asked.
"No. I'm just trapped."
"Well, don't worry. We are going to get you out."
"Who's we?" I suddenly felt the need to talk to this man. He was my lifeline to reality. To freedom.
"LA County Fire Department, ma'am. I'm Marco. What's your name?"
He was making casual conversation. Remarkably I was beginning to feel calmer. "Dixie," I told him.
"Like the song?" he asked. I could now hear sounds that I assumed were him moving things.
"Yeah. Like the song."
"We'll have you out soon," he promised.
I could hear other voices but I couldn't make them out. Suddenly I felt panicky. What if they wanted him to do something else? "Are you still there?" I asked him.
"Yes, I'm still here. My captain just told me they are pulling out some light fixtures and I should look out for glass. Don't worry I won't leave you."
"Well, don't put yourself in any danger."
"Hey, don't worry. I'm a fireman. Haven't you heard -- we're macho," he laughed.
"I've heard that."
"What's the matter, don't you believe it?"
His voice seemed to be getting clearer. Maybe he was getting closer to getting me out.
"I do now." I meant it too. There was quiet for a while and I really wanted to hear his voice but I realized if he was moving and lifting debris he probably didn't feel like carrying on a conversation.
"So, Dixie, do you shop here often?"
I couldn't help but laugh. What a line! "Are you trying to pick me up?"
"They say the grocery store is a good place to meet girls," he told me.
I really liked him. If I was a mere girl I knew I be in love with him by this time.
"Dixie, you still with me?"
I could hear the genuine concern in his voice.
"I'm here."
"Dixie. I'm almost down to you. I'm trying to be real careful but I might raise some dust up. You should try and cover your nose and mouth with your sleeve or something if you can. This stuff is kind of nasty if you breathe it in."
"I know. I'm a nurse."
"A nurse? Um, Dixie -- do you work at Rampart General, by any chance?"
"Yes."
"Oh dear. I mean -- ROY ---- JOHNEEEEE!"
That was why his voice sounded vaguely familiar. There was the sound of voices but I couldn't hear them clearly enough to follow their conversation. The next thing I knew I saw light. I had to close my eyes. When I opened them I was looking into the concerned face of Roy DeSoto.
"Take it easy, Dix. We'll have you right out." He had his pen light and was assessing my condition.
"I'm all right, Roy."
"Sorry, Dix. It's procedure."
"I'm the one that taught you that procedure, if you recall."
"I recall. That doesn't change anything, though."
"I'll remember this, Roy DeSoto. You can't pull rank on me." It would be out of character for me not to give him a hard time. I did appreciate what he was doing. I could see he was laying on his stomach on a pile of debris, reaching through a hole that was about a foot square and taking my vitals. Now that the opening was there I could see and hear what was going on a lot better. I could periodically hear things falling and I could hear other voices in the distance.
"Roy, I really am all right. What the heck happened anyway?"
"The roof collapsed under the weight of all the water that had collected there because of all the rain."
"Oh my god! This'll be a disaster. I've got to get to the hospital. Get me out of here. NOW!"
"Calm down, Dixie. We're getting you out as fast as safely possible. So far we've been pretty lucky. I don't think the store was too crowded and only part of the roof collapsed. We're really just coming upon minor injuries. Well, there is one potentially serious situation," he said looking over his shoulder.
All sorts of things raced through my mind -- further collapse, gas leaks, explosions, fires. I felt on the verge of panic till his partner Johnny Gage elbowed his way into my line of vision. "Dixie, Dixie, Dixie. Looks like you've gotten yourself in a real pickle." He grinned that goofy sideways grin of his.
I knew what he was referring to. Once I had some light I could see all the jars that had fallen off the bottom shelf and were sharing my sanctuary. I instinctively picked one up and beaned him with it. The small jar that had survived the roof collapse and falling onto the floor had reached its breaking point and smashed on impact with his helmet. Pickles and pickle juice ran down his helmet and onto his coat and, from the way he hollered, inside his coat. I couldn't make myself regret my actions although I was almost as surprised as he had been.
"Don't mind him, Dix," Roy took over. "He was pulling people out over in the wine aisle and I think he got looped on the fumes from all those broken wine bottles. Cap," he called over his shoulder, "I think Johnny could really use some fresh air."
"I think he could use a shower too -- too bad it quit raining. I'm gonna get Stoker to hose him down. Man, you really reek, Gage."
I recognized Captain Stanley's voice. They were all so calm and casual, like this sort of thing happened everyday. Maybe it did in their world. I never really thought too much about what they did except as it related to a patient. It was now dawning on me that medical care was only part of their job.
"Dix?" Roy was concerned once more.
"I'm fine, Roy."
"Good. Look, can you grab this blanket and cover yourself with it? We're about to remove the last pieces. There could be glass or hunks of metal mixed in here. We don't want you to get cut."
"Okay. I've got it. You be careful too, Roy."
"I'm always careful, Dix," he smiled.
I covered up with the heavy blanket. I could hear them struggling with the large chunks of ceiling. I could feel pebble sized pieces dropping down on me. I closed my eyes. For some strange reason I had a feeling of safety in my little hole. Now they were moving things. Heavy things. Something could drop. I can't get out of the way! Calm down, fool women! They know what they are doing. I could feel the blood pounding in my ears. I knew my pulse was racing. Calm down!
Suddenly Roy pulled the blanket back. "Looks like you're free. Think you can stand up?"
"I'm a little stiff and cramped," I had to confess.
"Let me help you." He pulled me to my feet. He seemed incredibly strong as he held me up until I regained my equilibrium and the circulation returned to my legs and feet. Now that I was free I looked around at the damage. The place almost looked like a war zone. It certainly was not recognizable as my favorite Ralph's. I looked up at the roof. It was disconcerting to see sky over my head but not as disconcerting as seeing the huge, rain-swollen pieces of ceiling that still hung precariously over my position. Any one of them could have fallen at anytime. These guys had to have realized that all along and yet they stayed right there in harm's way working to get me out.
I stared at Roy. He still didn't let on that he any concerns about the safety of the ceiling but he did not attempt to further examine me. He obviously wanted to get me out of this area first. He walked me through the pile of debris and to the front of the store which did not seem to be affected much by the roof cave in. He sat me on a bench and did a more thorough exam. I didn't argue. I just put up with it. I continued looking around at all the debris and trying to fully comprehend what had happened here. It was then that I saw the three bodybags. "I thought you said there were only minor injuries?"
"Well, the only ones we could do anything about were minor," he admitted.
I saw the look of sorrow that flashed over his face. I could see that they were as affected by those that they lost as any doctor ever was and yet they had put it aside and gone on to rescue everyone else. These firemen were pretty darned special people.
Captain Stanley approached. "We were looking at the security tapes, Roy. It looks like everyone is present and accounted for but we are going to keep on sifting through the debris anyway. How is your victim?" he smiled at me.
"She appears to be in pretty good shape. I think she can go on into Rampart without paramedic escort."
"What do you mean go into Rampart?!!"
"Dix, you know the docs will want to check you out. Looks like you'll need a tetanus shot for this cut. That ankle you're trying not to limp on should be x-rayed."
That was a pretty darned astute medical assessment. I was impressed.
"Besides," he winked, "you know you can't stay away from the place."
"I may send Gage in with her. Did you know he could sing the jingle for every single cereal ever produced. He's driving Stoker crazy."
"Want me to run him into the drunk tank?" Vince Howard asked with a grin.
"No. We'll take him back to the station and let him sleep it off, but thanks for the offer," Stanley said.
I still marveled at how routine all this was to them. Roy helped me over to the waiting ambulance. I suddenly remembered something. It was so vital I don't know how it could have slipped my mind.
"Wait a minute, Roy. Where's Marco? I want to thank him."
Roy looked around but didn't seem to see him. "I'll tell him for you."
"Oh no, you won't!" My Irish was suddenly up.
"Tell ya what, Dix, you get onto this gurney and I'll go find him for you."
"I'm NOT leaving here until you do."
I did allow them to put me onto the fool gurney but shot the attendants daggers to let them know what would happen to them if I didn't get my way.
Then suddenly Marco was there. He squatted down next to the gurney. "Hello," he smiled. I could see he was covered with white dust from the ceiling and he looked more tired than his voice had sounded. "How are you doing?"
"I'm doing fine now, thanks to you."
"Roy helped too."
"Yes I know, but you were the voice that helped me keep my sanity in the darkness. How can I ever say thank you for that?"
"You just did. You've helped all of us out in the past. Glad to return the favor."
"Firemen are far more than just macho," I told him. I now really understood the meaning of the word hero.
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