A(nother) Year in Seattle – Intro

A(nother) Year in Seattle

Intro

Reading through my old journal, I realize how much has changed since then. It was a hard time, and yet– a good time too. I don’t know when I fell out of the habit of writing regularly– but I’m realizing how much I’ve missed, or forgotten without it.

So much has changed since then. I look at my daughter, curled around her pillow and I wonder what she sees– what she’ll remember.

Bri– that’s a big change, and very unexpected. Seems she’s why Case was chosen by the statue– his blood and mine had combined for form a new life– although we didn’t know it at the time.

There was a lot we didn’t know at the time. Every time I think about it– about how and when we found out about the little terror… er… darling…I have to laugh.

I was supposed to be ‘safe’– one shot every 3 months– only when the last shot was due– I’d been declared dead. The doc closed my file and never followed up– no point right? Well, when I went for my regular checkup my doctor picked up on something peculiar…

Bri.

You know, I’ve delivered kids in the back of my truck, but having one and delivering them are two very different animals. All I can say is, I’m glad that’s over.

I took a little time off, some of it forced– Regent Fire and Rescue Inc ended up beating out Citywide for Seattle’s Rescue/EMT/Paramedic services in ‘58. Seems they seriously underbid Citywide, figuring that they could hire us all at a lower price.

They didn’t stop there either– let me tell you, it was a fiasco!

I’m surprised we didn’t lose more citizens in the changeover. RFR, Inc. was cutting corners everywhere it could. They offered everybody their old jobs at a 2K cut in pay, but that was the only start. They cut health to the bare minimum and declared that any motormedic who had an accident would be immediately benched.

They hadn’t read my papers either– You can’t do that job in this city– in any city, without accidents– its just a question of when. RFR, Inc actually fired me from the program, but that was fine– I didn’t really want to work for them.

They didn’t stay in business long– seems they were cutting corners in everything– especially services. Medical aid was to be limited to those citizens with SINs only, and Paramedics were only to supply the bare minimum of care– only what it took to get people to the hospital.

More medics walked or were benched for not following procedure. And each time you were benched, your pay was docked. The meds they bought were gray market and billed to the city at an inflated rate.

A disgruntled former motormedic director made sure that City management found out about that. They lost the contract and Citywide was back in action.

Man, I think about the ‘old days’ when there was just a handful of us in the city. It was tough, but we were close-knit. Now– now there are some motormedics I’ve never really met. I’ve got their file folders– and no clue as to what makes them tick.

I ran into one of them– the hard way. I was taking Bri out grocery shopping when there was a heart attack. I had the store manager call for an ambulance and began CPR. Let me tell you– one man CPR while trying to keep a one and a half year old from interfering is interesting. The manager had noticed and did what he could to keep her occupied– but that child is a handful.

The medic showed up and basically pushed me away from the patient. I tried to tell him the guy’s stats and he ignored me– actually he told me that he ‘appreciated my help’, but I should let the trained professionals do their job. ..

That particular ‘trained professional’ learned a thing or two when he was called into the director’s office– my office. It doesn’t get used much– I’m still active in the program downtown, but when it is used– I can have a lot of fun.

So much has happened– things I want to forget, things I want to remember. I almost lost Case a few times– hell, he almost lost me too so I guess we’re even.

Ethan loves his little sister and his mom will sometimes sit the little hellion… er sweetheart. I have enough extended family that Bri has more aunts, uncles, and moms that she could ever need. It helps a lot. Between my job and Case’s family life is not always predictable. Somehow we muddle through.

I think its time– to begin again.


Copyright 2000 – M.T. Decker

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