This weeks entry is a little something different. While it is true that it is a part of a story it is not fictional as most of them are. It is part of a longer piece that have been working on for sometimes now. The events depicted and the conversations are presented to the best of my recollection.

I would love to hear what you think about just the beginning of this piece. Keep your eyes out for other sections to appear in the future.

Disclaimer: The actual names of an of these individuals have been changed to protect their identities.

When I was growing up there were certain things that I always took for granted, but, I am sure that I am not the only one. I suppose that happens when your childhood is spent living in the suburbs. One such thing was that there was a professional paid fire department and ambulance service just a call away.

It was late 2004 or early 2005 when I had the thought of joining the local volunteer fire department. I still remember the conversation like it was yesterday. Every week I called home to check in with my mother. This particular week I had decided it was time to broach the subject with her, since I had been thinking about it for several weeks.

“So, Mom. I’ve been thinking of joining the local fire department.”

“What makes you want to do that?” she asked.

“I’ve been living here for awhile now and I was thinking of joining so I can give back to the community. It wouldn’t be as a job or anything, the fire department is volunteer up here.”

“I understand it’s volunteer. But, I don’t think it’s a good idea. I’m sure there are other ways to give back to the community. Maybe there’s a soup kitchen or something that you can work in.”

“There might be but, I really want to do this.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea. It’s really dangerous. Plus what about your asthma, all that smoke wouldn’t be good for your lungs.”

“I hadn’t thought about that. Well maybe you are right and I shouldn’t do it. I’ll try to find something else to do to give back,” I replied a little down trodden.

It was the first of august 2005 when my mother lost her battle with alcoholism and succumb to her cirrhosis of the liver.

The following year just seemed to drag on. Day by day I went to work as a kitchen supervisor at a hospital in a nearby town that specialize in psychiatric and addiction treatment. Just about every evening I would go and rent a video from the local video store. There wasn’t a hell of a lot else to do in the small mountain town once the sun went down. Once I was home it was usually a pizza or a frozen dinner while watching the video and hanging out with my roommate Becky and her plott hound Sargent.

By going to the video store so often I got to know the entire staff. There were even several times I would stay there for quite awhile just hanging out and chatting with them.

I really got to know a guy named Nick best of all. He was only a couple years younger than me and like me wasn’t from the area. I would spend hours hanging out and chatting with him at the store.

We became good friends and started spending time together outside of the store. He would come by my place to hang out, watch movies and attend the occasional parties my roommate and I would have.

I knew Nick was a member of the local rescue squad and I found………