Short Stories

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One of our favorite firefighting activities after a fire is to sit around the station and discuss all the events that happened at recent fires. Events that none of us were aware of. We also enjoy hearing about all the things we did wrong. We usually have to give it a good two or three weeks so that all the erroneous information can be gathered. It normally takes at least that long to hear from our old friends, “they”, and his first cousin, “somebody”. It is amazing that no one seems to know who “they” is, nor can anyone remember whom the “somebody” was that passed along these facts to them.
After extensive interviews and research we now have it on good authority that it was indeed “Somebody” who said that if we had gone in from a different direction all that water damage would not have happened. This is an amazing observation since we went in from the only three doors available plus the roof. Maybe one day we will perfect a way to prevent water from running down the stairs. I think the laws of gravity have something to with that but I am just the chief so what do I know?
We know for a fact that it was the infamous “somebody” who made these astute observations since no one can remember who told them those facts or who they heard saying them. And that is a clear indication of “somebody’s” guilt. It never ceases to amaze me how every bystander present whose not doing anything knows exactly what and how to do it. Ole “somebody” has not had one minutes training, or any practical experience but yet he knows exactly what we did wrong. I wonder how many times ole “somebody” has had to get up during the night and throw up because he cannot get that metallic taste out of his mouth after every fire. The same one that stays in your mouth and nose for three or four days. Nor have I ever seen ole “somebody” at a fire or wreck after midnight. I wonder where he was. I guess he just did not get the call. For ole somebody, or even “they”, to comment on fire fighting technique would be the same analogy as me saying the Martians did not build their spaceship correctly. I know as much about spaceships and Martians as ole somebody knows about what we do.
It often takes a concerted effort to keep the younger ones from getting disheartened and discouraged when they hear these uninformed, and false observations. We have to help them see it is just the thoughtless comments of some insecure individual who wants to make himself appear wise at someone else’s expense.

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