I had been a fireman for many years in a county outside a large metropolitan area in the eastern US. I had been on many calls and seen many things. Early in 1990, I was on duty and we were dispatched for a structure fire in our first due area. The radio said there was heavy smoke showing as we marked responding and they added additional companies to assist.
Usually, I drove the fire truck, but tonight I was assigned to ride officer. As we turned the corner, I could see smoke billowing from the house at the end of the street, 1410 Berkshire Lane. My firefighter and I pulled a line and headed for the front door when a hysterical woman stopped me screaming that her baby was still inside. I asked her where she was and she said, "Second floor, front bedroom!" We went to the front door and donned our breathing apparatus, I told the other guy to check the other bedroom and I would go to the front bedroom. We made it up the steps and could see fire in the bathroom.
My partner hit the fire which allowed me to get to the bedroom. On the floor, I found a limp body and began dragging it to the front door. I got it outside and in the floodlights saw that it was a 15 year old girl in her nightgown. She wasn't breathing, so I stopped and gave her mouth to mouth resuscitation. Soon she coughed and I knew she was breathing on her own and carried her to the ambulance where they started working on her. I went back to my partner and helped him put out the fire with the help of the other companies. I never thought anything about it.
A week later, this woman showed up at the station when I was on duty and had a young girl with her. "You don't remember us, do you?" she asked.
"No ma'am, I'm sorry," I replied.
"I'm Mrs. Bradley and this is my daughter Nicole." I thought a moment, still didn't ring any bells.
Then Nicole spoke up, "You saved my life last week when there was a fire at our house," she smiled.
"1410 Berkshire," her mom said.
"Oh yes, I remember, glad to see you're doing well Nicole. How do you feel?" I asked.
"Fine, thanks to you," she shyly said. Her mom told me that Nicole had insisted on seeing me and thanking me in person for my help. We sat there and talked about a half an hour and then we got a call and had to leave, "See you again soon Mr. Parks," Nicole said as I climbed in the fire truck. I didn't see her for quite some time, but I did get letters and pictures from her at least once a year. Her pictures were so good, she was growing up and becoming quite a little hottie!
It had been 3 years since the fire on Berkshire and Nicole had kept in touch with her letters and pictures and an occasional phone call. In that 3 years, my marriage had failed and I was alone again. I concentrated on my job and dated a little, but couldn't quite get into romance again.
I went to work one morning and the captain getting off told me that a sweet looking blonde girl had been in the day before wanting to know when I worked again. He said he hoped I didn't mind, but he had given her my home address and phone number. "She was a knockout Jeff," he told me.
It was April 20th, my next 4 days off and I was in the afternoon, drinking some iced tea when the doorbell rang. I opened the door to this gorgeous blonde standing there. I remembered from her pictures that it was Nicole, but she hadn't sent me a recent picture. Her pictures had not done her justice!
"Come in Nicole," I stammered, feeling like a fool. She came in and we went into the living room and sat down. There was small talk about how we'd each been and she told me she was leaving for college this fall.
"I never forgot you Jeff, or what you did," she said.
"It was nothing Nicole," I replied.
"But, if it weren't for you Jeff, I wouldn't be sitting here today."
"Seeing you here is plenty of thanks," I replied.
"You're too modest Jeff," she told me. She went on to tell me that she had been accepted at a good college and had received an academic scholarship.
"That's great Nicole, no one deserves it more than you," I told her.
"Jeff," she said, "I only have a few months left before I leave and I wanted to show you my appreciation for what you did and I have a gift for you," she smiled. I hadn't seen her carrying anything in, so I just sat back and told her that it wasn't necessary.