It'll B A Hot 1 2 Night
By Lorie
It was a bright sunny morning and Valentine's Day. The boys were in the garage polishing the engine and squad while a discussion took place on behalf of the big Valentine's dance being held at the station that night for the crew of Station 51 and Rampart.
"Did you ever find a date for the dance?" Roy asked John."Are you kidding?" John replied. "I asked most of the nurses and they turned me down."
Chet said, "Roy can be your date, John."
"Oh shut up, very funny. Now who can I ask at the last minute? Any suggestions?" asked John.
"How about the singing telegram girl that was here for Cap's birthday party dressed as a fire hose?" Marco suggested.
"I can't take her to the dance!" John exclaimed.
Suddenly the claxon sounded off and the dispatcher's voice came over the loud speaker, "Squad 51, little girl stuck in a dog house, 59 Electric Ave, cross street Walden Drive, time out 10:01."
"Station 51 KMG-365," Cap responded into the microphone.
Roy and Johnny pulled out of the station with the siren blaring continuously. The squad arrived at the scene of a broken down, abandoned house with a black dog house in the corner of the yard. A crowd of people were standing around the dog house. They looked helplessly at a little girl with both of her legs stuck inside the dog house, lying flat on her stomach with her blonde hair draped on the ground around her.
"Help! Get me out!" Screamed the little girl.
John and Roy pushed their way through the crowd.
"Just calm down sweetheart, we'll get you out," Johnny said in a soothing voice.
Her aqua blue eyes were attracted to John's brown ones like a magnet.
"What's your name?" John asked.
"Amy," she said with a smile.
"Hi. I'm John and this here is my partner Roy. Just relax and hold still while we pull you out, okay?" John instructed.
It wasn't long before the girl was freed from the dog house and taken to Rampart. Once she was settled, John and Roy stopped by Dixie's desk to talk with her a minute.
"I hear you don't have a date for the dance tonight John,? We have a new nurse aboard. She just started today."
"Really?" Johnny asked, perking up.
"Yes. Here she comes now," Dixie said conspiratorially.
Walking toward them was a pretty, slender, dark haired nurse.
"John, Roy, this is Susan," Dixie introduced.
"Hi. Nice to meet you. So, are you going to the dance tonight?" John asked with a boyish grin.
"Yes, are you?"
"I sure am," John replied.
"Well then, I'll see you tonight. Nice to meet you," Susan said and she turned to leave.
"Nice to meet you, too," John replied with a grin that went from ear to ear.
As Susan walked away, Kelly and Amy walked up to John and Roy.
"Amy's okay. Just a couple of minor scratches on the legs," Kelly said. "Say fellas, can you give Amy a ride home? She said her mom is working and she has no way home."
"Sure. No problem," Roy answered.
Amy walked up close to John and said, "Here John. I made this for you." It was a Valentine's card made with Band-aids shaped like a heart.
"That's very nice. Thank you," Johnny said, somewhat surprised at the girl's gift.
Although Amy's appearance was shabby with a worn out cotton shirt, ripped blue jeans and sneakers with holes in them, her face looked like that of a doll with her blue eyes and long, blonde hair.
Back at the station, the boys were eating "Chetty Spaghetti" for lunch. The phone kept ringing constantly. All of the calls were for John and the caller happened to be Amy, but each time she called, John was too busy to talk.
During lunch, John talked excitedly about the new, pretty nurse at Rampart, and told the boys he wanted to spend the whole night with her at the dance. Cap walked into the kitchen with Amy following him. "John, you have a visitor," Cap said.
She walked over to John and said, "Hi John. I wrote a poem for you. 'I love you, I love you, I love you divine, gimme a piece of your bubble gum, and I'll be your Valentine, if you take me to the dance, not France.'"
John stood still with his cheeks burning red. Now was he stuck between a rock and a hard place!
"Excuse me fellas," John said to the other firemen who had gathered around. "I would like to talk to Amy alone."
The two went into the garage. John bent down on one knee and flicked back her braid and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Amy," he said, "you can't keep calling me and giving me things. How old are you?"
"Twelve," Amy said with her head hanging down dejectedly.
"I have a job to do," John said carefully. "And I'm a lot older than you. I like to see girls that are my own age. There are plenty of boys out there that are your age. A girl as pretty as you should have no trouble getting a boy closer to your own age."
Amy stood quietly, still looking at the floor.
"How did you find out where the station was?" Johnny asked curiously.
"I called Rampart," Amy said, "and disguised my voice as your mother and talked to some lady. But I can't remember her name."
"Listen Amy," John said, "I don't want you to come here anymore. This is no place for a young girl to hang out. Do you understand?"
"I think so." Then Amy looked up at John with tears forming in her eyes. "Nobody at school likes me. They think I'm a freak because I don't have a father. And they always call me names and say I'm ugly."
"Sweetheart, you are a pretty girl and a very nice boy will ask you out someday. These things take time though." Johnny gave her shoulders an affectionate squeeze. He looked at the clock over the wall above her head. "It's getting late now, so you better run along home."
"Okay," Amy said. "Bye John."
After Amy made her departure, John scrambled to get ready for the big dance. It wasn't long before people began arriving. There were the crew from Station 51 and Rampart employees. The men were all decked out in suits and ties, and the women wore beautiful dresses and high heels.
The band played "Heart of My Heart" with Dr. Early in the background playing piano. As Roy, Joanne and John walked in, John spotted Susan immediately and waved. Without hesitation, he took off in her direction. Kelly and Dixie were by the cash bar drinking dry martinis and giggling, and Joanne and Roy headed over to chat with them.
Later on, as the night progressed, nobody heard the sound of someone breaking in the back door in the kitchen. The mysterious person was holding a can of gasoline.
The silent culprit opened the gasoline can and poured it all over the kitchen floor. The person walked up to the window in the large swinging doors and looked out, nose pressed against it.
Looking out to the dance area, the eyes saw John slow dancing with Susan. Roy danced with Joanne, and Kelly with Dixie to the song "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes". The eyes looking out at the dance floor became moist with tears.
The stranger took a box of wooden matches out of the drawer near the oven and struck it on the box. The flame grew as the match was dropped into the bottom of the garbage can where newspaper had been placed.
The stranger became scared, but the anger was still evident. She ran through the swinging doors and onto the dance floor. John was shocked when Susan was suddenly pushed out of his arms.
"Amy!" Johnny exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
The small arms embraced John.
Everyone erupted into a panic when the smoke began pouring out of the kitchen. John looked from the kitchen back to Amy.
"Are you responsible for this?" He asked, shaking her by the shoulders.
Roy and Chet ran into the kitchen with a fire extinguisher. Fortunately, the flames remained isolated to the garbage can and was extinguished quickly.
Once they were out of danger, John turned back to Amy. "You didn't answer me. Are you responsible for this?"
"Oh John! I can't stay away from you. I love you! I'm sorry. I just became so jealous when you wouldn't give me any attention."
John realized at this point he was dealing with a very sick young lady who needed a lot of help. He hoped she would get it.
The Cap walked over to a phone sitting on a desk. He picked it up and dialed. "Operator, get me the police," he spoke into the receiver giving the address and stating what he problem was.
A short time later things were back to normal. Everything but the kitchen which was damaged by the smoke. Amy was taken away by the police for arson.
Cap walked up to Roy and Johnny and said, "Amy will not be around here anymore, she is being sent to the psychiatric ward at Rampart where she can get some help."
"My God, she does need serious help," Roy confirmed.
"Thanks Cap," John said. "Poor girl. Her mother doesn't seem to care about her at all. Now that is messed up!"
"I'm sure glad you are still here alive and well, Junior," Roy said patting John on the back.
"Thanks Pally," John said, and nudged him on the shoulder with his fist.
Doctor Early walked up to the microphone and jokingly made a toast to a 'hot night' tonight that made everyone laugh with some relief. Everybody acknowledged the toast by raising their glasses of champagne in the air. "Happy Valentine's day everyone. Cheers!" He said.
Everybody took a sip of bubbly and all the couples hugged and kissed one another. "Happy Valentine's day, Susan," John said, giving the lady a squeeze with his arm around her shoulders. She turned and they embraced for a second, ending the embrace with a kiss.
Ooh it sure was a hot night tonight. Especially for John.