April 5, 2004

• Well, I got my feet wet today, literally.  Abre los ojos.  Ask and you shall receive.  I went and did that ride along with Jay.  It was an eye opening experience.  It was very humbling.  It made me think about a lot of things I don’t often think about.  I got a taste of a different world.  Many different worlds actually.  We were on three calls.  The first of which gave me an idea of the environment we were in.  I’m a snob.  So it was really an experience to see the places in which these people lived.  She was a larger woman, and she was having abdominal pain.  I had only been at the station for a few minutes before we got the call.  In fact, I was still in the bay looking at the trucks and I hadn’t even got inside.  I was still trying to get a feel for where I should stand, as my biggest concern was being in the way.  Back to the lesson I learned from this first trip, was that every person has their own environment.  It was humbling to see the conditions in which people lived.  I don’t know how they do it, but that is because I am a snob, and I just don’t know any better.

  
  

   

  
  

  The second call took place while we were in line at Subway, and ironically, the call was to Panda Express.  We headed over there to find a boy that was probably 3 years old.  He had been choking on his food.  He was fine by the time we got there though.  The grandpa performed the Heimlich to help clear his air path.  And it was nothing that a tour of the fire truck couldn’t handle.  That was the emotional call.  Seeing the grandparents shaken up.  Seeing that little boy, and realizing what these firefighters go through everyday.

  
  

   

  
  

  The third call took place as Jay and I were just resting in the bay, watching the storm blow in from the east.  The call came in and we were headed to my next lesson.  People are ridiculous.  It was a teenage female assaulted by another female.  Well, the assaulted female was 8 months pregnant.  She was born in 1984 and was having her third baby.  Ironically, as we were there with the police, the show Cops was playing on the TV.  After leaving, and some drama about the hospital not taking anymore patients, we got her in there.  Jay was livid.  It was kinda funny watching him bitch about the nurses.  Being at the hospital reminded me of what it was like when I used to work at one.  I worked in medical records, and interpreted for the deaf.  I liked going to the different hospitals and doctors offices to sign.  That was back in the day, before I started in with all this computer crap.

  
  

   

  
  

  As if my eyes weren’t opened enough from the events of today, while sitting there at the station, we watched Bowling for Columbine on TV.  I’ve seen it several times before, but I watch it every time it is on.  I won’t even start in on my thoughts there…

  
  

   

  
  

  I need nicknames for these people.  Jay, Lisa, Lauren.  Oh, I have one for Lauren, it’s Surfer Barbie.  Yeah, the Good Rob thought of that while we were at Macayo’s.  Yes, again.  He’s going to be heading off to Florida.  He hasn’t told anyone that yet at Macayo’s though.  He was a good server, it’ll suck to have to deal with anyone else.  He hooked us up when we were there, but of course, we made it up to him with the tip.

  
  

   

  
  

  I saw Dawn of The Dead yesterday too.  The midnight showing at Arizona Mills.  It was really good.  It creeped me out pretty well.  It’s tough because I enjoy every movie, to know what other people think, but again, I liked it.  And I want to see it again sometime.  Sometimes it’s the crowd at the late showings there that make the whole experience.  They are just too funny.  Oh, and there was a mouse in the theatre.  That made it even better.

  
  

   

  
  

  I had a nice drive home from Avondale.  Nothing is better than listening to Aura on a pretty evening on a nice long drive.  No phone calls, nothing.  Just me, the road, and the soothing music.

  
  

   

  
  

  We’ll see if tomorrow goes better than last Monday.  I have meetings from 7:30am – 10:30am.  And I just finished up several hours worth of work tonight.  It was surprising, while I was there today, all my other thoughts and concerns drifted away.  For I was in another world.  One in which I saw things outside of my little realm.  I recommend the same to all of you: Abre los ojos.

  • 1:35 am
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