He Must Know Me

Last Night, 2300 hrs:

It is quiet. The crew is hunkered down in their dorm rooms, either asleep or watching TV. The rest of the station is mine. As I haven't heard any activity for a couple of hours, I felt comfortable pulling out my wireless card and posting while in the captain's office. I usually post in the privacy of my room, but as I often stay up late getting paperwork done, I'll take a chance when everybody else is tucked in for the night.

I have just hit the "publish post" button and have checked Google reader for the last time.  I am debating with myself whether to shut my laptop off, or just let it "sleep" overnight. My thoughts on the matter are interrupted by the sound of a car driving up the road and the sound of a male voice shouting.

I can't hear the first part of the message, but the end of it is crystal clear as the car passes the station.
"...you assholes, you f#$%ing asshole firefighters."

Really. Asshole, f#$%ing asshole firefighter. He must be referring to me. That's a first. I have been called names by people before, usually when dealing with drunks or drug addicts. This has to be the first time I have been the victim of a drive-by insult hurler.

I actually feel a little insulted, not because of being called a name, but that the sanctity of the healing place is being violated by someone who feels strong enough about something to hurl insults at me as he drives by, but not strong enough to actually stop and discuss the issue.

What have I done to go from being "Americas Hero" (relax, I don't buy into that either) to an asshole, f$%^ing asshole firefighter in less that ten years? I view myself as just a "Schmoe", trying to keep the wolves from the door, the motorist's description seems a little harsh to me.

Maybe the motorist was a person who's wife left him for one of the guys on "B" shift. Maybe he is one of those guys who tried unsuccessfully to get on the job for a few years and now blames his failure on affirmative action. Maybe he listens to too much talk radio.

Maybe, just maybe, he knows me and has a different view of me than I do of myself. As he won't stop and discuss it, I will never know.

Thanks for reading,
Asshole, f$%^ing asshole firefighter Schmoe