on protecting firefighters

from doing their jobs

There were people there who didn’t like yer dad. And there were people there who didn’t like me. But right away, me and your dad? We were friends. Right away we knew. It’s like that with people you know right away.

JR was frank, open and warm as he talked about his friendship with my dad.

No, your dad would go above and beyond. Sure, he’d take some risks. It worked out ok. But there were some… They didn’t like going along with him. Yer dad’s a brave man.

My throat choked up. I know how brave my dad is. It was really disarming to hear his buddy talking about him this way though.

JR smiled as my dad entered the shop: Isn’t that right Jimmy? A lot of the guys were not nearly as brave as you were.

That I never understood JR. If you sign up to be a fire fighter, and you know how to put out the fire and you’re given all the tools to do it, why would you not want to try to put the fire out? Why would you want to just stand around outside and spray water at it?

My dad shook his head with scorn.

T…