“Could you look to the left a little more? Great.? <Flash>
“Just a few more, okay??the photographer said as he reached into his vest pocket for film to reload the camera. “Just a second?"
Sure, fine. Take your
time reloading. I’ll just stand here propped against the squad like a display
model at a car show.
He felt like an idiot. The passage of the Wentworth-Townsend Act, and his prominent role in its passage, had understandably generated some publicity. Given the importance of the success of the program, Rampart Hospital and the Los Angeles County Fire Department respective public relations departments had worked tirelessly to publicize the paramedic program. Someone - some sadist with a communications degree, he thought - had connived to get a feature story in the Sunday LA Times marking its three-month anniversary. He’d been interviewed along with Senator Mike Wolski, as had several paramedic units, most notably Gage and DeSoto. He’d only gone along with the whole spectacle because, well it wasn’t because he liked getting his name in the paper.
He’d cooperated, despite the fact that it took time away from what he should be doing which was treating patients, because the paramedics needed every boost they could get and because he still felt guilty about his initial distrust of the program. He’d rationalized his position by insisting that hose-jockeys with some medical knowledge were dangerous agents rather than helpful, indeed life-saving, extensions of a physician. He’d held fast to the rightness of his beliefs until fate had left him depending on those same ‘ninety-day Kildares?to prevent a personal loss of nearly unimaginable proportions. Dixie had been right, and he had been horribly, dangerously wrong. He never wanted anyone else to experience the wait he’d endured until Dixie had arrived at the hospital ?safe and alive.
“Just one more second, Doc,?the photographer assured him. He glanced over and just behind the photographer, he could now see Joe Early standing with the paramedics, mugging for his benefit. Terrific. Joe will rag me about this forever. Then DeSoto stepped aside and Dixie slipped in to stand next to Joe. Oblivious to Early’s antics, she chatted with DeSoto for a second before turning to look at him as if he’d done something wonderful and heroic.
The paramedic program, he’d discovered that afternoon, wasn’t the only thing he’d been wrong about. He’d been wrong about their relationship too. Nearly losing Dixie had forced him to finally admit how he really felt about her and, gathering all his courage, he’d admitted it to her. He’d taken her out to dinner and for a long walk on the beach and finally told her that he loved her. He could feel the slightest of smiles creeping onto his face at the memory of her reaction. It had been an awfully good thing the beach was deserted.
“Hold it Doc; that’s perfect.<Flash>
