Just a typical day …
We have a new nanny, Pam, who does the Thursday-evening-Single-Dad-gets-to-go-out thing and every other Saturday. She is older, a bit discombobulated, but great with Pearlsky and all is good.
I did not have my standing dinner date last night … the lovely, young, intelligent, gorgeous, red-head belly dancer teacher is out of the country for seven weeks, and, no, I am not going to have dinner with her now-lonely boyfriend! But that’s cool …
Freya is having dinner with her best friend and suggests I join them. Well, suggests I join them for a drink before dinner but then I have to leave so they can do the girl-talk thing. She actually thinks I will drive an hour each way, in the rain, for a 30 minute visit and drink! The nerve.
So I got in the car and went.
Thirty minutes into the rainy drive, there is a car accident a couple of hundred yards ahead of me. You may or may not know, thirty years ago (!!) I was a paramedic … I ran a rescue squad responsible for about 35,000 people. It’s still in my blood to some extent … so I stop to help. There are several legal reasons that I should not, I am not going to get into that here …
I get to the car that is in worse shape and open the driver’s door. The driver is banged up, the passenger looks fine. I do a quick check and say to the driver …
Are you into politics?
Ummm, I guess.
What is the president’s name?
Obama
Great. What’s my name?
She looks at me, puzzled.
I have no fucking clue.
Right answer.
I see that police and help are a few hundred yards back, in the traffic that is now backed up, but making their way. I tell her not to move at all, tell the passenger to say to the first responder “she needs a short board and collar.” I have him repeat it back to me … and with help arriving, I leave.
For Thanksgivings in the years to come she will be telling the story … “and then the moron asked me HIS name! …”
I continue on my drive … and my cellphone rings, a number I don’t know …
May I speak with Pam, please.
There is no Pam here. Well, sort of not (name of my nanny). Pam who?
Pam Smith
Oh. May I ask who is calling?
I am so confused.
Jonesville police.
Oy. She is my nanny and better be at home with my daughter. May I ask the problem?
Please give her the message that we reached security and all is set.
Let me get this straight. You claim to be the police, you want me to give Pam the message that all is set with security? What is your name?
Dispatcher 10.
Very strange. I try calling the nanny’s phone. It goes right to voice mail, repeatedly.
I get to the restaurant, late (which I hate). I immediately ask Freya for her phone, I want to call the number that called me (from a different phone) to see if it really was the police and find out more. No answer. Uggh.
At least the ladies insisted I stay and eat.
When I got home I did hear some bizarre story about forgetting to lock one’s office, no one answering phones, asking the police if they can call security at the facility where she works (big place), cell phone not charged, etc. Pearlsky was fine.
So, you wanted to hear more about Single Dad’s life? You asked …
Paramedic uh ?
Well aren’t you just full of surprises?
Something tells me you might just have the ladies swooning over you all the more now.
We did ask and, thanks for obliging.
Have a great weekend SD.
In the several ambulance rides I’ve taken with Sophie to the hospital for one emergency or another, I’ve noted to those who understand my sense of humor that it’s almost worth it given my inordinate attraction toward EMTs and firemen. I know this is true of most women, though, so I don’t pretend to be unique. HOWEVER, I really can’t imagine anything better than a FORMER EMT SINGLE DAD OF A DISABLED KID OR TWO. How many women do you know who feel THAT way?
Holy shit.
You live more in one evening than many people live in a lifetime.
I’m glad all was quiet on the home front when you got back.
That woman will be wondering why you asked her your name? I’m wondering why “dispatch” had your cell phone number. What? The hell?
Rivka
Yikes! No thank you. Please do not tell me more about your life. This was scary enough.
Cool! Yes, tell us more. And brag about your coffee, c’mon!
Very entertaining! Your sympathy score just went to zero. Happily.
Good for you for stopping to help the accident victim. Our legal system is way screwed up in many respects. I, for one, would perfer to be alive but permanently injured rather than dead because everyone was too afraid of being sued to try and help.