My Red Fire Engine (standard:adventure, 266 words)
Author: GXD	Added: Jan 27 2009	Views/Reads: 5065/0	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
In 1935, Mayor LaGuardia of New York used to chase the fire engines in his red car and help fight fires with his bare hands. He needed help, and I was there.

My Red Fire Engine 

The bolt slid through its hole and I spun a nut onto its threads with my
fingers.  Next, I drove two more girders between the first pair and 
built a box beam.  It was solid.  I hauled on the wrench and locked it 
all up tight.  Five beams later, I had a frame.  The truck built itself 
before my eyes.  Minutes later, I wangled couplings onto the axle ends, 
locked them up with a twist of the screwdriver, and sat back to admire 
my work. 

Four bright chrome wheels with red hubs nestled into the velvet carpet. 
I could already smell the smoke and (in my mind's eye) I hopped onto 
the jump step.  The engine roared and bucked as we tore down the 
street. I didn't know the driver, but he sure loved to ring that bell!  
The siren screamed in my ear, drowning out the drone of biplanes racing 
to the fire, carrying water-bags. 

The Mayor was already there, struggling with a huge hose, all alone.  I
leaped off to help him steady the writhing nozzle.  Our eyes met and he 
grinned.  Bolts of water surged under our arms and shot out, fifteen 
stories high, splashing off walls and windows, quenching the flames.  
We saw people jumping from high ledges and ran to spread the safety net 
for them.  Smoke erupted from all sides and billowed upward.  I felt a 
. . . 

"Jerry" came a woman's voice, "Get out from under that table and come
eat your cereal." 

Cincinnati, April 1983 Gerald X. Diamond Copyright 2009 All rights
reserved 


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