911 Communications Center

[C. Aylward]

*We walk into my office, Henry closes the door behind him.*

'The recliner?'

*I shake my head.*

'Yeah, I head him yelling and thats when I decided to take my break.'

[H. Goodricht]

'Well, I'm going to manage county comms, you go figure out what the fuck is happening. You know his wide ass is gonna pass out in a recliner. And jesus if someone walks in. Jesus, I didn't even consider the optics! I don't care if you have to take a crew car out to Office depot and buy in a chair, or seven. Fix this! Holy shit!'

*I mean, I can't blame him, I'd want to get away from Jim's yelling too.*

'See if you can talk some sense into him, as far away as that sounds.'

[C. Aylward]

'Yes sir,'

*I say with a groan. Every interaction with Jim is a chore. I step out of the office and walk over to Jim. Jim has already gotten a fine coating of cheeto dust on the armrest. *

'Alright, Jim. I don't think I need to say why I'm here. But we got to get that chair back into the break room. We can go out and get a new chair or you can use the one we put there this morning but that chairs going back in the break room.'

[J. "Big Jim" Kowalski]

*I sit back into the soft comfy chair as I look at Charles*

'Well Charles, ever since that work related accident yesterday, I've had a very sore and swollen rear end. I've been in a good deal of pain with sitting, and as you know, our work requires us to sit for prolonged periods of time.' I say very plainly. 

'I came into work this morning expecting reasonable accommodation for my temporary disability, and what did I come to discover? Some melon head thought it would be a good idea to have me plant my delicate derrière  on a small hard plastic chair for 12 hours. Can you believe that?' I say lightly outraged.

'I mean, apparently they're out of chairs and they're on order...and they said some nonsense about my chair being a custom order and that I'd have to deal with sitting on that tiny, firm piece of trash for at least 2 weeks. 2 weeks! 2 Weeks of pain because some jerk head didn't think to re-order some chairs incase one of these things broke. I wasn't about to sit here in pain for 2 weeks for someone else's problem. So...instead of bitching and moaning all morning, I solved it the best I could. So here we are. My rump doesn't hurt, I'm getting work done, and I think it's a win win for everyone. I mean, it's only temporary.'

[C. Aylward]

*With Every word out of Jim's mouth makes the little vein in my head want to burst more.*

'Well Jim you know its a union rule that we keep the break room adequately furnished and as a union supporter I know you wouldn't want to break rules. I know you guys fought hard for that contract. And if you are reporting a work place injury that you did not immediately report how do I know that it didn't happen at home and you just want to pull one over on us.'

*I say with a firm tone.*

[J. "Big Jim" Kowalski]

'Well now Charles, I wouldn't say the break room is inadequately furnished now. There's still a recliner and the two couches in there, besides, this is only temporary. I don't exactly like having to sit in this....makes the place look like a damn circus...but what choice do I have?' I say.

*I open up a Jack Link's Steak Jerky bar*

'...and you didn't get a copy of the report I filed?!' I say shocked.

'After these nice people helped me get up, I slowly...and I mean slowly...' I laugh a bit before continuing, '...made my way down to HR. Turns out the damn folder with blank incident report forms was empty up here and I didn't want to bother you or Henry during that crazy incident...you guys looked stressed enough...so I figured I'd go down to HR and report it directly to them. I filled out a report and they sent to to one of the doctors on their list. I took all damn day. Turns out I went to the busiest clinic in the county, which was not my intention mind you.'

*I take a bite of the steak bar*

'Anyway, I have a small hematoma in my crack and a contusion the size of Peru on my backside. The doctor cleared me to return to work but said it'd probably be better if I avoid sitting on hard surfaces.'

*I swallow and take another bite*

'Look Charles, I know this sounds like a whole Dog & Pony show, but let me tell you, I'd be fine with an appropriate chair, but a hard plastic chair from the lunch room is not that. Now that you're aware of the problem, I know you'll get this whole thing fixed, and fixed appropriately. I mean, that's why you got promoted over me. You can deal with all this chairs on backorder crap...but me? Nah. I'm just here to help people...one to one...*BUUURRRRPPPP*....oh...*clear throat* excuse me...*takes a drink from soda bottle hidden under the recliner arm that folds up to reveal a hidden compartment filled with junk food*'

*radio traffic comes through*

"Copy available, Medic 19. *heavy breath* I got nothing holding for you at this time."

[C. Aylward]

'Alright Jim, I'll tell you what. This is going to be a PR nightmare when that elementery school tour group comes. Lets go to Officemax and pick you up a new chair we can take the company car. And officemax is right across from that new German Restaurant. We can stop there for lunch. Whats it called.'

*I pull my phone out to check yelp. The logo of the restaurant is a man in a world war two German officer*

'Its called Colonel Krauts Bratwurst Bunker. And from the offensive looking mascot I don't think there going to be around much longer.'

[J. "Big Jim" Kowalski]

'I'll tell you what Charles. It's a deal, but let's do it on my next break in about 45 minutes. I got a bunch of calls just popping up.' I say as I straighten out and start taking calls.

CLICK

*clears throat* '911, *heavy breath* what's your emergency? *heavy breath*'

[J. "Big Jim" Kowalski]

After 45 minutes, it’s time for my break. I finish my last call and log out.

’Alright. Time to go get me a seat with Charles... and some sweet sweet brats...’

*I start to drool*

This recliner might look rediculous, but damn is it comfy.

*I adjust my weight in the recliner and find the perfect position. I look around and see no one is looking. My eye lids get heavy*

’Let me just....let me just...close my eyes for a minute before I get up.’

*I close my eyes. My hand blindly searches for the footrest release. I find it and pull. The foot rest comes sprinting outwards. I lean back in near full recline.*

’...just for a minute’ I say to myself softly as I nod off with incredible speed.

*Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz*
*Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz*
 

Snoring fills the room.

[H. Goodricht]

*Walking down the hall to the Comms centre, I swipe my ID wallet over the door and the solenoid clicks. It unlocks and lights itself green before I pull on the door and let myself in. The first sound I hear is snoring. So help me jesus, that lard better not be asleep. I'm praying I'm about to walk into some sort of medical event, not just a medical miracle wasting taxpayer dollars.

*Fuck. No one is dead. It's just Big Jim.*

'Lieutenant Aylward. A word?' I say loud enough to startle most, but not disturb any actual work. Walking by, I just happen to smack the chair, and the snoring stops for a moment at least.

[C. Aylward]

*I walk out of the bathroom and see Big Jim in his chair snoring. I go to my desk to grab my phone.*

'Lieutenant Aylward. A word?'

'You have to be fucking kidding me, I take my eye off him for one second and this happens.'

[J. "Big Jim" Kowalski]

*I walk into the comm center and waddle over to my desk. I huff, puff, and wheeze more than an asthmatic smoker running a marathon at 10,000 feet of elevation. 
 

I make it to my desk, struggle to get my backpack off my back (which is humorously tiny in comparison to my body), and upon finally succeeding I place it on the desk. I pull my chair out and carefully maneuver and align myself with my chair before finally plopping down into it.*

THUD

’Uggghhhhhh MY God’ I say in relief.

*I clear my throat and continue to huff, puff, and wheeze.
I dig through my backpack and pull out my breakfast. A 24 pack box of Twinkies and a half gallon jug of whole milk. I place them on my table and then drop the back pack next to me. I clear some space on the desktop by pushing a small stack of styrofoam containers from Colonel Krauts Brautwurst Bunker off the side of the desk and presumably into my wide mouthed trash can. Unbenounced to me, the trash can was already overflowing and the containers simply fell onto the floor.  The slight odor of rotting food scraps coming from my trash can fail to register with my nose. Perhaps I’ve gone nose deaf.*
 

Looking around I see Morgan already working. I peer over at her. It looks likes she’s trying to ignore ‘ol Jim...but no one can ignore my teddy bear cuddliness.  I start to catch my breath and clear my throat.
 

“Mornin’ sweetheart. How ya doin’?” I ask cheerfully as I open my box of Twinkies. 
 

“‘You know...There’s something different about you today....I can’t quite put my finger on it...did you change your hair?” I say as I remove the clear plastic from my first pack of twinkies and proceed to shove the entire Twinkie into my mouth in one go.
 

“Well...It looks extra pretty this mornin’” I say with my mouth bulging full of Twinkie.

[M. Price]

*Busy dispatching a MVA in Essex when I hear Big Jim say morning to me.  For a brief moment I look up and sigh at the look of his desk.  It's more a snack bar and trash bin than a desk to be working at.  This guy really reminds me of Nedry from Jurassic Park too.  Hope he gets paid well despite the amount of work he actually does.  He comments on my hair as he begins to consume a Twinkie like he was a grouper fish eating a mackerel.  Well I did style my hair in a pony tail because it's going to be hot today but it's not like I cut my hair so I ignore him as I go back to dispatching this MVA.

[J. "Big Jim" Kowalski]

Ahhh come on Morgan...you can't just ignore 'ol Jim like that!

I know! No one can resist the power of a Twinkie.

*I shove the second twinkie into my mouth and pull out another 2-pack from the box. I hold it up.*

"Hey Morg baby...you want a Twinkie? I got plenty." I say with my mouth completely full.

I can see she's still trying to ignore me.

"Ahhh come on...I know YOU can't resist that special cream filling." 

I start to laugh and small bits of half chewed twinkies come out of my mouth and land next to the faded mustard stain on my uniform shirt. 

*I start to choke and cough incredibly loudly *

I drop the twinkie pack and reach for my half gallon jug of milk and start to drink. Milk oozes from the sides of my mouth and down the front of my shirt.

I clear my thought a few times and catch my breath. I notice the wet stains on my shirt from the milk:

'Awww Jesus...' I say out loud as I look around for a paper towel.

*I find an old krinkled up pile of used napkins among the mounds of crap on my desk and use that to blot away the wetness.*

[C. Aylward]

*I look through the windows of the supervisors desk into the bullpen. I can see Morgan trying to ignore Jim but he won't let up, Monitoring some traffic from the university police trying to track down a ferocious possum in the parking lot of campus medical.*

"Campus Sergeant, we got him cornered under a car."

'10-4 show me responding in cart 2 with a milk crate. You guys hold it down over there'

*Jesus Christ, these guys are fucking clowns. There going to be telling their grandkids about how they defeated the mean possum under the car. Looking up I see Jim drinking a half gallon of milk spilling some down his shirt. As he begins to wipe up the desk area I get up.*

'Jim, we just went over this. If your going to eat then you can't do it at the console.'

[H. Goodricht]

*Being the director of comms usually means getting off work at a decent hour. Except when the FBI calls your county as a potential hotspot. I park my yellow SUV in the parking lot, swipe my key at the front door, and walk up to the communications center. I swipe my key and walk in. I'd literally just taken off my uniform, so it wasn't going back on. Plus, overtime generally means I wear what I want.*

'How's everyone? Callback has started, just to make sure we're good. Anything on the go in our end of the woods?'

[A. Tai]

*It's been a whirlwind, but I'm back from that week with my family. Maybe dealing with holiday emergencies will be better. I walk in past the human tank, and a couple of my colleagues before I sit down at my desk, taking my favourite chair.*

'Hey everyone, ready for the holiday cheer?'

[Dr. C. Grant]

*I walk in to the Communications Center. Uniform on. It's starting to grow on me.*

*I say hello to a few dispatchers who don't appear to be too busy at the moment, as I work my way over to the Supervisor's desk.*

Approaching the supervisor's desk, I greet Charles.

"Good morning Charles. How are you today?" I ask.

We exchange some small talk.

'Hey, can you do me a favor? Can you broadcast to all EMS units that I'll take all Medical Control calls today. I can be reached on 16, or on my cell.' I ask.

[C. Aylward]

*The doctor walks towards my desk, We exchange pleasantries.*

'Hey, can you do me a favor? Can you broadcast to all EMS units that I'll take all Medical Control calls today. I can be reached on 16, or on my cell.'

*I give a nod.*

'Sure thing, Ill send it out as a message to the KDTs as well.'

*I hit the foot pedal*

"Attention all EMS units, Dr. Grant will be running medical control for the duration. If you need him he will be available by cell phone or on channel 16."

*I type out a similar message and send it as a blast to all EMS units logged in*

'Do you want me to put you on the board as well or are you in the office this shift?'

[Dr. C. Grant]

'I'll be hanging out here today, mostly.' I reply.

'I've got some paperwork I've been procrastinating on a little to much....I figure I'll be able to get my work done here without the kids bothering me.' I chuckle.

[A. Tai]

*Coming into shift, I drop my bag on the floor by my station and day goodbye to the dispatcher I'm relieving. I see Morgan walk in, followed, lumbering behind, Big Jim*

'Hey, congrats on the award Morgan. Good work!'

[C. Aylward]

*Morgan and Big Jim walk in.*

'Congrats on the award Morgan!'

*I say from behind the screens of my console.*

[M. Price]

*Arriving to work and receiving all the congrats on the Dispatcher of the Year award would feel great if I wasn't arriving at the same time as Big Jim.  He's been wanting that award for the longest time and for me, who's only been working here for a couple years, to get it must hurt.  Well perhaps he's too focused on eating his breakfast burritos to listen to the others.*

'Thanks'

*Replying with a smile to each and everyone one saying congrats to me.  Making my way to my desk I sit down and prepare for the start of the shift.*

[A. Tai]

*Looking over as Morgan sits down, I realize she's going to be next to me, and next to her is Big Jim's choice spot. I'll have prime view of any drama. I know he's been dying for that award for years.*

'So Morgan, do anything special to celebrate?'

[M. Price]

'No, can't really say we did.  Went to a Thai place for dinner, I guess?'