Big Deal

Followup scene to "Snakebite." Mike feels the need to make amends to Johnny.

Note: Hector, the tractor driver in "Snakebite," didn't have a last name. I came up with the name "Murphy" for another memorable character played by Richard X. Slattery – Murph, the gas station attendant in the Mobil commercials of the 1960s and 1970s.

As he approached Rampart General Hospital at a much slower pace than yesterday – after all, he'd been driving Big Red yesterday - Mike Stoker took a deep breath.

Again and again, the same two words ran through his head.

Big Deal!

Those were the words he'd said to Johnny Gage on hearing about the rescue undertaken by Johnny, Roy DeSoto and Chet Kelly on a desolate road in a neighboring state. Sure, it had been a challenge for Station 51's three returning vacationers to find help. But they were well trained. Of course they found help, Mike had thought.

Then came yesterday afternoon.

MarioAndretti couldn't have driven any faster, he thought. Not in a Ward LaFrance fire engine, anyway.

The ride from that canyon to Rampart General Hospital with a snakebitten Johnny had been the worst of his life. Captain Hank Stanley had been so shaken that he held the microphone backwards.

Good microphone, though, Mike thought. Sam Lanier heard him.

And Johnny starting his own IV….Mike shook his head. How does anyone do that? I couldn't, if I was the best paramedic in the world.

Mike's thoughts returned to the conversation at the station, and his words.

Big deal…..My God, I sounded just like Chet when he's arguing with Johnny. Guess I played Chet's role, since Chet was at their rescue.

Earlier, Marco Lopez had called and invited Mike to join him and his mother as they visited Johnny. Mike had declined. Mike knew that Marco and his mother would likely take along plenty of the Lopez family's favorite dishes – and lots of conversation. He wasn't sure he was in the mood for such cheeriness.

"What's wrong, Mike? Don't you wanna go see Gage?"

"Sure, but…."

"Are you still worried about what you said to him at the station yesterday?"

Mike sighed. "Yeah."

"Come on, Mike. Don't you know John Gage has the world's shortest memory when someone slams him? If he didn't, he couldn't tolerate Chet for more than two seconds."

Mike chuckled. "I sounded like Chet yesterday."

Marco joined in the laughter. "That's quite a trick, Station 51's quietest person sounding like one of its loudest. Don't worry, Mike."

Mike came back to the present as he parked, walked into the hospital and headed for Johnny's room. Briefly, he wondered if he should have brought something – some food, maybe. No. Not after Marco's family.

He tapped softly on the door and poked his head in. He heard one voice that was semi-familiar, another that was unfamiliar.

"Now Marge…."

"Now Hector Murphy, we've been married for 25 years, but you're not the boss of me!"

Mike frowned. Do I have the right room?

He got his answer through Johnny's enthusiastic voice.

"Mike!" Johnny beamed. "Come on in! You remember Hector, and this is his wife, Marge!"

A hesitant Mike walked in. "Hi Johnny," he said. He turned to the Murphys. "Hello."

The crusty Los Angeles County Fire Department tractor driver nodded. "Stoker," he said. "Marge, this is Mike Stoker, the engineer for 51s."

Marge Murphy smiled. "Hello," she said. "Hector tells me you're the quiet one at your station."

As Johnny started to laugh, Mike blushed.

"Now Marge," Hector interrupted.

"Mrs. Murphy, all I know is that Mike is a terrific engineer," Johnny chimed in. He looked at Mike and Hector. "And he and your husband did two great driving jobs yesterday to save my life."

Hector grunted. "Had to get you away from that snake, Gage. Never drove so fast in my life."

Johnny grinned. "Well, thanks, Hector. And Mrs. Murphy, he does a great job."

Marge winked at the young paramedic. She leaned over to him. "I know, but don't tell him that."

Johnny and Mike laughed as Hector blushed.

Johnny looked at Mike. "Hey, Mike, Mrs. Murphy brought some cornbread. Want to try some?" Now it was his turn to blush as he hesitated and looked at Marge. "That is, if it's OK with you."

"Of course," Marge said, and smiled.

Mike leaned over and gingerly took a piece of cornbread. "Thanks," he said. He took a bite. "It's very good, Ma'am. Thanks. Uh, and thanks, Johnny." He turned red again.

"Marge, the boy needs his rest," Hector chimed in. "And I think Stoker wants to visit with him."

Marge Murphy nodded. She touched Johnny's arm gently. "You get well now," she said with a motherly tone.

"Thank you, Mrs. Murphy," Johnny replied. He reached out his hand and shook Hector's. "And thanks, Hector, for the visit and especially for the rescue."

"Just get well, Gage." With that, Hector and Marge left.

Johnny smiled after them. "What a cute couple," he told Mike when the Murphys were gone. Mike nodded.

"Sorry I don't have any more of the enchiladas Marco and his mother brought," Johnny said apologetically. He blushed. "Hey, between that and hospital food…."

Mike chuckled. "No apologies necessary." He sobered a moment. "In fact, I owe you an apology."

Johnny frowned. "Really? What for?"

"The way I reacted to the rescue you, Roy and Chet were involved in on your fishing trip."

"Oh, come on, Mike. You weren't there."

"But I was there yesterday."

Johnny's face took on an expression of confusion. "Wait a minute, Mike. What do you mean?"

"I saw what you did yesterday. Putting an IV in your arm…."

"Anyone would have done that."

"No, Johnny. Not anyone." Mike looked down. "Certainly not me."

"Mike…."

"No, you don't understand, Johnny." Mike swallowed hard. "You and Roy….Paramedics…..I never agreed with the idea."

Johnny frowned. "Really?"

Mike nodded. "I didn't know how it would work. Firemen doing medicine?"

Johnny grinned. "We were kind of concerned about that ourselves."

"Well, I thought it was a terrible idea," Mike continued. "Those first few months when you and Roy couldn't answer calls without a nurse….And Captain Hammer wasn't the warmest person in the world about the idea, either."

"Captain Hammer wasn't the warmest person in the world, period," Johnny chimed in.

Mike gave a half-smile. "Even when Cap – Captain Stanley - came in, and he was all revved up about having us all learn about what you do, I still wasn't sure."

"What changed your mind, Mike? Maybe I should ask if anything did?"

"It took a while," Mike responded. "I wouldn't say that yesterday changed my mind, but it was sure the capper."

For once, Johnny was silent. He wanted to hear more.

"I've kind of gotten used to seeing you and Roy do so much for people," Mike continued. "I guess that's why I reacted the way I did when you spoke about what you guys and Chet did for those people. But then…..Johnny, I was never so scared in my life as I was yesterday."

"Really?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah. I'm really confident with Big Red, really confident," Mike said. "In this short time since we got her, I've grown to love driving her. But I had to drive faster, through all those hills, to get you to Rampart."

Johnny grinned. "As impressive as a self-attached IV, I think," he responded.

Mike shook his head. "No way. Anyone can drive a fire engine-"

"Not anyone," Johnny interrupted. He smiled again. "Would you trust Chet with Big Red?"

"Absolutely," Mike said. "Marco, too. And so would you."

"I know," Johnny agreed. He chuckled. "But don't tell Chet."

Mike joined in the laughter. "Anyway, I don't think anyone can put in their own IV. Even Roy wasn't sure."

"Roy could do it if he had to. Heck, he stuck a needle in me during paramedic training class! He seemed to like doing it, too…." Johnny growled in mock anger.

"OK, you guys are trained if you have to," Mike responded. "And you had to."

Johnny grinned. "It was either that or die. I wasn't planning to die."

Mike nodded. "Anyway, that is a big deal."

"So's your driving like Cale Yarborough to Rampart."

Mike started to speak and Johnny interrupted him. "Look, man, I get it. You feel bad. You don't need to. We all go at our own pace on stuff." He smiled. "I know I do."

This time, Mike smiled. "I won't tell Chet," he teased.

Johnny laughed. "Thanks. Hey, have some more cornbread."

The two men sat quietly and munched the bread. Mike looked at his colleague – so different in temperament, yet so skilled on the job. And he knew.

What they all did – in their own different ways - was a big deal. Hthe