First Practice
I could hardly wait for tonight’s first practice with the Canton Bull Dogs! So, I scrambled up some eggs. I lit with matches from the matchbox my small gas stove to cook in my iron black skillet and had a piece of toast with marmalade spread on it. I cracked open a quart bottle of milk to have with my breakfast. I just had four quarts dropped off by the milk man in the metal crate. Had a fresh block of ice for the icebox to keep everything cold. There is nothing better in my mind’s eye than a cold glass of milk, or quart bottle if you’re a single man. We all know a good breakfast stick to your ribs and stays with you all day. Later, if you still feel it on your ribs just give yourself a good pop in the chest and should get it moving again. Ha! I sat at my small kitchen table and chewed on my marmalade toast and as I chewed you would hear an occasional whistle come out while I was chewing. It always through my buddies for a loop! We often wondered if I swallowed a canary! Just a crazy little habit I don’t believe I even realized I do. I stabbed my fork in the hot scrambled eggs and they hit the spot just right. I knew you couldn’t count on lunch on time at the fire house and I would need something to sustain him through such a full day. I pulled out my bible and read through Psalm 23 which became my life chapter. Not that firefighting and football was the shadow of death in my mind. I simply liked the fact I wasn’t going through this day alone by any stretch of the imagination. I loved the fact that he was going to be doing my two favorite things in life. You could see it brought out the very best in me. The challenges in each truly bring adventure to me as I start this new day in my life!
To the men that fight fires together it clearly isn’t a job! Fire fighting is a calling! The call is made by your heart and mind in concert. Even on a slow day, you have peace for a moment and time stands literally still. Still as a lake which appears to be like glass and your reflection is shown clear as a bell. Time has a way of repeating itself, yet a day like today will be a memory that last forever. We pretty much just tended to the fire truck and making sure the mechanics were all in place and each hose and sprayer were exactly where they should be.
This truck is an American La France Metropolitan Fire Engine. It had a model 150-PWT Pump with Tank. This truck saw service from date of purchase (1929) until around late 1950's early 1960's. It weighed at eleven thousand three hundred pounds. The engine size was eight hundred and fifty-five cubic inches. The truck had six cylinder engines, one hundred and thirty horsepower. Duel ignition System with a magneto distributor. The pump was a waterous seven hundred and fifty gallons per minute pump. It had a tank that held one hundred and fifty gallons of water. The fire truck held two ladders which were twenty-six foot and twenty-eight foot respectively. We had a single spot light dead center on the front of the truck which you could reach from the seats. One was on the back of the truck dead center. We needed those lights at nigh to visually see what we were doing. We had a tool box that held everything we would possibly need.
The fire truck had a big-old shiny silver bell that hung down, right by the driver. Like he didn’t have enough to do! The water tank had a pump which took to gentleman to work during the fire. We had brass brazen nozzles and clay pipe nozzles. Axes to knock the doors down that were locked. We had hoses that would stretch out for blocks, to go around the house if needed. To say in a nutshell, we had our hands full almost every day. Enough work to choke a chicken and then some. We minded our P’s and our Q’s and kept busy. There is nothing mundane about any part of the call. When fire fighting is a call, for each fireman than it matters that everything works on the fire truck so we can fulfill our call and save lives. You have to be transparent enough with each man that we can know what the other man needs. Give and take you know. I think that is what I admire the most about the job is the fine balance to compliment and be successful in our triumphs. Fire fighting takes a patience I didn’t even realize was a part of this Pennsylvania Dutch tempered man. For a moment when I am one with my crew my best will shine through to save the lives and fight the fires! I took out the old rag from my pocket and shinned up the hood of the fire truck and stood back to admire the extra care we took today to make sure we were ready.
We were ready, ready to call it a day at the fire house and head out to the practice fields where the Canton Bulldogs knocked helmets and tried to out block run each other one more time. I looked at Sam and grabbed him around the scruff of his neck and gave him a tight squeeze. I knew it would be a small window where we would enjoy fire fighting and football. I said, “Let’s go bro and see if our team mates are ready to stop the offence and hold them to very little yardage.” We jumped on our bikes and made our way over to the practice field just behind the stadium to mix it up with Bulldogs one more time.
We rolled into the gravel parking area and skidded to a stop just in front of the coaches’ car. Sam just missed putting a scratch in his model T Ford and I thought Coach was going to tear our heads off. Coach Guy Chamberlin hollered out, “Stroup’s get you’re no good tails off the dang bikes and run two laps around the field, now!” We both knew we had a relatively good day and were ready to play football. So, we put in our two laps and fell into line with the rest of the Canton Bulldogs to get ready for the team picture before practice. I made sure I had my leather helmet on and got myself in the front row. Who knows when the last time we do this will be.
So, our photographer Jake the snake set us up as a team just by the fence and the scoreboard. We had eight guys in the first two rows and the coaches and managers had seven in the back row. My brother Sam was sporting his dapper hat in the back row he was our manager. I was the fourth man in on the right with my helmet on. I heard one of the guys holler out that Charlie needs the helmet to hold his brains in! Maybe there is some truth to that. I will use those brains out Witt that son of a gun. Just a couple more smart remarks from him and he was about to remember me all night right across his ribs. Jake set up in front of us baking up to get everyone in his frame of his Rolleiflex Camera and winds the film for a few more shots. I was saving myself for a nice black box camera to capture the moments of my life someday.
Coach Chamberlin gave a loud shout to line up in our offense and defense squads a get ready for the scrimmage. We all took off for the twenty yard line to line up and start our scrimmage. I always lined up dead center on the defense I was the nose guard. No wise cracks, that means I’m going to shoot up the alley and try to put a hurt on our quarterback or our running back. Our running back Jim Thorpe was amazing. He was as big as life in our day! Jake was still trying to get photographs of him running from the sidelines to sell to the national papers. Some say Jim was born without a birth certificate somewhere near the town of Prague, Oklahoma. His real name at birth was Jacobus Franciscus Thorpe. Jim had a twin brother named; you guessed it Charlie who died of pneumonia. Charlie and Jim went to school together in Stroud, Oklahoma. Jim went to college at Carlisle and is known for his big upset over Harvard where he had four field goals and a touchdown. He was quite a placekicker too. Rumor had it Jim was getting paid Two Hundred and fifty dollars a game. So, that will motivate him to break my tackle in practice. He ran track and was in the Olympics and he was the fastest man I ever saw on offense or defense and was impossible to catch once he broke away. Game after game it seemed like that is all he did, he would break away. Not one guy in the place was willing to challenge him with that, or they would face a serious stiff arm. All I know was when he ran by you and he would, it was lights out and no chance to catch him! The only chance I had was to somehow disrupt the play enough I could tackle him before he kicked it into gear. All I know is I wore scars from his cleats brushing my forearms as he lifted out of my grasp. Oh yes, Coach Guy Chamberlin giving me nothing but an earful for not making the tackle.
I loved to tackle who ever I could. I was born to tackle. Weather it was football or fishing. Ha! I lined up again and I could hear Sam yelling, “Come on Charlie put a hit on him!” Sam knew I wouldn’t put up with the guff and eventually would have my way or no way! I buried my knuckles in the field and set to make one more run at it and get to the quarterback this time. John Brailler was no easy catch no matter what fly rod you used. He seemed to step out of the pocket and avoid tackles at will. This time I felt the confidence to get to him. John yelled, “Hike!” I made my way past the left guard and right tackle and dove for John backing up and my weight and his footing brought him to the ground! Sam was careful to just turn away and keep his mouth shut. Otherwise Chamberlin would send him running again. I caught Sam eye and gave him a smile and a wink! Some of greatest moments were on the practice field. Believe it or not there is reward for the moments when your heart is beating and your play is executed to perfection to win a single down.
Coach Guy Chamberlin knew we lost a lot of practice time from the photo shoot but we managed to run about thirty plays. My success was beginning to dwindle by the end of the night. I swore John promised the guard and tackle steaks after the practice at the café at the corner of Sixth and Pearl Way. I got into both of their faces and said it is impossible to stop a burning fire! They saw the anger in my eyes as I broke through one more time and even Coach Guy hollered out, “Nice play Stroup!” “That’s a great practice Bulldog’s! Let’s call it a night!” Coach Chamberlin exclaimed! He grabbed his clipboard and headed to the side lines to talk to his coaches and he gave Sam a nudge on his head and a pat on the back! “Get the gear in the bag Sam and let’s get home for supper!” Coach exclaimed!
I met Sam by the bikes and we were trying to beat twilight and get home for supper and some shut eye. You can’t make the great moments I lived today happen. Sam I came to the road where he hangs a left and I keep going straight to my simple apartment I call home. I hollered out, “See you tomorrow Sam!” I pedaled as quickly as I could and pulled up to the side of the apartment and leaned my bike there. I went in the door and slapped on the wall switch and made my way to the icebox to grab some supper. I had a quick PB & J and some cold milk and it was lights out when I hit the pillow.
I kept thinking to myself how quick Jim Thorpe was and what a talented man he was. His speed and agility and strength to break tackles were amazing and ticked me off. I was glad to call him one of my teammates! It was a tossup though for me between fire fighting call and playing football. I believe I leaned toward the call to be a fireman though and save lives. Football put a different smile on my face and hunger in my heart. I believe that for Jim Thorpe sports was his call. Sometimes to totally different calls can find a common place and respect for one another in the moments we call life. So may that common place change us for one more day!
I grabbed my bible and kicked back in my bed and turned to John 3:16. For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son, that who so ever believes in Him will not parish but have everlasting life. I lay on my back and the bible hit face down on my barrel chest. I could see my breathing move the Bible up and down. All of the sudden it hit me like a ton of bricks. I lived as complete a life as anyone could hope for today! Even then it falls short and I fall short of God’s Grace! He gave up something I haven’t had yet. His Son! My mind turned on that for the moment I realized I couldn’t sacrifice my only son to cover the sins of the world. But, God did that for me! I prayed to God and thanked for a great sacrifice and asked Him to change my heart to be more like Christ who died for me! I can live a different life that will maybe change future generations to make a difference for Christ. Then it hit me the children, grandchildren and the great grandchildren were all in front of me! Just as great as today was for me, even greater days lay ahead! Tears filled my Pennsylvania Dutch eyes and I was over whelmed with His ever present love. I moved my Bible from My chest to the bed stand and an amazing thing happened to me. The words blazed through my heart and my mind and brought peace to my thirsting soul. God gave me the call to fight fires, the strength to play football and heart and mind to discern his unsearchable scriptures and apply them to this full life I live! I am truly thankful He gave His Son for me to have an unbelievable future in Heaven with Him someday! Amen! I went fast asleep to awaken to another full and complete day tomorrow with a new light in my life.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Canton Bull Dogs-Steven Sutherland 2009
CHAPTER 1
FIRE STATION
My call as young man was to be a fire fighter and play football. I believe I could always count on our team at the fire department and on the football field. The two professions were similar at times. They were polar opposites at best. The one consistent, heartbeat in each of them was you had the sense of over whelming accomplishment when you walked away to find yourself. Perhaps we wrestle with who we are day to day. I know when the body and mind are drained from being your very best for those minutes of total focus. The exhaustion from the total day allows time to breathe in the fresh air and revives me once more to know that each cinder we took out and each tackle we made took all that I had within me. I look back and wonder how I had the strength and presence of mind to be successful at both. It was only because of God and the strength he provides.
Hi, I’m Charlie Stroup. I’m about 165 pounds soaking wet. The fire department garb, I weigh in at 195 pounds. With all the football gear on 175 pounds of angry Pennsylvania Dutch with the reddest face on earth when I’m an angry man. I love to pound people into submission and often will ask for what I want once until I get it. I wrestle with who I am almost on an hourly basis. I guess with growing up in a large family I fought everyday to keep my individuality. I always knocked my brothers around and not visa versa. I wouldn’t take their guff for any amount of money in the world. It goes way past pride to the very heart of being up rooted on my own choice to start a new life in Akron, Ohio. There was no entourage following me west to Ohio. Just, Charlie that’s all. I’m not trying to sound harsh, I enjoyed my family, respected my parents. I believe this was my shot in life and I better pay attention and make smart decisions along the way. I always love to walk around my neighborhood and take in the fall fresh air and fill the barrel chest man up with some serious oxygen. I had respect for oxygen. All firemen know oxygen feeds and nourishes our body and blood cells. We gain our strength from the oxygen similar to a fire that is spreading quickly through a building and moving at seemingly blazing speed. So, tonight I build strength in my own house so I can fight the good fight again tomorrow. The leaves were just turning and I was get psyched up to take a big bite out of a crisp, ripe red apple for a snack after the stroll. I could see kids playing on the monkey bars and I smiled and laughed at their transparent souls that lacked nothing for the moment. I could see similar children in my future someday, just not right now. I was in the best shape of my life and I had plenty to keep me out of trouble for the most part accept the trouble makers at the fire house and on the football field. I had to looking the mirror when I start thinking like that. Like who is calling who trouble. You are in many sense of the word,
Whom you surround your self with each day. It takes a strong man though to hold onto the best inside of you and stay strong to the call on your heart. Your like a car sometimes on black ice sliding and spinning out of control and you find just enough time and sense to straighten things out from becoming out of control. We certainly take for granted the outcomes in life. When for instance I read the other day cancer spread in a young ladies body and took her life at thirty nine. I just shake my head and realize that someday I will be just like her and have to throw up my hands and say you win this time. We just seem to skim by near misses and not realize how fortunate we are to be fighting the next fire, playing football with the boys, watching the kids play and bighting into a red fresh crisp apple before we call it a day and catch some well deserved hay. I round the third block and I head in the apartment for a bight of my crisp apple and some well deserved sleep. I open the screen door and shut the apartment door behind me and locked the lock for the night. I grabbed my apple and washed it under the faucet and wiped it dry. I took one big bight and I wasn’t let down one bit. This apple was crisp and amazing to the core. I hope my life will be the same as I live each day and I will not disappoint anyone and they will see me solid and great to the core. With a name like Charlie how can you possibly fall short?
I walked down the hall way and slapped the wall on the way though the door to jump in his bed. I flipped the wall switch and the room light dead center on the ceiling came on and was the only light for the room. Although the bedroom window brought daylight when the sun shown in. What else do you need in your room? I had a bed, a bed stand with a King James Bible and some change from his pocket and his leather wallet. I pulled down my sheets and blanket and sat on my bed and prayed a simple prayer. Lord, please keep my path straight, my family safe and the future clear. Amen. I shut off the light on the wall switch and jumped into bed and fell a sleep relatively quickly. You have to allow your time shut eye time to give and live your best tomorrow.
I was awakened from the sound of nature out my window and I sat up in my bed and found my slippers and made my way to the kitchen to brew up some coffee in the metal coffee percolator. I opened up the refrigerator door and pulled out the coffee can and measured up ten level scoops. I liked it strong so I would always add one more scoop just for the heck of it. Nothing like looking at the clear faceted top to know something good was brewing and about to make an awesome morning satisfying drink to keep me going all day long. Something about the aroma of coffee brewing early in the morning to get your senses and your mind awaken with that familiar feeling!
I hopped on his Schwinn bike and pedaled my way on the six mile journey to Fire Station #4 to serve the public today. I could smell that fall burnt leaves smell from the local neighbors and I kept an eye on small fires because I knew how quickly they could spread. I wasn’t afraid to stop people and warn them so being a fireman and all. Folks in my neighborhood knew that and respected my words and would pay mine to them. I found most folks to be awful nice and they were. Awful and nice depending on whom they were with! Just thinking about that put a smile on my face as I made my way down the block and around a 1918 Chevrolet Sedan. I thought how bulky it looked and who would ever buy a Chevrolet to begin with. Charlie was a little stubborn that way I mean why one single person would lay money down on anything other than a Ford automobile anyway. The 1918 Ford Runabout was the way to go! I felt the wind push behind me making my navigation up the block seem to cruise by. I made my familiar right turn at the end of the block by the park without even thinking about it. Someday I would be able to say I could remember when I rode my bike six miles each way everyday to be fireman and fought fires on top of it! I would forget about the lull time where they passed the shift away playing checkers with one another. I took pride in kicking anyone who would challenge me to a checkers match tail all the way out of good old #4 Fire Stations, on Lincoln Avenue. I made my checker board back in High School at Garfield in the wood shop. The checker board was made of pine and oak squares on plywood and glued together with wood glue. I used a mighty-nice stain and varnish to give it that store bought look. The checker pieces were bought at the five and dime store and where red and black like they have always been. My checker board looked store bought and I kept it that way. So did every fireman in #4 Fire Stations. I never looked for trouble, really I did! Trouble wasn’t necessarily my middle name just something I liked to vie around with, if you know what I mean. I knew exactly what irked people and loved to get under their skin when I got the chance. I didn’t manage to cause trouble; I sort of was trouble all right. I had a quick thinking brain and could come up with some hair brain ideas at a moment’s notice. I was able to get away with a lot of shenanigans at elementary school when I was a young one. Like sticking a big twig just right in my friend’s bike spokes so his friend would topple over in the middle of the gravel road. You could hear my friend cussing up a mean streak trying to pull his act together again and recovering from his bumps and bruises. I would be cutting up around the block where I had a perfect bird’s eye view. My good side would keep me from being suspected by anyone. You just wouldn’t have called me on it, I mean never! I was slick as a whistle and covered my tracks amazingly well.
I was never sure as I finished my bike ride to the Fire Station whether I was going to say match game or be fighting matches and the damage they can do. You have to remember in 1918 Akron, Ohio was one of the fastest growing cities in the world. The city went from 69,000 up to 180,000 almost overnight. The hustle and bustle of new people in a new area caused havoc all by itself and left very little room for accidents to happen and recover from them as well. Goodyear Tire and Rubber became Americas top tire manufacturer and Akron was granted the title of “The Rubber capitol of the world”. What will you tell me next? Woman will be flying single wing airplanes next year in Canton! I heard all the hub-bub of the Wright Brothers was causing all around the world. America had ninety million people living there at the time. We knew Teddy Roosevelt’s term in office was ending soon. Now, we heard about that crazy around the world race. People came from all over the world in that crazy race. Who would have thought of such a lame brain idea? I skidded up to the #4 Fire Station and parked my bike along the right side of the building against the brick walls. I thought to myself that someday I will have a sturdy brick house like this that is safe from catching on fire.
I rolled in and saw my brother Sam whom I fought fires with and played semi-pro football after their shift was done. Sam was shorter than I and he lacked my barrel chest and strength. Sam would play football on a need be basis he was really kind of the Canton Bull Dogs Manager. He kept the footballs stout and the uniforms clean. Sam made Charlie always smile from the get go. I’m not sure of much, but the history between Charlie and Sam just flowed like water over Niagara Falls. These two got each other and were overwhelming support in those tough times in which they lived. The young men never felt like they lacked much because they were so full of life.
The #4 Fire Station had everything you would come to expect. We had three strong horses that pulled a steam boiler with ladders along the side of the carriage. We were known as the bucket brigade across the country. The shinny carriage always looked good and Vern took care of the horses and bridled them up and drove the carriage with his handy little whip. We use to tease him about that whip. He never left it overnight at the fire station he always took it home with him. We weren’t sure if he used in the wood shed on his young ones or his Mrs. When she got out of line. Maybe he just kept it above the fire place to keep all the troops in line.
No just kidding! We actually had real new motorized fire trucks made by South Bend Motor cars. The fire truck was very shinny and very red that the city just purchased. Believe me we took very good care of them. They were washed more than some of the men did, on a daily basis. The chrome always shinned real nice.
We had our nice lockers with our fire gear in there and stool’s in front of each one. The Chiefs office was on the main floor in the back with big windows so he could see the doings within the fire station he was in charge of each day. One could see the fire pole which lead up stairs to our hangout where we were, always ready to fight fires. We had a small kitchen, beds and a place to read. We had stairs we took up and down in non-emergency times. “Hey bro-, did you catch any perch last night?” Charlie said To Sam with a smile! “Nope, no walleye either!” Sam quipped back. You can hardly keep the two from teasing one another. Only when, they are fighting fires and saving lives! I went over and sat on the stool and put my personal belongings in there. I only brought to the fire station what I absolutely needed and not much more. I knew and trusted everyone there. You just had to! It was just the way I went about my business and carried myself. No sense starting trouble or tempting someone to covet something you worked hard for. Money didn’t come easy to anyone. Think about all that we are facing in these hard times today. I often wondered when times would ever turn around and get better. I was just fine, but Akron just needed a little boost with all the new folks around. Wally, Buck and Jim, Carl, Ralph, Gene, Elvin, Matt, Ted and Jack wondered in and got ready for their day. I thought to myself. What a great bunch of men that I entrusted my life with. Chief Vern came out and slapped some of the guys on the back and went over the agenda for the week. Chief knew the lay of the land from one end to the other around the #4 Canton Fire Stations. The fire station was just east of downtown Canton. Lincoln Street was a main thorough fare as you could have going in front of the fire station. The city of Akron was twenty three miles do north. The other main road was Trump Avenue just due east of our station. Vern grew up around these parts and knew every nook and cranny from horsing around as a kid. Horsing around doesn’t pay off! It most certainly did for Vern. He was made captain at a very early age of twenty-eight and has been captain for fifteen years already. You had to respect him just for all the knowledge of the area. Not to mention, he has some pretty good stories about folks. That he will occasionally share with us outside the fire station when we are all hanging out catching an ice cream soda after a shift. I looked at Sam and gave him the eye to go up stairs once Chief Vern was done so I could whoop him in Checkers. I want to tell you all the sudden the fireman’s bell was being run by Jack who just received word of a fire right off of Marietta Drive. We jumped over to the lockers and manned our fire suits and hats. Vern got the troops rolling and loaded up in the fire truck and Sam and I were standing on the back holding on to the chrome handles to the left and right. I’m telling you it was out of nowhere and I could feel my adrenalin pumping real good now. We all know that that is a good thing when it happens. I was fighting the wind though which seemed to be picking up and catching the brim of my fire hat even though the chin strap was holding it firm into place. We made a left on Lincoln and headed up to Marietta Street where we would turn right and try to determine where the fire was at. We heard Wally holler back he could see billows of smoke rolling out of a farm house just to the west. Which concerned every fireman on the fire truck? The downtown city of Canton was west of there. Fortunately, the winds were blowing east. The truck stopped in front of the farm house and we could see the family seemed safe on the ground. Buck was talking to them trying assuring the whole family was out of the house. We heard Buck holler out, “All - Safe!” So, Sam grabbed a ladder and I grabbed a hose and headed toward the farm house to put out the fire coming from the second story window. I started in the front door and up the stairs with the fire hose and Elvin was making sure the hose had no kinks in it. Sam, Gene, Matt and Ted were fighting the fire from the north side of the farm house. Buck got us there safely. Wally Buck and Jack ran the water pressures by the truck. Each man had a specific job to do and did it well. I just rounded the corner up stairs and was kicking the door down with the back of my foot and the fire turned back on me and the floor went from under my feet. It was a strange feeling to be standing and all the sudden have the feeling I’m falling. I quickly braced myself for the fall and rolled out of it. The roll was just instinctive we practice it all the time. I was in disbelief it actually worked. Ralph checked I was all right because he heard the explosion and crack of the floor and came a running. Jack was all ready up the stairs and doing a great job of getting the fire out from across the hole in the floor. I was so proud of him and completely forgot about my fall and took his part back by the truck until all clear sign was given. Within twenty minutes of getting there we were able to contain the fire to upstairs and put it out. We all had that charred fireman’s look on our faces and on our fire clothes. We gathered up our stuff and family came to help about the family who’s upstairs caught on fire. Wally was still asking the family questions trying to figure out how the whole thing started. Sometimes we don’t know for weeks, months or at all how the nasty fire got rolling. We finished putting everything back on the fire truck and headed back to good old #4. Vern opened the two big fire doors left and right and Wally backed the fire truck back into the fire station. We quickly unloaded and put away our stuff. We still had to go over our check list and prepare the truck for the next big event we keep hoping will never come to fruition. I always remember this one fact. Fireman our fireman no matter where they are at! So, I put my arm around my brother Sam and said,” How about the game of checkers now!” Sam just smiled!
FIRE STATION
My call as young man was to be a fire fighter and play football. I believe I could always count on our team at the fire department and on the football field. The two professions were similar at times. They were polar opposites at best. The one consistent, heartbeat in each of them was you had the sense of over whelming accomplishment when you walked away to find yourself. Perhaps we wrestle with who we are day to day. I know when the body and mind are drained from being your very best for those minutes of total focus. The exhaustion from the total day allows time to breathe in the fresh air and revives me once more to know that each cinder we took out and each tackle we made took all that I had within me. I look back and wonder how I had the strength and presence of mind to be successful at both. It was only because of God and the strength he provides.
Hi, I’m Charlie Stroup. I’m about 165 pounds soaking wet. The fire department garb, I weigh in at 195 pounds. With all the football gear on 175 pounds of angry Pennsylvania Dutch with the reddest face on earth when I’m an angry man. I love to pound people into submission and often will ask for what I want once until I get it. I wrestle with who I am almost on an hourly basis. I guess with growing up in a large family I fought everyday to keep my individuality. I always knocked my brothers around and not visa versa. I wouldn’t take their guff for any amount of money in the world. It goes way past pride to the very heart of being up rooted on my own choice to start a new life in Akron, Ohio. There was no entourage following me west to Ohio. Just, Charlie that’s all. I’m not trying to sound harsh, I enjoyed my family, respected my parents. I believe this was my shot in life and I better pay attention and make smart decisions along the way. I always love to walk around my neighborhood and take in the fall fresh air and fill the barrel chest man up with some serious oxygen. I had respect for oxygen. All firemen know oxygen feeds and nourishes our body and blood cells. We gain our strength from the oxygen similar to a fire that is spreading quickly through a building and moving at seemingly blazing speed. So, tonight I build strength in my own house so I can fight the good fight again tomorrow. The leaves were just turning and I was get psyched up to take a big bite out of a crisp, ripe red apple for a snack after the stroll. I could see kids playing on the monkey bars and I smiled and laughed at their transparent souls that lacked nothing for the moment. I could see similar children in my future someday, just not right now. I was in the best shape of my life and I had plenty to keep me out of trouble for the most part accept the trouble makers at the fire house and on the football field. I had to looking the mirror when I start thinking like that. Like who is calling who trouble. You are in many sense of the word,
Whom you surround your self with each day. It takes a strong man though to hold onto the best inside of you and stay strong to the call on your heart. Your like a car sometimes on black ice sliding and spinning out of control and you find just enough time and sense to straighten things out from becoming out of control. We certainly take for granted the outcomes in life. When for instance I read the other day cancer spread in a young ladies body and took her life at thirty nine. I just shake my head and realize that someday I will be just like her and have to throw up my hands and say you win this time. We just seem to skim by near misses and not realize how fortunate we are to be fighting the next fire, playing football with the boys, watching the kids play and bighting into a red fresh crisp apple before we call it a day and catch some well deserved hay. I round the third block and I head in the apartment for a bight of my crisp apple and some well deserved sleep. I open the screen door and shut the apartment door behind me and locked the lock for the night. I grabbed my apple and washed it under the faucet and wiped it dry. I took one big bight and I wasn’t let down one bit. This apple was crisp and amazing to the core. I hope my life will be the same as I live each day and I will not disappoint anyone and they will see me solid and great to the core. With a name like Charlie how can you possibly fall short?
I walked down the hall way and slapped the wall on the way though the door to jump in his bed. I flipped the wall switch and the room light dead center on the ceiling came on and was the only light for the room. Although the bedroom window brought daylight when the sun shown in. What else do you need in your room? I had a bed, a bed stand with a King James Bible and some change from his pocket and his leather wallet. I pulled down my sheets and blanket and sat on my bed and prayed a simple prayer. Lord, please keep my path straight, my family safe and the future clear. Amen. I shut off the light on the wall switch and jumped into bed and fell a sleep relatively quickly. You have to allow your time shut eye time to give and live your best tomorrow.
I was awakened from the sound of nature out my window and I sat up in my bed and found my slippers and made my way to the kitchen to brew up some coffee in the metal coffee percolator. I opened up the refrigerator door and pulled out the coffee can and measured up ten level scoops. I liked it strong so I would always add one more scoop just for the heck of it. Nothing like looking at the clear faceted top to know something good was brewing and about to make an awesome morning satisfying drink to keep me going all day long. Something about the aroma of coffee brewing early in the morning to get your senses and your mind awaken with that familiar feeling!
I hopped on his Schwinn bike and pedaled my way on the six mile journey to Fire Station #4 to serve the public today. I could smell that fall burnt leaves smell from the local neighbors and I kept an eye on small fires because I knew how quickly they could spread. I wasn’t afraid to stop people and warn them so being a fireman and all. Folks in my neighborhood knew that and respected my words and would pay mine to them. I found most folks to be awful nice and they were. Awful and nice depending on whom they were with! Just thinking about that put a smile on my face as I made my way down the block and around a 1918 Chevrolet Sedan. I thought how bulky it looked and who would ever buy a Chevrolet to begin with. Charlie was a little stubborn that way I mean why one single person would lay money down on anything other than a Ford automobile anyway. The 1918 Ford Runabout was the way to go! I felt the wind push behind me making my navigation up the block seem to cruise by. I made my familiar right turn at the end of the block by the park without even thinking about it. Someday I would be able to say I could remember when I rode my bike six miles each way everyday to be fireman and fought fires on top of it! I would forget about the lull time where they passed the shift away playing checkers with one another. I took pride in kicking anyone who would challenge me to a checkers match tail all the way out of good old #4 Fire Stations, on Lincoln Avenue. I made my checker board back in High School at Garfield in the wood shop. The checker board was made of pine and oak squares on plywood and glued together with wood glue. I used a mighty-nice stain and varnish to give it that store bought look. The checker pieces were bought at the five and dime store and where red and black like they have always been. My checker board looked store bought and I kept it that way. So did every fireman in #4 Fire Stations. I never looked for trouble, really I did! Trouble wasn’t necessarily my middle name just something I liked to vie around with, if you know what I mean. I knew exactly what irked people and loved to get under their skin when I got the chance. I didn’t manage to cause trouble; I sort of was trouble all right. I had a quick thinking brain and could come up with some hair brain ideas at a moment’s notice. I was able to get away with a lot of shenanigans at elementary school when I was a young one. Like sticking a big twig just right in my friend’s bike spokes so his friend would topple over in the middle of the gravel road. You could hear my friend cussing up a mean streak trying to pull his act together again and recovering from his bumps and bruises. I would be cutting up around the block where I had a perfect bird’s eye view. My good side would keep me from being suspected by anyone. You just wouldn’t have called me on it, I mean never! I was slick as a whistle and covered my tracks amazingly well.
I was never sure as I finished my bike ride to the Fire Station whether I was going to say match game or be fighting matches and the damage they can do. You have to remember in 1918 Akron, Ohio was one of the fastest growing cities in the world. The city went from 69,000 up to 180,000 almost overnight. The hustle and bustle of new people in a new area caused havoc all by itself and left very little room for accidents to happen and recover from them as well. Goodyear Tire and Rubber became Americas top tire manufacturer and Akron was granted the title of “The Rubber capitol of the world”. What will you tell me next? Woman will be flying single wing airplanes next year in Canton! I heard all the hub-bub of the Wright Brothers was causing all around the world. America had ninety million people living there at the time. We knew Teddy Roosevelt’s term in office was ending soon. Now, we heard about that crazy around the world race. People came from all over the world in that crazy race. Who would have thought of such a lame brain idea? I skidded up to the #4 Fire Station and parked my bike along the right side of the building against the brick walls. I thought to myself that someday I will have a sturdy brick house like this that is safe from catching on fire.
I rolled in and saw my brother Sam whom I fought fires with and played semi-pro football after their shift was done. Sam was shorter than I and he lacked my barrel chest and strength. Sam would play football on a need be basis he was really kind of the Canton Bull Dogs Manager. He kept the footballs stout and the uniforms clean. Sam made Charlie always smile from the get go. I’m not sure of much, but the history between Charlie and Sam just flowed like water over Niagara Falls. These two got each other and were overwhelming support in those tough times in which they lived. The young men never felt like they lacked much because they were so full of life.
The #4 Fire Station had everything you would come to expect. We had three strong horses that pulled a steam boiler with ladders along the side of the carriage. We were known as the bucket brigade across the country. The shinny carriage always looked good and Vern took care of the horses and bridled them up and drove the carriage with his handy little whip. We use to tease him about that whip. He never left it overnight at the fire station he always took it home with him. We weren’t sure if he used in the wood shed on his young ones or his Mrs. When she got out of line. Maybe he just kept it above the fire place to keep all the troops in line.
No just kidding! We actually had real new motorized fire trucks made by South Bend Motor cars. The fire truck was very shinny and very red that the city just purchased. Believe me we took very good care of them. They were washed more than some of the men did, on a daily basis. The chrome always shinned real nice.
We had our nice lockers with our fire gear in there and stool’s in front of each one. The Chiefs office was on the main floor in the back with big windows so he could see the doings within the fire station he was in charge of each day. One could see the fire pole which lead up stairs to our hangout where we were, always ready to fight fires. We had a small kitchen, beds and a place to read. We had stairs we took up and down in non-emergency times. “Hey bro-, did you catch any perch last night?” Charlie said To Sam with a smile! “Nope, no walleye either!” Sam quipped back. You can hardly keep the two from teasing one another. Only when, they are fighting fires and saving lives! I went over and sat on the stool and put my personal belongings in there. I only brought to the fire station what I absolutely needed and not much more. I knew and trusted everyone there. You just had to! It was just the way I went about my business and carried myself. No sense starting trouble or tempting someone to covet something you worked hard for. Money didn’t come easy to anyone. Think about all that we are facing in these hard times today. I often wondered when times would ever turn around and get better. I was just fine, but Akron just needed a little boost with all the new folks around. Wally, Buck and Jim, Carl, Ralph, Gene, Elvin, Matt, Ted and Jack wondered in and got ready for their day. I thought to myself. What a great bunch of men that I entrusted my life with. Chief Vern came out and slapped some of the guys on the back and went over the agenda for the week. Chief knew the lay of the land from one end to the other around the #4 Canton Fire Stations. The fire station was just east of downtown Canton. Lincoln Street was a main thorough fare as you could have going in front of the fire station. The city of Akron was twenty three miles do north. The other main road was Trump Avenue just due east of our station. Vern grew up around these parts and knew every nook and cranny from horsing around as a kid. Horsing around doesn’t pay off! It most certainly did for Vern. He was made captain at a very early age of twenty-eight and has been captain for fifteen years already. You had to respect him just for all the knowledge of the area. Not to mention, he has some pretty good stories about folks. That he will occasionally share with us outside the fire station when we are all hanging out catching an ice cream soda after a shift. I looked at Sam and gave him the eye to go up stairs once Chief Vern was done so I could whoop him in Checkers. I want to tell you all the sudden the fireman’s bell was being run by Jack who just received word of a fire right off of Marietta Drive. We jumped over to the lockers and manned our fire suits and hats. Vern got the troops rolling and loaded up in the fire truck and Sam and I were standing on the back holding on to the chrome handles to the left and right. I’m telling you it was out of nowhere and I could feel my adrenalin pumping real good now. We all know that that is a good thing when it happens. I was fighting the wind though which seemed to be picking up and catching the brim of my fire hat even though the chin strap was holding it firm into place. We made a left on Lincoln and headed up to Marietta Street where we would turn right and try to determine where the fire was at. We heard Wally holler back he could see billows of smoke rolling out of a farm house just to the west. Which concerned every fireman on the fire truck? The downtown city of Canton was west of there. Fortunately, the winds were blowing east. The truck stopped in front of the farm house and we could see the family seemed safe on the ground. Buck was talking to them trying assuring the whole family was out of the house. We heard Buck holler out, “All - Safe!” So, Sam grabbed a ladder and I grabbed a hose and headed toward the farm house to put out the fire coming from the second story window. I started in the front door and up the stairs with the fire hose and Elvin was making sure the hose had no kinks in it. Sam, Gene, Matt and Ted were fighting the fire from the north side of the farm house. Buck got us there safely. Wally Buck and Jack ran the water pressures by the truck. Each man had a specific job to do and did it well. I just rounded the corner up stairs and was kicking the door down with the back of my foot and the fire turned back on me and the floor went from under my feet. It was a strange feeling to be standing and all the sudden have the feeling I’m falling. I quickly braced myself for the fall and rolled out of it. The roll was just instinctive we practice it all the time. I was in disbelief it actually worked. Ralph checked I was all right because he heard the explosion and crack of the floor and came a running. Jack was all ready up the stairs and doing a great job of getting the fire out from across the hole in the floor. I was so proud of him and completely forgot about my fall and took his part back by the truck until all clear sign was given. Within twenty minutes of getting there we were able to contain the fire to upstairs and put it out. We all had that charred fireman’s look on our faces and on our fire clothes. We gathered up our stuff and family came to help about the family who’s upstairs caught on fire. Wally was still asking the family questions trying to figure out how the whole thing started. Sometimes we don’t know for weeks, months or at all how the nasty fire got rolling. We finished putting everything back on the fire truck and headed back to good old #4. Vern opened the two big fire doors left and right and Wally backed the fire truck back into the fire station. We quickly unloaded and put away our stuff. We still had to go over our check list and prepare the truck for the next big event we keep hoping will never come to fruition. I always remember this one fact. Fireman our fireman no matter where they are at! So, I put my arm around my brother Sam and said,” How about the game of checkers now!” Sam just smiled!
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