A Hammock

Worked till ten last night, got up at five to come back to work. Slept for two hours, then got up ate some breakfast -- a Diet Coke and a Cliff Bar. An hour later we got a call -- for a dizzy old woman. An hour after that a man with asthma.

It is a gorgeous day. Bright sun, blue sky, not too hot, just a soft breeze. There have been a lot of nice days this summer and I have worked through most of them.

Don't get me wrong. I love my job. My commute is easy. I love doing calls and I love having time to pursue other interests. I write, I'm studying to improve my Spanish, I practice poker with simulation software. There is plenty of overtime so I am bringing in good money. And the stress is relatively minor.

But sometimes I can't help but think when I see days as nice as these, that I am missing something. A hammock, a cold beer, hamburgers on the grille, a bag of potato chips, the ballgame on the radio.

But you can't have everything. And I will not trade what I have.

***

Just did a call for a guy worked all day in his delievery truck, came home to a nice day and family of about six kids. Walked in the door and passed out. Hot diaphoretic, hypertensive, exhausted. he didn't want to go. I pressed him and pressed him. Right after he signed the refusal, and his wife and the police officer signed as witnesses, he started puking, and he finally realized maybe he should go.

No hammock for him today. A hospital tray instead of burgers and chips. Ginger ale instead of Budweiser.