The Creation of the Firefighter
by "Author Unknown"
When the Lord was creating Firefighters, he was into
his sixth day of overtime when an angel appeared and said,
"Your doing a lot of fiddling around on this one."
And the Lord said "Have you read the specification
on this person? Firefighters have to be able to go for
hours fighting fires or tending to a person that the usual
every day person would never touch, while putting in the
back of their mind the circumstances. They have to be
able to move at a second's notice and not think twice
of what they are about to do, no matter what danger. They
have to be in top physical condition at all times, running
on half-eaten meals, and they must have six pairs of hands."
The angel shook her head slowly and said, "Six pairs
of hands...no way."
"It's not the hands that are causing me problems,
" said the Lord, "it's the three pairs of eyes
a Firefighter has to have."
That's on the standard model? " asked the angel.
The Lord nodded. " One pair that sees through the
fire and where they and their fellow Firefighters should
fight the fire next. Another pair here in the side of
the head to see their fellow Firefighters and keep them
safe. And another pair of eyes in the front so that they
can look for the victims caught in the fire that need
their help."
"Lord" said the angel, touching his sleeve,
" Rest and work on this tomorrow."
"I can't, said the Lord, "I already have a
model that can carry a 250 pound man down a flight of
stairs and to safety from a burning building, and can
feed a family of five on a civil service paycheck."
The angel circled the model of the Firefighter very slowly,
"Can it think?"
"You bet," said the Lord. It can tell you the
elements of a hundred fires; and can recite procedures
in their sleep that are needed to care for a person until
they reach the hospital. And all the while they have to
keep their wits about themselves. This Firefighter also
has phenomenal personal control. They can deal with a
scene full of pain and hurt, coaxing a child's mother
into letting go of the child so that they can care for
the child in need. And still they rarely get the recognition
for a job well done from anybody, other than from fellow
Firefighters."
Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across
the cheek of the Firefighter. "There's a leak",
she pronounced. "Lord, it's a tear."
"What's the tear for?" asked the angel.
"It's a tear from bottled-up emotions for fallen
comrades. A tear for commitment to that funny piece of
cloth called the American Flag. It's a tear for all the
pain and suffering they have encountered. And it's a tear
for their commitment to caring for and saving lives of
their fellow man!"
"What a wonderful feature Lord, you're a genius"
said the angel.
The Lord looked somber and said "I didn't put it
there."
