IT CAME UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEAR
As told by Fireman Charlie Freeman I was happy to trade duty on the eve of eves with Mike, a brother-fireman so he could be with his family. Dave and Mark, who were probably asleep in the duty room as the midnight hour approached had also traded duty with other members of our fire brigade. We were a close-net group which made us so committed on the job when we depended upon one another in life and death situations. Before I closed the overhead door for Engine 6148, I stepped outside into the clear cold night air and gazed up at the moon. It was so quiet I heard a barn owl off in the distance courting a potential mate. I envied him in a way. I was thirty-two and had not met my soul mate. I was beginning to doubt there was such a person. The moon was so clear and bright, I got the feeling I could reach up and touch it. I smiled when I realized Mr. Moon was over 225,000 miles away and was already seventy-seven feet away from where it appeared to be. The only reason I knew this ...