You stay up for 16 hours
Hes been up for 48 straight
_________________________
You take a warm shower to help you wake up.
The rain in the middle of the interstate keeps him awake.
__________________________
You complain of a "headache", and call in sick.
He's chilled to the bone, hasnt eaten all day, has the
flu, and then runs into a burning building
__________________________
You drink your coffee on your way to the mall.
He pumps on a five years olds chest on the way to the
hospital.
__________________________
You make sure you're cell phone is in your pocket.
He makes sure the pass device on his pack is
working.
__________________________
You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you.
He watches his buddy fall through the floor.
__________________________
You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls.
He walks down the highway looking for the motorcyclists
missing limb.
_________________________
You complain about how hot it is.
He wears fifty pounds of gear in the middle of July and
drags a body out of 1600 degree flames.
__________________________
You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant
got your order wrong.
He hasnt seen a meal since last shift ate breakfast.
__________________________
Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes.
Hes worn the same stinking, wet, grungy clothes for the
past 24 hours....no time for a shower.
__________________________
You go to the mall and get your hair redone.
He holds the hair of some
college girl while shes puking in the back of the ambo.
__________________________
You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over.
His shift ended 2 hours ago and hes on for another 24
hours after being ordered in.
__________________________
You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight.
He calls his girlfriend to tell her he made it back
alive....then leaves abruptly for another fire.
__________________________
You yell and scream at the engine that just past you
because they slowed you down.
Hes in the back of the engine, going to cut somebody out
of their car only to find out that they're dead and their daughter
is barely alive.
__________________________
You roll your eyes as a baby cries.
He cries as he hears his new born cry in the
hospital....but he was taking a drunk teenager in when his boy was
born.
__________________________
You criticize your fire dept and say their never
there quick enough anyways.
He blows the air horn while the person in front of them
refuses to move while talking on their cell phone and doing their
makeup.
__________________________
You hear the jokes about fallen firefighters and say they
should have known better.
He feels the floor give way while hes carrying an old
lady from her bedroom and tosses her on to the hard floor and falls
into the unknown.
__________________________
You see the bright lights when you go by and stare.
He sees the broken bodies lying around the car and has to
pay attention to make sure you don't hit him/her with your car
because you are not paying attention to the road.
__________________________
You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You
don't.
He looks into buying a bullet proof vest because he may
get shot trying to save a shooting victims life.
__________________________
You stay at home and watch TV.
He takes his spare time to wash the wagon, restock the ambo
and maybe call his wife to tell her not to worry, he'll be home the next night
__________________________
You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get
comfortable.
He tries to sleep on his spring board bed but keeps
getting woken up by the gong and bell, ahh, one hour of sleep, it
should due till tomorrow night.
__________________________
You sit there and judge him, saying the that its a waste
of money to have them around.
Garbage truck workers make more than he does, but its not
for the money, its for the people who dont appreciate what he does.
