The 'View

It is a typical day in Big Town, New South Montucky. I am doing my own thing around the house, hoping to get a few things done before the phone rings. I’ve debated whether or not to change the oil in the truck. As an Ambulance driver you tend not to get involved in too many projects that you can’t drop in a moments notice and hurry to the airport. Knowing my luck I would get the oil all drained out of the truck and then the phone would ring, beckoning me to go and fly the Ambulance. Then it would be a mad dash to change the filter, put the required six quarts of Quaker State’s finest into the engine, put my toys away, clean up, change into my uniform while driving to the airport, check the weather, pull the ambulance out of the hangar, and perform the preflight checks, all within the required 20 minute ready time. I guess the oil change can wait until I go off duty.

As I begin to mentally taste the adult beverage I would like to consume after work, I pull the mower out of the garden shed and right on queue, my pocket begins to ring with that all too familiar tone. Such is the life of an Ambulance pilot. I must go.

An hour and a half later I find myself sitting on the dilapidated couch in the FBO in Squidtown, NSMT, waiting for the medical crew to return to the airport with our patient. (Ironically Squid Town is where I grew up and where my parental units still reside. The owner of the FBO just happens to be the guy that taught me how to fly almost two decades ago. (It’s been that long?))

I pass the time thumbing through that latest pilot porn magazine, swapping ‘There I was…’ stories with my former mentor, when suddenly the conversation took an interesting turn. It went a little some thing like this…

“So, Scuds, did you hear that Orville quit me?” he said.

“Yeah, I did, sorry to hear that. Who’s flying for ya now?”

“Some temp guy from the west coast.”

Insert awkward silence here.

“Say, you should come to work for me!” he said excitedly.

Chuckling I said, “Man I don’t want to fly for you.”

“C’mon take yer turn in the barrel!”

“I don’t want to fly for you.” I repeated.

My mind now began to churn on this sudden job prospect.

“C’mon Scud”

“No”

“Going once”

“No”

“Going twice”

“No way.” My mind now running at Mach 4.

“Going..”

“OK! OK!” I interrupted. “Let me call you when I get home tonight. I probably shouldn’t be discussing this with you while I’m on duty and in uniform.”

I called him back earlier this evening after I had put the Ambulance to bed and had a few minutes to unwind. We discussed the details (schedule, pay, days off, benefits, etc.) and by the end of the phone call he had made me a pretty lucrative offer. I guess without even knowing it I interviewed and was offered a job today. Looks like I have some decisions to make…