Going to Extreme Measures

Chapter 2

It was a couple of weeks before Mike's sore muscle felt strong enough to try surfing again. During that time he and Johnny spent as much of their off time as they could looking for the girl that had sparked this idea in Mike's head. They hung out at beaches, surf shops, and snack bars where the surfer crowd hung out. She was no where to be found. Mike was still adamant about learning to surf, and Johnny was still ready to teach him. Johnny talked Mike into going camping with him on their next two day break. They planned to leave right after shift. Johnny pulled his rover into the back lot of Station 51 loaded down with camping gear and two surf boards strapped to the roof.

Of course Chet could not let the combination of camping gear and surf boards get by without some kind of comment. "I thought you were going camping Gage. Are you planning on hanging ten down the side of a mountain?"

"No Chester I'm not. You surf on water." Johnny said without realizing Chet was playing with him again.

"So why the camping gear if you're going surfing? Are you camping on the beach? What's a matter Gage? Did you forget where you were going during the break? Some pretty girl got you all shook up?" Chet kept toying with Johnny.

"What? No. Shut up Chet." Johnny was getting frustrated with Chet's questions.

"Roll call in five," Captain Stanley called from the locker room door. "Don't be late."

Johnny moved toward his locker pulling it open in a hurry to get dressed for shift. The familiar click of the triggering mechanism to launch one of Chet's water bombs could be heard echoing through the quiet locker room. Water splashed over Johnny's face and dripped from his dark hair. "Chet!"

"See ya at roll call Johnny Boy." Chet called back as he ran from the locker room before Johnny could catch him.

The crew lined up in front of the engine ready for roll call. Well everyone was there except the soggy paramedic who came sliding up with hair still dripping a minute late. "Gage nice of you to join us," Captain Stanley said as he looked over the duty roster. "Looks like you'll have the latrines today."

"Yes Sir," Johnny responded as he glared over at Chet.

The rest of the shift progressed normally for the engine crew: a couple of trash fires, a fire at a garage that was easily contained, and a small brush fire. The two paramedics didn't fare as well. They had 15 runs including everything from a child stuck in a tree to a heart attack victim. When they returned to the station at the end of shift Roy and Johnny were exhausted, but Johnny had made a promise to Mike. He would go on the camping trip tired or not. "Mike do you think you could drive? I don't think I can."

"You're going to let Mike drive the Rover?" Chet asked.

"Yeah. I mean he drives the engine all the time Chester. I think he can handle the Rover."

"Okay you're right, but you never let anyone drive the Rover. Roy's the only person you've ever let drive your car. I've been on trips with you before and you never let me drive." Chet obviously either had his feelings hurt or was really jealous.

"Chet I only got about 45 minutes of sleep last night. Mike and I have plans. I don't think I can keep my eyes open long enough to even get the Rover out of the parking lot. It just makes sense for him to drive. Geesh what difference does that make?" Johnny was too tired to worry about Chet's comments. He handed Mike the keys and climbed into the passenger seat. Mike smiled at Chet and rattled the Rover's keys at him as he made his way to the driver's seat.

"Roy how come you're not going with your best friend on this little camping trip?" Chet tried to get a rise out of Roy.

"Chris has a scout meeting tomorrow, besides Johnny and Mike wanted to do this together. They didn't ask me. Johnny's my best friend Chet, but we don't do everything together." Roy shrugged off Chet's dig.

Chet slumped his shoulders and walked dejectedly to his car. He was upset. Johnny never let him drive the Rover, he wasn't invited on this particular camping trip, and Roy wasn't mad at Johnny for not inviting him.

"Chet why don't you come over to momma's with me for breakfast," Marco asked his best friend. He could see that Chet was upset and wanted to try to make him feel better.

"Okay buddy. Let's go." Chet immediately perked up, and he jumped in his car ready to go. "I'll meet you there Marco."

"Right behind you Chet."

Mike and Johnny were on the open road in a few minutes. Johnny gave Mike a map of how to get to the campsite he had picked out for them and had immediately fallen asleep. Not wanting to disturb Johnny but needing something to keep him company as he drove, Mike turned on the radio. After a while Mike turned up the radio a little more when Boston's "More Than A Feeling" came on. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he drove. Johnny woke up and looked over at Mike noticing that the normally quiet engineer was singing along with the radio, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, and looking very happy. Not wanting to disturb his friend Johnny turned his head back toward the window and after a while drifted back to sleep to the sounds of rock music and Mike's singing.