Chapter 5

Fall 1998

“In the early morning September 3^rd, 1998, a five alarm fire broke out in the 300 block of

Vermont St.

on the West Side of the city.  At least 7 houses burned to the ground and the rest of the block suffered various amounts of damage.  Many families were asleep and had no clue they were about to witness probably the biggest catastrophe of their lives.  The firefighters of the Buffalo City Fire Department responded to the call for help and responded in the only way they knew how.  They took action to save as much life and property they could.  We are here today to honor those who fulfilled their duties.  Not only did they have to save the lives of the residents, but they also helped to save their own.  Dean Kasyk, please come forward and accept this award of recognition for saving the life of firefighter Donald Stranton and for saving the lives of Maureen Maxton and her children Jaycee and Timothy.”

Loud applause broke out all around me.  I stood up on my chair and clapped along with the hundreds of others, congratulating my Dad. 

A picture of me standing on that chair in a flower printed dress with my unruly, curly hair floating on my shoulders was in the morning edition of the Buffalo News with the headline Firefighter’s Daughter Congratulates her Daddy.

I walked into the Kaleta’s kitchen to find Patty skipping around the kitchen table, making fun of me for making the front page of the paper, wearing a dress.  I began chasing him around the table and yelling at him.

“Shut-up, Patrick!  You are just jealous that I made the paper.  Besides, Grammy made me wear the dress.”

“I’m not jealous.  It’s a stupid way to make the paper; it’s not like you were the hero!”

“It’s not like I asked to have it put on the front page!” I yelled back.  “I didn’t even know they took the stupid picture!”

“Someday I’ll make the front page and it will read, “Hometown Boy scores the Game Winning Goal!” he said as threw his hands above his head and used them to present the imaginary headline.

“In your dreams, Gretzky!” I choked out between laughs as I grabbed my book-bag to head out to the school bus.  “I’ll make it before you do.  I’ll make the papers for saving a life when I become a firefighter, just like my daddy.”

“Girls don’t become firefighters,” he said as he skipped down the steps behind me.

I stopped abruptly and turned on my heal, causing him to slam into me.  “This girl will be a firefighter.  You will see, Patty Kaleta,” I declared, turning up my nose and heading for the bus.

February 21^st, 2007

“Well Kasyk, here is your training material to become certified in structural collapse rescue,” Charlie said as he handed me the book I’d need for my class that started in three days.  “I know you will do the 21 house proud by passing with flying colors.  My only question is, are you sure you want to do this?”

“Most definitely,” I said with a big smile.

“It’s dangerous work…”

“This is dangerous work,” I reiterated as I pointed a finger down to the cement flooring of the truck bay.

I watched as he nodded his head, only letting a slight smile show through.  “Okay, well, get home, get some rest on your days off; the 21 house will miss you until you are done your training.”

I was going to miss the house for the next couple weeks of training.  The guys had accepted me very well considering I was the first woman to run out of the station.  There was a nice mixture of younger and older guys and they all treated me like a sister or daughter.  Of course the jokes would get raunchy at times, but after growing up in the firehouse, I was immune to it all.

I was walking out to my SUV when my cell phone started beeping at me.

“Yes, Patty?” I answered with a smile.

“Emmy!  I’m coming home!” he yelled into the phone blowing out my ear drum, causing me to cringe.

“What?! Why?! Are you okay?”

I heard him begin to laugh hysterically over the phone and I was beginning to think he went crazy until I heard something about playing in Buffalo and that he had been called up.

“You are suiting up in the blue and gold for tomorrow’s game?!” I yelled back into the phone as some people around me looked like I was a freak.

“Damn straight!  I’m playing for our hometown team, Emma!  My dream has come true!”

“OoohMyGod!” I screamed as I jumped up and down, dropping my overnight bag onto the ground, next to my SUV.  “When are you going to be home?!”

“I’m on my way now…I’m about 20 minutes out.  Please tell me you are off work tonight?  We have to celebrate,” he said, finally toning down the decibel level to something bearable for me to actually hold the phone to my ear.

“I’m just leaving

Ohio St.

now.”

“Good! Meet me at McKenzie’s Bar and Grill; dinner and drinks will be on me tonight.”

“We just need to make sure we get you in early enough because I will not be blamed for a poor performance tomorrow night,” I said sternly.

“I know, I know, but I am going to celebrate with my best friend, first.  This is our dream, babe.  This is our dream.”

“Yes it is!” I squeaked.

I got behind the wheel and began driving down the street to get on the highway to head for home.  As I drove I thought sadly to myself, “At least I could truly be happy about this call-up, unlike the last one.”

November 18th, 2006

I was cleaning up around the apartment when there was a knock at the door.  Who the hell would be visiting me at this hour?!  I opened the door to find David standing in my apartment complex hallway with a big smile on his face.

“David!” I yipped as I jumped into his arms, wrapping myself around him.  “What are you doing here?!”

He was laughing as he sat me down in my room.  I watched as he took a deep breath and took my hands in his, “I’ve come to say good-bye.”

I think my heart stopped beating for a minute.  “What?”

“I just got a phone call; the Panthers have called me up to play for them.  As far as I know it will be a permanent thing as long as I can prove I’m ready.  I’m flying out of the city early tomorrow morning.  Patrick gave me directions to your place so that I could tell you in person…”

I paused for a moment and got a grip on my feelings that were telling me to freak out.  Instead I kept myself calm and plastered a big, fake smile on my face.  Luckily David and I had only been together face to face a total of 5 or 6 times in the last couple months, so he was unable to tell how fake it was.  I wrapped my arms around him and said, “That is the most awesome news, David!  I’m so happy for you!”

He pulled me back and kissed me hard, like he was pressing some of his excitement into me.  “Thank you so much! I knew you’d be happy for me!” he said as his infectious, boyish smile covered his face.

I’m not quite sure what I was feeling when he said he was leaving.  I was sad because we really did seem to have something decent going between us.  Unfortunately we hadn’t been able to spend a lot of time together so I wasn’t sure if this could have bloomed into something more serious.  I was more upset at the fact that I was again left standing here without a boyfriend. 

I enjoyed being in a relationship and I wanted to fall in love except the prospect hadn’t seemed to show his face yet.  I wasn’t in love with David, I was just happy to have him as a distraction from my normal life.  We had never said the 4-letter word, and it never bothered me that we hadn’t.  I was just sad to be losing my booty-call, even if he never did put me over the edge during the actual act of sex.  But I will give the boy credit for the use of his hands and tongue; they definitely kept me satisfied, along with staring at his naked body.

“So where are you staying tonight?” I asked.

The look that came across his face, tipped me off right away to his plans.

I didn’t even give him a chance to speak.  “You can definitely stay here, if you like.”

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, he turned to lock the door and had me stripped in less than 5 minutes.

February 21^st, 2007

I already had one shot and was almost done my second beer by the time Emma arrived at McKenzie’s.  She was still in her uniform, which consisted of dark blue Dickies, a matching long-sleeved button down uniform shirt, and black work boots.  Every head in the bar turned when the beautiful blonde haired girl walked in with an air of confidence swirling around her.  The only time I saw her dressed in her work uniform was for her cadet graduation, but that time she had on her Class A threads, which meant she had to have her hair pinned up under her hat.  (A/N: Class ‘A’ Uniform is a full-dress uniform.  The same as military dress uniform.)  She looked cute with her black mittens and navy blue toque pulled down over her mass of blonde curly hair.

I was mesmerized by how she looked, but I was snapped back into reality when she came over and basically jumped up on me for a hug.

“Patty! Congrats! Bartender! I’ll buy a round for the bar and toast to the newest Buffalo Sabre!” she yelled with a big smile on her face as she stood and held me at arms length, looking me up and down, making sure I didn’t change too much from Christmas.

The whole bar erupted in cheers and I received a bunch of fist bumps and slaps on the shoulder in congrats.  I felt a little overwhelmed by the attention, but I just held up my pint glass and drank up in thanks.

After she paid for the drinks, Emmy grabbed by hand and drug me over to the pool table.  “I just got off work and I don’t want to sit at the bar.  We have to shoot some pool while you tell me how this all went down,” she said in her excited voice.

I laughed as I picked up both of our beers and walked them over to the pool table.  “Well one of the guys got hurt and somehow they thought I was good enough to bring up as a fill in.  I might even just end up warming the bench tomorrow night…”

“Bench warmer or not, you will still be the hottest Sabre out on the ice,” she said smiling as she chalked up her cue stick, getting ready to break.

I laughed out loud at this statement.  “Yeah, okay Emma.  I’d believe that if I didn’t know how much in love with Ryan Miller you are!”  This caused her to blush furiously; the exact reaction I knew I would get.  “I could probably introduce him to you tomorrow night…”

“Shut up!  You would not do that!” she said in the voice girls use when they are really hoping to meet someone famous or someone they have a big crush on.  Of course it would be both for Emma because she has wanted to meet him since he started backstopping for our team and because she did have a huge crush on him.

“I’m serious,” I said honestly.  “You, mom and dad will be allowed to come down to the locker room after the game.”

“I’m going to the game?” she asked in a surprised tone as I watched two of her pool balls go into opposite pockets.

“Um, yeah.  Why wouldn’t you?”

“Um, because I don’t have tickets,” she mocked me while dropping her voice down an octave to mimic my voice.

“Yes, you do have a ticket.  Do you really think I wouldn’t hook you up with a ticket?  I need you there,” I said honestly as I stared into her eyes to get the point across.

Next thing I knew she took a couple strides towards me and wrapped herself around me.  It felt so good to hold her close to me.  Her smell, her softness, her familiarity made me smile.  I couldn't wait until I was able to stay in Buffalo for good.  I missed my home and I missed having my favorite girl to hang with whenever I wanted to.