Dana's First Visit

by Keith Marshall

A lady in a blue wheelchair approaches Mike Stoker as he raises the flag in front of the LA County Fire Station #51.

Dana: "Hello, Is Keith here?"

Stoker: "You’re Dana, aren't you?"

Dana (happy): "Yes, We met back in October."

Stoker: "I remember, Yes Keith is inside, Come on in."

Stoker holds the door open to the Captain’s office as Dana and her assistance dog enters.

Stoker and Dana enter the Apparatus Bay to see all the guys from 'A' Shift and Keith cleaning the rigs.

Stanley (turns and sees Dana): "And who do we have here?"

Keith: "Hello Dana."

Dana: "Hi love."

As every one gathers in front of the squad Keith introduces them all. "Guys this is my wife Dana, and her assistance Doberman named Gillis."

A few of the firefighter giggle.

Gage: "That's right, you told me about your dog at the convention."

Dana: "That's right, He was to young to come with me at that time, but he is a year old now so he was able to come with me to day."

DeSoto: "I am really happy that you could come and visit us again, Dana"

Keith (cutting in): "Why yes Dana, you have already met John, Roy, Chet, Marco, and Mike. But you have not yet met The Captain." Turning to Stanley, "Cap, I would like you to meet Dana."

Stanley: "I am happy to meet you."

Dana: "And I you, I missed you at the convention. I sure wished you could have been there."

Stanley: " I am sorry, but I had a Foam conference to attend that weekend."

Kelly: (To Dana) "So why are you in a wheelchair?"

Gage elbows Kelly in the belly.

Kelly: "Ouch!"

Gage: "Chet you twit, you do not ask a disabled person what their disability is."

Kelly (to Dana): "Sorry." Then he stands there waiting for the answer anyway.

Dana: "I have CP."

Kelly: "CP? That would be...Cerebral Palsy, right?"

Dana: "Yes"

Kelly: "I think I can figure this out, Palsy means a disorder of movement or posture. And Cerebral means you have something wrong in your head."

Gage then elbows Kelly again.

Dana (Laughing): That is a strange way of putting it but you are right.

Stoker: "That is a really cute dog with his ears not cropped."

Everyone looked to Stoker in shock.

Lopez: "What did you say Mike?"

Stoker: "I just said that I liked her dog, Why?"

They all hussle around as if the klaxon just went off. Gage grabs a binder from inside the squad; Lopez and Kelly grab the same looking binders from the Eng. While DeSoto and Stanley look over some papers that were in the Cap's jacket.

Gage: "Stoker, you do not have any lines in this scene."

Stoker: "Well, I know that John. I was just doing a little adlibbing."

Kelly: "That is not your job, Mike. We are the actors."

Lopez: "You are just suppose to drive the truck and raise the flags."

Stoker: "I know but I just thought that..."

Gage, Kelly and Lopez all respond with a "Don't."

Stanley: Tell you what Stoker, I will write a script all about you, and you will have as many lines as you want as the whole episode will be all about you, how about that, Pal?"

Stoker: "That sounds Great."

Stanley: "Good, it will be the second episode of our eight season."

Dana: "Well I see you boys have some work to do, and I have to head of and teach a class, Bye." Dana heads off with her dog.

The Boys: "Bye"

Keith: "I'll see you at the college, dear."

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