He’s gone again.
This time for real. It is going to stick.
He turned in his notice, then a few weeks later, his uniforms and his badge and everything.
My partner left.
I don’t blame him. He got a really sweet job outside of healthcare, and I wish him the best.
I’m really happy for him. And I’m sad for me, too.
I’ve worked with Slimm for many years now, almost close to five. We have added a total of three children to our families, and both bought homes. We’ve run thousands of calls together. Good calls, bad calls, happy calls, sad calls, legit calls, bullshit calls. We’ve been on the local news several times, and delivered half a dozen babies. We have eleven cardiac arrest saves together, and every one of them is to his credit.
And now he’s gone.
We call eachother ‘brothers from another mother of a different color,’ and I think we both mean it. I certainly mean it.
Really, I’m happy for him. But it is bittersweet.
I stayed in EMS because of Slimm. He made coming to work easier. We understood each other. Mostly, he tolerated me, and kept me from getting fired.
I really do love the man, and enjoyed every minute of every shift we spent together.
I couldn’t even say goodbye when our last shift was over.
I just told him I would see him Monday morning.