A Firefighters Life You stay up for 16 hours He's been up for 48 straight You take a warm shower to help you wake up. The rain in the middle of the interstate keeps him awake. You complain of a "headache", and call in sick. He's chilled to the bone, hasn't eaten all day, has the flu, and then runs into a burning building You drink your coffee on your way to the mall. He pumps on a five year old's chest on the way to the hospital. You make sure your cell phone is in your pocket. He makes sure the PASS device on his pack is working. You talk trash about your "buddies" that aren't with you. He watches his buddy fall through two floors. You walk down the beach, staring at all the pretty girls. He walks down the highway looking for the motorcyclists missing limbs. You complain about how hot it is. He wears fifty pounds of gear in the middle of July and drags a body out of 1600 degree flames. You go out to lunch, and complain because the restaurant got your order wrong. He hasn't seen a meal since last shift, ate breakfast. Your maid makes your bed and washes your clothes. He's worn the same stinking, wet, grungy clothes for the past 24 hours....no time for a shower. You go to the mall and get your hair redone. He holds the hair of some college girl while she's puking in the back of the ambulance. You're angry because your class ran 5 minutes over. His shift ended 2 hours ago and he's on for another 24 hours at a station thirty miles away. You call your girlfriend and set a date for tonight. He calls his girlfriend to tell her he made it back alive....then leaves abruptly for another fire. You yell and scream at the engine that just passed you because they slowed you down. He's in the back of the engine, going to cut somebody out of their car, only to find out that they're dead, and their daughter is barely alive. You roll your eyes as a baby cries. He cries as he hears his new born cry in the hospital....but he was taking a drunk teenager in when his boy was born. You criticize your fire dept and say they're never there quick enough anyway. He blows the air horn while the person in front of them refuses to move while talking on their cell phone and doing their makeup. You hear the jokes about fallen firefighters and say they should have known better. He feels the floor give way while he's carrying an old lady from her bedroom, tosses her on to the hard floor and falls into the unknown. You see the bright lights when you go by. He sees the broken bodies lying around the car. You are asked to go to the store by your parents. You don't. He looks into buying a bullet proof vest because he been shot at trying to save the shooting victim's life. You stay at home and watch TV. He takes his spare time to wash the wagon, restock the ambulance and maybe call his mother to tell her not to worry, he'll be home the next night You crawl into your soft bed, with down pillows, and get comfortable. He tries to sleep on his spring board bed but keeps getting woken up by the gong and bell, ahh, one hour of sleep, it should do till tomorrow night. You sit there and judge him, saying that it's a waste of money to have them around. Garbage truck workers make more than he does, but it's not for the money, it's for the people who don't appreciate what he does.