Accidental Hero Ch. 09-12

Chapter 9 Oh Crap! It's happening again!

As Christmas approached, I got an opportunity to fill in for holiday relief at the yard and I took it. A few days work would pay for my gifts and I wanted to get something special for Shelly. I knew I could consult Mom, so I wasn't worried that I would choose something inappropriate.

I decided to take one of my free Saturday mornings and head downtown to do my shopping. I avoided the big shopping centres because that's where everyone went. I was more interested in the specialty shops. One of the best places for that type of shopping was the "old town", the original site of the city over a hundred years ago. I didn't bother taking my truck and battling the traffic, looking for an overpriced place to park.

I took rapid transit and wore comfortable sneakers for walking about.

I grabbed a Bratwurst on a bun and a soda from a street vendor as a lunch on the go. As I got near the end of the strip where all the specialty shops were, I heard a deep, rumbling sound and stopped, wondering what it was. It wasn't a vehicle and it wasn't a piece of equipment, but a few seconds later, I knew what it was. A hole opened up in the roadway right in front of me. It made a frightening, noisy, crashing sound like an underground explosion as the pavement and parts of the sidewalk fell into a huge cavern. A delivery truck on the other side of the street had one of its back wheels hanging over the edge of the cavity. It was another sink hole, and this one was big. There was very little traffic at this end of the roadway, so I hoped that anyone coming along would see it in time and stop.

Once I gathered my wits, I ran into a nearby hardware store and yelled at the clerk behind the counter.

"Call the police. There's a huge sinkhole in front of your store. Call them right away."

It took the guy a couple of seconds to register my instructions, and I'm not sure he believed me, but he picked up the phone and I assumed he was making the call. I ran outside to see if anyone or anything had fallen into the hole. So far nothing, but I could see running water in the bottom the pit, at least eight feet below the level of the street.

I was about to go back to the hardware store and call into the yard when I heard a car coming around the corner from Alexander Street at what seemed to be a reckless speed. This wasn't good. Whoever was behind the wheel was going way too fast, sink hole or no sink hole. I stepped off the sidewalk and tried to wave it down and warn him, but it kept on coming, causing me to jump back off the road. I could see what was going to happen and I couldn't do a thing about it.

The driver must have seen the hole at the last second and attempted to swerve around it, but he had no chance to avoid it. He was going too fast and skidded sideways into the hole. There was a horrific crash as the car first hit the side of the hole, then dropped to the bottom. It ended up on its side, with the front, or what was left of it, pointing upward. I could see steam rising from the wreck; probably the hot exhaust hitting the cold water. I also noticed the water seemed to be higher than it was a few moments ago.

I couldn't jump down into the hole, it was too deep. I looked around in desperation and saw an aluminum extension ladder displayed at the front of the hardware store. I ran to the door and grabbed the ladder, yelling to the now stunned clerk that I'd pay for it later. I carried the unit to the hole and looked for a place to set it.

I had to undo some rope that was holding the two sections from sliding, but then was able to extend the ladder to about twelve feet, enough to reach the bottom and have a safe angle to climb down.

By this time, the clerk had come running out of the store, hollering "stop thief" until he saw the hole, then me.

"Come here," I yelled to him. "Hold this end steady. There are people in that car and we've got to get them out of there."

Luckily, he'd calmed down and saw what I was trying to do. As I climbed down the ladder slowly, I asked him if he'd called the police and he assured me he had. I noticed a crowd of people had gathered around the hole to see what was going on. I yelled to warn them to get back because there was no guarantee the sides wouldn't give way under their weight. Just before I got to the bottom, a chunk of pavement and some dirt broke free and crashed down into the water just a couple of feet from me. I no longer needed to warn the spectators. That was all they had to see to move back.

The bottom of the hole was very uneven and slippery in spots. The water was rising steadily now and moving around was awkward. I was pretty sure I was standing on some water or gas lines, so I was extra careful as I made my way toward the car. I looked into the passenger side front door and saw a man slumped over the steering wheel. I reached for his outstretched hand and checked. I couldn't find a pulse.

I looked in the back seat and saw the form of another man and a woman. Neither was moving, but I thought I heard a moan and I stepped back carefully to see if I could open the rear door. In this case luck was with me, and with some extra effort, I was able to wedge the door open.

It was the woman I'd heard moan, and I checked her pulse. It was rapid, but I didn't think dangerously so. I reached for the man and checked his pulse. It was there, but it was slow. He was unconscious and unlikely to be able to help me get him out of there. First things first, I had to get the woman out.

I carefully grasped the woman's shoulder and pulled her toward me, catching her before she fell out of the car. Thank goodness she wasn't some big heavyset person. I carefully cradled her in my arms and tried to work my way over to the ladder. I immediately knew I was going to lose my footing and fall, due to the slippery pipes and bottom. My only option was to put the woman over my shoulder and use the wrecked car to steady me and keep me from falling.

In the meantime, the water was still rising and it was cold. It was almost up to my knees and making my ability to move that much more difficult. I used the fireman's carry to get us to the base of the ladder and looked up to see someone else was now holding the ladder steady for me. I began the slow, step-by-step climb up the rungs, careful that my soaked and muddy sneakers didn't slip on the lightly treaded rungs.

It seemed like forever before I got close to the top. I'd been so preoccupied with my burden that I didn't hear the sirens or other vehicles arriving. As I looked up and saw the top of the ladder, I recognized a uniformed police officer was holding the ladder and another person in a fire department jacket reaching down to help me. My legs were killing me with pain from both the load and the tension of making sure I didn't slip. Suddenly, I felt the weight of the woman lifted slowly off my shoulder, and I could breathe a sigh of relief. The officer offered me his hand and pulled me up the last couple of rungs and I was out of the hole.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, my feet are cold as ice. There's another two guys in the car. I think the driver is dead. I couldn't find a pulse. The other guy in the back seat is alive but unconscious."

"Okay, the fire rescue guys will go get them. Did you see any sign of guns?"

"Guns? What guns? I didn't see anything but the people. They weren't holding guns that I could see."

"Okay, why don't you head over to the ambulance and get checked out. You look pretty stressed."

"What's with the guns?"

"Those two men robbed a jewellery store a few blocks from here and then hijacked this lady's car, taking her hostage. They were armed, one of them with an automatic pistol. Nasty stuff. You saved the right person," he said with a smile. "Now, head for the ambulance and they'll help you get dried off and warm."

I nodded okay and squished my way over toward the ambulance closest to me. When I got there, a middle-aged red-headed woman looked at me and said, "Not you again." Then she started to laugh. "Don't you know enough to stay out of trouble?"

She was obviously having fun at my expense, so I just ignored her and started to take my shoes off. My hands were shaking so badly that she pushed them away, took a pair of scissors from her belt and cut the laces. She pulled the shoes off my feet, and then the socks.

"Those shoes are history, Mr. Dunlop. Let me wash your feet in warm water and then you can put these socks on."

"Thanks," I said as she handed me a new pair of heavy duty work socks. "How do you know my name?"

"You don't remember me, do you," she grinned. "I was at the works yard after that truck blew up. My partner and I took that wounded fellow off to the hospital. I know you got him away from that fire and spent a long time on mouth-to-mouth with him. You don't forget untrained people who do what you did. So tell me, how did you get yourself involved in this mess?"

"Innocent bystander. Damn sink hole just opened up right in front of my eyes. Scary as hell. Anyway, I was about to call the yard to get them to get a works crew out right away when this car came speeding around the corner and ended up in the hole. Now they tell me they were involved in an armed robbery with a hostage. The woman I took out of the car was the hostage. By the way, how is she?"

"Too early to tell, but they think she'll make it," she said as she dried my feet. "If there are any problems, they are internal. There was no loss of blood I'm told."

"Good. I hope she makes a full recovery. I'd hate to think I nearly froze my feet off in vain."

"Put those socks on ... it's Ian, isn't it?" I nodded my yes. "I'll be back in a few minutes," she said, walking away from the ambulance carrying my ruined sneakers with her.

True to her word, she was back in five minutes with a new pair of rubber boots.

"These should fit. You owe the hardware guy twelve bucks. You should be able to salvage those pants if you wash them fairly soon."

"Thank you. I don't know your name."

"Rita McKinnon. Looks like you're going to get your name in the paper again, Ian," she smiled. "You just can't help yourself, can you?"

"I guess not. I admit, it is becoming a disturbing habit."

I knew I wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. I walked over to the hardware store and thanked the clerk for calling 911 and letting me take the ladder. He said he could clean the ladder and no one would know it had been used. As far as the rubber boots were concerned, he said forget it. I'd risked my neck to save that woman and he wouldn't have the nerve to charge me for a pair of cheap rubber boots. I thanked him for his generosity and help and headed back outside.

I talked to the police for a half hour and they seemed satisfied that I was a reliable witness to what happened. By that time, our relief crew from the yard had arrived and I was on my way over to talk to the foreman.

"What the hell are you doing here, Ian?" Dan Chung asked me, almost laughing at the sight of me. Why not? I was covered in mud on my jacket and pants, not to mention the tide line on the still soaked pants, set off by the shiny new rubber boots. I was a mess.

"Innocent bystander, Dan. I was standing on the sidewalk right where the hole opened up. It made a hell of a noise."

"Let me guess, you went down there to see if you could help, right?"

"Yeah. I haven't heard what happened to all the people in the car, but I know the one woman hostage was taken to hospital and I think the driver is dead. The other guy was unconscious."

"Hostage? What hostage?"

I gave Dan the edited version of what the police officer told me.

"Armed robbers? And you went down there alone? Unarmed? Are you crazy?" he asked, wide eyed.

"Probably," I said with a tired grin. "I didn't know anything about all that when I went down there. I just knew some people were in that car and the water was rising and they needed help."

"Man, you sure find ways to make your life interesting, don't you?" he said, shaking his head as he went back to his crew.

By this time, the street had been barricaded and a safety screen was placed around the hole. They were in the process of removing the car. Until an inspection of the water leak was complete and repairs done, the hole would remain. It wouldn't be good for the local businesses and we didn't have to be told that we needed to make the repairs and put the road back in service ASAP.

I called Bud Fosdick at his home and filled him in on what had happened. I let him know our relief crew was on the site and working on the water line repairs. He'd already got an update from Dan Chung. I got more of the "what the hell were you doing there, Ian," from him, but it was more in curiosity than in frustration. I was asking myself the same question. My shopping trip was a complete bust and I had to start again next weekend. I wondered what disaster I would wander into that day.

When I finished with my statement to the police, I was free to go, and after my brief talk with Dan, I was on my way. I must have looked an ugly sight when I got on the train and people were giving me a wide berth. I couldn't blame them. I knew I had an evening of cleaning up and I wished I hadn't had a date with Shelly. I wondered if I should call her and beg off. I wouldn't be great company as tired as I was.

There was no answer at her home phone, so I left a message.

"Hey, Shelly, it's Ian. I'm sorry to call so late, but I've had a horrible day and I think I'll be too tired to go out with you tonight. I apologize and I promise to make it up to you soon. Call me when you get this and I'll explain. I'll be home all evening."

I stripped off my clothes and put them in the washing machine, coloured or not. I got under the shower and stayed there for ten minutes trying to get the grime and smell off me. I felt a hundred percent better when I dried off, but I was dead tired and after donning shorts and a t-shirt, I crawled onto my bed and slept. At some point, my parents must have come home because I could hear them when I woke. I glanced at the clock and saw it was five-thirty and realized I'd slept for nearly three hours. I was a bit groggy, but I knew I should get up.

"What are those clothes in the washing machine, Ian?" Mom asked.

"Mine, Mom. They got dirty and they needed to be washed," I said without elaboration. That seemed to satisfy her.

"Late night last night?" Dad asked.

"No ... I just got a little worn down this afternoon and decided to have a nap. When did you get home?"

"Just before you woke up," Dad said. "The mall was a zoo and the stores were all busy. We had a terrible time getting served."

"Yeah ... I guessed that's what it would be like. That's why I went down to the old town to shop. Nowhere near as crowded, but parking is crazy. I took the train."

"Smart," Dad said. "Maybe that's what we should do next time, dear."

"Too much walking," Mom said, which got Dad laughing.

"And we didn't walk much today?" he challenged.

So far I hadn't had to do any explaining about my day, and I was grateful for that. I knew the inquisition would come. It was just a matter of when. No one had turned on the TV, so the news would go by without anyone seeing it. At least, not in this house.

I was hungry after having only the Bratwurst and a soft drink, so I had an extra helping of Mom's patented Macaroni & Cheese. She put interesting cheeses and chopped onion and some other things in it. It was our number one favourite comfort food during the winter. I even had a small piece of apple pie that had been left over from Shelly's visit last Sunday.

We finished dinner and, as usual, I helped Mom with the dishes. Dad headed for the family room and soon enough I heard the TV. I guessed he'd have the hockey game on, so I didn't worry about him hearing anything about my latest exploits. That hope lasted about a half-hour.

The phone rang and I picked it up.

"Ian! You did it again!" Shelly was almost hollering into the phone in an accusatory tone of voice.

"Did what?" I said, holding the phone away from my ear and feigning ignorance.

"Don't give me that. You know exactly what I'm talking about. You rescued a hostage from some gunmen. What were you trying to prove?"

"Calm down, Shelly. It wasn't quite like that," I said, hoping that she'd accept my word for it.

"You're not telling the whole story, Ian. I'm on my way over there. I want to know exactly what happened and I don't want the short version."

"Okay, Shelly, I'll see you when you get here," I said, resigned to my fate.

"What was that about," my sonar equipped mother asked.

"Oh, nothing much. Shelly's coming over. I'll tell you about it then."

"Tell us about what?" she persisted.

"Oh, just how my clothes got dirty this afternoon, that's all."

"There must be more to it than that," Mom continued. "I want to hear the whole story too."

Well, there it was. I now knew how I was going to spend my November Saturday evening, and I didn't expect to enjoy it.

~*~

"You did WHAT?" my mother almost screamed. "Ian ... what on earth were you thinking?"

"Calm down, Naomi," Dad said in a quiet voice. "Let Ian tell the story his way."

I let out a big sigh and looked over at Shelly, sitting beside my mother with a faint frown on her lips.

"So, I put this woman over my shoulder and made my way to the ladder and climbed up to the top. The police and rescue people took over from there. It was after that I found out the woman was a hostage and the guys had guns. I never saw a gun and anyway, neither of them was in any condition to use one."

My father was shaking his head and Shelly was holding her hand over her mouth, her eyes twice as big as normal. My mother looked like she was in shock."

"Ian," she said in her no-nonsense voice, "this has got to stop! You can't go around saving the world. That's not your job."

"Mom, there are times when something has to be done and standing on the sidelines isn't one of them. I don't go looking for these situations, they just happen. Like today. Who knew that sink hole would open up at just the moment I was there. You can't plan those things. They just happen."

Mom seemed to have run out of gas for the moment, so there was a silence until Dad spoke in his quiet voice.

"What do you think, Michele?"

She looked at me before she turned to Dad. "I think you have the most amazing son any family could ever hope for. I think I have the most amazing boyfriend I could ever imagine. I also think he's crazy," she said, looking straight at me without cracking a smile.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I groaned.

Our conversation was interrupted by a phone call from the morning newspaper asking for an interview about the incident that afternoon. I gave them only the abbreviated version, referring them to the police for more information. Amazingly, that seemed to satisfy them. It wasn't until later that I realized they must have been up against their deadline.

Bud Fosdick phoned a little later and my dad talked to him for some time before he handed the phone to me. Whatever they had to say, I didn't hear, although I could hear some laughter from my dad now and then. He came back into the living room and handed me the phone.

"Hi, Mr. Fosdick."

"Ian ... you've been calling me Bud for the last few months. If I wasn't okay with that you'd know about it. Now, the reason I called, other than to compare notes on your sanity with your father, is to tell you I want to see you first thing Monday morning. I know it isn't a scheduled day for you, but humour me and be there. Okay?"

"Sure Mr. ... Uh ... Bud. I'll be there." I hung up the phone and headed back into the living room.

"Did it sound like I was in trouble when you talked to him, Dad?"