SHIFT 25...Rick's
ReFlections of his 32 years career in the Fire
Service...
Downtime at the Fire House takes many forms. Today’s blog
I’ll peak into two. Though not played the past ten years as it was from the
70’s through the 90’s, Ping Pong has given a many good escapes. Games were
never as much fun as with Duane or Big Al. Actually, now that I think about it,
Little Al was pretty good himself and Mitch was always a competitor. The video
at the bottom shows what some games would look like. Now, I know what you’re
thinking…if you guys were this good…hello Olympics! And you’re right! Still we
had many good and athletic games. I would often be the guy in the background of
the video at a more than 5 to 10 feet from the table’s edge. What I didn’t have
in finesse, I did have at reaching the little white ball and getting it back
onto the table.
Another
fine ‘down time’ happening was the ‘Poop Deck’. As with Ping Pong it has lost
much of its tradition. The change is due more than anything else to the
‘electronic’ era. Texting, cell phones, X-Box and computer games have taken
away the time telling stories (many of them lies, repeated over and over) on
the ole Poop Deck. Even so we still find an occasion to slowly gather out on
the patio, aka Poop Deck. There is always laughter, remembering days gone by, playing
guitars, planning for the day at the golf course or for some lighting up a
cigar. Not so much into that last one, but a thing of camaraderie none-the-less.
Downtime at the Fire House takes many forms. Today’s blog
I’ll peak into two. Though not played the past ten years as it was from the
70’s through the 90’s, Ping Pong has given a many good escapes. Games were
never as much fun as with Duane or Big Al. Actually, now that I think about it,
Little Al was pretty good himself and Mitch was always a competitor. The video
at the bottom shows what some games would look like. Now, I know what you’re
thinking…if you guys were this good…hello Olympics! And you’re right! Still we
had many good and athletic games. I would often be the guy in the background of
the video at a more than 5 to 10 feet from the table’s edge. What I didn’t have
in finesse, I did have at reaching the little white ball and getting it back
onto the table. 
Another
fine ‘down time’ happening was the ‘Poop Deck’. As with Ping Pong it has lost
much of its tradition. The change is due more than anything else to the
‘electronic’ era. Texting, cell phones, X-Box and computer games have taken
away the time telling stories (many of them lies, repeated over and over) on
the ole Poop Deck. Even so we still find an occasion to slowly gather out on
the patio, aka Poop Deck. There is always laughter, remembering days gone by, playing
guitars, planning for the day at the golf course or for some lighting up a
cigar. Not so much into that last one, but a thing of camaraderie none-the-less.
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