911 Laughter

 The flames were rising 25, 30, 35 feet in the air.  No fire trucks anywhere and no sirens either.  This was the 2^nd fire I witnessed from my balcony.  The other one far worse, black smoke filled the sky and some died.  This one - no casualties, no injuries, but it was much closer to me.  Only two streets away.

Fire scares me.  It accelerates so fast and gets out of control so easily.

The 911 worker was very professional with me – efficient with that stay-calm tone in her voice.  The fire trucks came, the fire went out, eventually all the smoke dissipated and all is well, save for the fire damage.

I know one of those 911 workers from another city in another state.  I’ve marveled that she must have nerves of steel to take those life and death phone calls for a living.  What she told me was so surprising at first, but then made complete sense.  She and her co-workers laugh, they laugh a lot.  Once the crisis is over and everyone is okay.

I’ve said it many times: the higher the stress, the greater the need to laugh.  I have great appreciation for those who take responsibility for those emergency phone calls and I’m equally happy to know they use the power of laughter to help them do what they do.

Photo:  Stock.xchnge