Taro Patch

Japanese tourists have this thing for T-shirts, that for some reason, carry slogans that make absolutely NO fricking sense. The problem with these, is that they distract the shit outta me. They are so off the wall - -

"Super Sexy Dog Bone"

Or, they are just so bizzare -

"Big Time Trojan Wearer"

Some just flat out make NO sense -

" I am Amusement Happy"

There is a shop that caters to this freak show called -

88 Tees

The shop carries - nothing but T shirts with the slogan - "88 Tees"

Besides the often big time strange quotes, some have statements that, well, YOU guess.

"Kickstomper freedom makers"

"Cracker - makes a soup"

"Save the Sunshine happy makers, want to free?"

"Winky doo"

Some are rhinestone studded, some are plain, some have color combo's that would do the national Phillipines fashion bureau proud.

I almost run these guys over sometimes, on the way to her pinkness. Reading and digesting 'em. I gotta get photos of this stuff.

+++++

Alarm Bureau last night -

Had a call come in, via EMS 911, ... Back up first. The call taking computer I work on it blasts a alarrm sound that wakes the dead. You answer the thing by hitting the space bar or using the mouse. You see where the call came from (cell, home, EMS, HPD, whatever) and are connected immediately. The EMS dispatchers have the caller on the line while they ask us for a co-response. We get the address, and send the troops. The hard part is, the callers are on the line, if inept, scared or emotional, we aear the exchange between the EMS and the caller. you can dis-connect. I listen, as I enter the info for the dispatch. Multi-tasking at its finest.

Any who - There are the cardiac's, the difficulty breathings, the diabetic coma's, what have you. you hear such desperation, frustration or horror in the caller voices. Some are makers for long nights.

2145 last night, I take a call from EMS, the address pops up, the name, number, other meaningless information. The EMS voice, disembodied, yet familiar, and calm as hell, says - "Fire?, Co-response, address on the screen... Hanging"... All I say is "on our way"

I didnt disconnect. EMS goes on to say -

"Is she breathing?"

Caller (boarder line hysterical) - " No!...she is ...Oh God!...Come please! No!...No!"

EMS (calm) - "Mam, stay with me on the line, is she on the floor?"

Caller - (noises, cries, various sounds of woe) " Yes,.....she.. is on the floor"....." Oh please, No some...come...Dean? No...Oh God (wails, cries)...."

EMS (calm) - "Does anyone know CPR?"

Caller - (pulling every ounce of strength to relate in a calm tone) - "Yes....my son... he is a City and County lifegaurd, he is doing it now"

EMS (relieved, calm) - "Great, How old is she?...How long since she was last seen?"

Caller - "She is 16, I dont know.....maybe..."

I had to cut, I had to. Knowing that a 16 year old was trying to take her own life was about as big a downer as they come. But the thought that stayed in my mind was why would you? I tried to make sense of it, but there is none. I wondered about the Lifeguard brother, who would be trying to rescue his own family member, her Mom, right there, trying to come to grips with the importance of the phone call she was making. I felt so sorry, but in the back of my mind I wondered if she knew how many people she affected by her action?

Do any of us really know how much we influence the days of others?

I tried to smile a little more often today, I dont know if it worked, I hope so.


Aloha.