Reltney McFee: Blog

I graduated from nursing school nearly 40 years ago. At that time, The Big City was significantly different from what our society is like today. My sainted parents kept their own counsel regarding my career choices, and my living in what, at that time, was "The Murder City". (That, of course, would explain a lot of the going-their-own-way life choices my own children have made, wouldn't it?)

At that time, I worked for the Big City Fire Department's EMS Division. Things were, to be kind, tense, on many of our scenes. I wore a ballistic vest (because a pistol would just be a felony), carried multiple knives (and kept them honed to a fine edge), and constantly kept my head on a swivel. I was truly blessed to have as a partner (let us call him) "Doug", who was about good patient care, good clinical judgement, and common sense. We were kindred spirits. When he was attending to the patient, I made it a point to watch his back, and when I medic-ed, he watched mine.

So, in any event, the views of some of the members of the department were, let us say, benighted. One particular dim soul went to another guy I had been partnered with, another stand-up guy, good medic, and my friend, and asked him if I was still "seeing that nigger bitch".

Wow.

So, as you likely know, that was just wrong. Even beyond the vulgar characterization of a women that he had never met, there was the entire mis-characterization of a lovely, educated, hardworking woman as what we, today, circumlocute as "the "N" word". Then, there was the fact that Kathy was about as far from bitchy as any woman I have ever been blessed to spend time with.

Just a bit more deliberation leads to the question of just how and why my love life (or lack thereof) is/was any of this fools business?

So, as it developed, I was a fool, myself, and cheated on Kathy. I was in my young twenties, and, well, f@cked up when another woman presented the opportunity for a dalliance. Rather than passing it up, and realizing that no nookie could be worth my relationship with this woman, yep, I took the bait.

And, as is common with women, she KNEW ALL immediately once we next met, and pried every tawdry detail from me.

To my everlasting shame.

So, I hope that I can do her honor, and justice, in my tales. She did not deserve the shallow poltroon that I was at the time. The only slim reed of redemption that I can claim, is that I never cheated again on any girlfriend. Or wife.

Just now submitted for posting. I hope y'all enjoy it.

Thank you to the folks who presented typos, misspellings, mis statements, and otherwise provided advice on how to tighten up "Emily". In particular, CoullPert spent a lot of time and considerable effort to help me clean up the results of my fumble-fingering my story.

The re submitted story is more clean, and, for those who do not want to wade through a month-by-month serial, may be more enjoyable to read.

Enjoy!

I have just submitted Chapter 13. This wraps up this story. It is not impossible that there may be follow on stories, but for the present, I'm finished.

Thank you to everybody who read along, and encouraged me to fill out the tale. I hope you enjoyed it, and that it met your expectations. And, particularly, thank you to the folks who commented. Everyone. I am tickled that you all were engaged enough in this story, to reflect and share the results of that reflection.

Happy Mother's Day!

Read Jay Cantrell's blog post. Duty: it's what Adults do.

http://storiesonline.net/blogentry/43887