a little excitement - part 1

Note: I wrote this today when I got back to my hooch (room) and haven't edited it yet.

Today was a typical day in the PAD – several volunteers and no action. When I first got there, four were playing their usual game of foosball. I went and sat on the back row in the small, three-row waiting room and worked crosswords. Another volunteer came in.

The four from the foosball table eventually came back to the waiting area, and different conversations were going ‘round. The other female volunteer left. I ended up getting brought in. Someone always has a question about my work with Red Cross. What do we do? Are we paid staff here or are we volunteers? How long are we here? Those conversations lead to others.

One of the regulars is from a tiny town in South Carolina right next to Honea Path. This is where one part of my mother’s family settled, I think, in the late 1700s. He knows some Kays who live in the area – more than likely very, very distant cousins of mine. And his wife’s from West Virginia, so we were chatted about WV, too. Then he left, and there were four of us.

All of a sudden we heard that distinctive hum that is a helicopter. Everyone started running to the door, grabbing glasses, gloves and ear muffs on the way. Two helos were setting down by the time we got out there. We’d had no warning whatsoever, knew nothing about who might be coming and in what condition.

The guys grabbed a gurney and were at the ready, and I was right behind. The ones in front are the strong men, and I held back so that I wouldn’t end up in the wrong position.

A crew member opened the door and jumped out, waving to us to come over. We started quickly walking out single file; I was right behind the guy wheeling the gurney. But after we walked about 15 feet, we saw that the patient was ambulatory. Three of us turned around and went back to Hero’s Highway. The fourth guy walked up to the patient, a US soldier, and grabbed his heavy backpack and eventually his body armor as well.

This was a little excitement to break the monotony of the morning, and we went back into the waiting room to hang out for a little longer before leaving for the day.