LIVIN THE DREAM

Years ago I worked on a shoot for a prom magazine (classy!) wherein I had the prop stylist buy about a hundred helium balloons.  As luck would have it that very same day my mom was having a 60th birthday bash so I volunteered to take the balloons home, not really thinking about the logistics of hailing a cab on a Friday at 5pm with several dozen helium balloons and then convincing said cab driver to take me to Brooklyn (it took a while).

As I guided my floating herd of balloons down the street I was treated like a rock star by everyone under age 10.  I handed out balloons to every kid I passed and their faces lit up like little lanterns of awe and joy.  It was pretty fabulous. The point of this long winded story is that walking down the street with all these helium balloons gave me an inkling into what it must feel like to be a fire fighter.

Aunt Aggie, who works for the NYC Fire department arranged for Roan to get a private tour of Hook & Ladder 148 in Borough Park (all other aunties - the ante has officially been upped!)  The job requirements of a fire fighter must read thusly:  willing to put life and limb at risk at all times for strangers, AND must be extremely tolerant and patient with small children asking you a million questions and tugging at your clothes at all other times.  Roan was completely star struck to the point of almost being shy. Shy!  Roan!  He got to climb on the truck, push all the buttons, and sweep the floor (his idea).  One of the firemen slid down the pole from the second floor and another even got dressed in all the gear just for the occasion. Every single guy we met there was fantastically generous and kind with us. 

I will note here that my photos aren't great or very thorough and that is because I wanted to actually experience the joy on my child's face firsthand rather than view the entire event from behind the screen of a camera, as I am often prone to doing. 

As if the day wasn't awesome enough, we started with waffles

The fire house

A beautiful old building

Fire truck!

Ladders!

A gong!

I don't know what's going on with Roan's shirt here, but this guy was so nice

Aggie helps Roan slide down the pole

Gear

Cones!

Thanks for the visit!