Chapter 46
Colby
“So, does anybody here think they might like to be a firefighter one day?” I ask the assembled crowd of about one hundred sixth-graders at Theo’s school. I’m flanked by three firefighters—two guys and a badass woman. A red fire truck is parked behind us, its gleaming doors swung open and its large hoses unfurled across the blacktop.
Keane, Ryan, and Zander are standing off to the side, ready and waiting for their cue, should I give it to them.
Lydia is standing at the back of the crowd with the sixth-grade teachers and about a dozen other mothers, all of whom, oddly enough, decided to take time out of their busy schedules to attend this particular school assembly today.
And for the past fifteen minutes, my fellow firefighters and I have been giving the kids an overview of what it means to be a firefighter.
In response to my question—whether any of the kids is interested in becoming a firefighter one day—a whole bunch of kids raise their hands... including the one Lydia pointed out to me earlier as Theo’s tormenter, Caleb.
“Awesome,” I say. “Any of you think you might like to become a paramedic, too, like me and my friends Emma and Dave here?”
Again, a bunch of hands go up. Including Caleb’s.
“That’s great,” I say. “I love it when I see kids thinking about doing something that helps other people. Let me ask this: even if you don’t want to be a firefighter or paramedic when you grow up, does everybody here agree we should all try to help other people now and again?”
Every hand in the place goes up.
“I agree,” I say. “You want to know why I’m leaning on these crutches? Because I got hurt trying to help someone who was trapped in a fire.”
A hushed murmur rustles through the crowd.
“Because that’s what firefighters do. We do whatever we can to help people. That’s our motto: service before self. Does anyone know what that means?”
A bunch of hands go up. I call on a little girl with ringlet curls.
“If someone needs you, you help them, even if you might get hurt.”
“That’s right,” I say. “Can I get a show of hands if you think it’s the right thing to do to help other people who are in need in some way? Even if it’s just, you know, being nice to someone who might be sad one day? Someone who maybe needs a friend because other people are being mean to him or her?”
Every hand goes up.
“Man, I’m happy to see that, guys. When someone else is sad or hurt and you make them feel better, then it makes you feel better. Like, for instance, let’s say someone is being teased or bullied and you stick up for them. Maybe you tell the bully to stop. To the kid who was being bullied, you’d be that kid’s hero, wouldn’t you? Raise your hand if you’ve ever been bullied.”
A bunch of hands go up, including Theo’s. And Caleb’s.
I turn to my firefighter friends. “Any of you ever been bullied?”
Emma to my right tells the kids a story from her childhood about a time she was bullied because of her nose. And then my buddy Dave tells a story about being teased because of his height.
“See? Everyone goes through something,” I say. “My brother, Keane, over there used to get teased a lot, too.” I motion to my brother. “Say hi, Keane.”
He waves. “Hi.”
“Keane just came to watch today with his friend Zander, just for fun. They’re not firefighters. Keane was a professional baseball player and Zander is a fitness trainer. But, hey, as long as they’re both here, let’s find out if they were teased. Zander?”
Zander waves at the crowd and tells everyone a brief story involving him always having the “wrong” clothes.
“Keane?” I ask. “What about you?”
Keane waves at the crowd. “Hey, everyone. Yeah, I was teased at lot in sixth grade for being a bed wetter.”
The crowd collectively gasps. Several of them, Caleb included, look at Theo. But, God bless Theo the Lionhearted Boy, he’s doing exactly what I told him to do: he’s keeping his eyes locked on Keane’s.
Keane continues, “I felt super embarrassed about it, but then I met this guy.” He indicates Zander standing next to him. “And he threatened to beat anybody up who made fun of me.”
Everyone laughs.
I say, “Oh, well, we’re not going to do that, though, right, guys? Nobody’s beating anybody up. But we’re certainly going to stick up for each other and tell bullies to stop, right? Because we’ve all got something we’re embarrassed about. Will you guys make me a promise from now on you’ll stick up for someone who’s being bullied or teased? We’re all in this together.”
Unanimous promises abound.
“Thank you so much, guys. You don’t have to rush into a burning building to be a hero. You just have to stick up for what’s right. So come up here and get a sticker firefighter badge if you’re willing to make that pledge to stick up for what’s right and be a hero and then anyone with a badge can try on our turnout gear and hold the hoses. And while you’re all doing that, I’m gonna select a few of you to sit in the fire truck and work the sirens.”
I steal a quick look at Theo. He’s looking right at me. And the message he’s sending me is unmistakable: Thank you.
***
“Press this button here, Caleb,” I say, and the little shit presses the button to make the siren wail.
Everyone in the crowd screams and cheers and Caleb hoots.
“Pretty cool, huh?” I say, turning off the blaring sound.
“Awesome,” the little fucker agrees.
“So, hey, Caleb,” I say. “Have you ever bullied anyone?”
His face flushes. He shakes his head.
“No?”
Caleb shakes his head again, looking like he’s about to hurl.
“Huh. That’s not what I heard. Just between you and me, I’m in love with Theo Decker’s mom and she told me there’s a kid named Caleb who keeps calling her son ‘Pee-o’ and throwing water on his crotch when he walks by in the halls. Was she talking about a different Caleb?”
Caleb has gone completely pale. He doesn’t reply.
If this little turd were an adult, now would be the time I’d lean in and tell him I was going to break his legs and punch every tooth out of his asshole mouth if I hear even a whisper about him so much as scowling at my boy ever again. But, unfortunately, since I can’t say shit like that to an eleven-year-old, especially not in my official capacity as a firefighter, I choose a different tack. “Ever heard the expression, ‘The oppressed becomes the oppressor,’ Caleb?”
He shakes his head.
“It means people who hurt others usually have been hurt themselves.” I pause. “Is that what’s going on here, Caleb? Has someone been hurting you? Are you having a hard time at home for some reason?”
Caleb’s eyes prick with tears. “My parents are getting divorced.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“My dad screams at my mom a lot. And when I tell him to stop it, he screams at me.”
Suddenly, I don’t want to rip this kid’s head off anymore. I just want to help him. “Do you have someone you can talk to about that? Someone who can help you?”
Caleb shrugs. “My uncle. But he’s being deployed next week.”
I touch his shoulder. “I tell you what. I’ll leave my number with your teacher and tell her to give it to you. If you ever need something, feel free to call me and I’ll do what I can to help you.”
He nods. “Thank you.”
“But I’m not gonna put myself out there to help you if you’re gonna keep picking on Theo or anyone else. Is that clear, Caleb?”
He nods.
“Say it out loud for me, Caleb. Promise me you’re gonna stop picking on my boy.”
“I’ll stop picking on Theo.”
“And anyone else.”
“And anyone else. I promise.”
“Awesome. As much as I’d like to believe you, let me give you a little incentive.” I squeeze his shoulder. “Make it to the end of this school year without me hearing you’ve teased or bullied or looked cross-eyed at Theo again, even once, and I’ll give you and a friend a VIP tour of the firehouse. I’m talking about a ride-along in the truck. Getting to spray a big hose in the back. The whole nine yards.”
“Oh my God.”
“But I swear to God, Caleb, if Theo tells me you’ve so much as looked at him funny the rest of this school year, my offer of friendship and the VIP tour are both off the table. And not only that, I’ll come to your class and tell everyone what you did and how disappointed I am in you.”
“I won’t do another thing to Theo. I swear.”
“I know you won’t.” I remove my hand from his shoulder. “Now go over to my boy and tell him you’re sorry for everything you’ve done to him and that you swear to God it won’t happen again.”
I help him down out of the cab and off he goes, straight to Theo.
As Caleb approaches Theo, I search the crowd for Lydia’s face to find her eyes trained on her son, looking like she’s holding her breath. Now my eyes drift to Ryan. He’s also watching Caleb approach Theo. I find Keane and Zander. They’re holding a large fire hose with a line of kids, shouting animatedly about some imaginary fire they’re all putting out together. I smile to myself. Why doesn’t that surprise me?
Now I return to Theo. Caleb is just now reaching him.
They talk. Caleb gesticulates. Theo looks wide-eyed and incredulous. Caleb puts out his hand and Theo warily shakes it. Caleb pats Theo on the shoulder and walks away. And little, skinny, heartbreaking Theo lets out the hugest exhale of his life.
I look at Lydia to find her already staring at me. She mouths, “Thank you.” And I wink.
“Oh my God, Colby!” It’s Theo. He’s standing in front of me, looking flushed. “Caleb just apologized to me! He said he’d never do it again!”
“Awesome.” I high-five him.
“What did you say to him?” Theo asks. “Did you threaten to beat him up or something? I can’t believe that just happened.”
“I didn’t threaten to beat him up. I’d never threaten a kid. I just talked to him. Got to know him a bit.”
Theo’s obviously not buying it. “But what exactly did you say to him, Colby? He said he wants to be friends.”
“I just talked to him and told him to leave you alone. So, if Caleb comes at you again, make sure you tell me, okay?”
Theo’s smile is beaming. “I will. Thank you so much, Colby.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I can’t believe you did this for me. I can’t believe it.”
“I’d do anything for you, Theo. Literally, anything.”
To my shock, Theo throws his arms around my waist, almost making me lose balance on my crutches. He lays his cheek flush against my abdomen and whispers, “Thank you, Colby. I’m so glad my mom picked you to be her boyfriend.”