I've been thinking a lot this week about Malcolm.

I usually go through my days and weeks having no clue whether A shift or B shift is on, and which shift is he anyway? I know he's told me, I know I can look on the Saginaw Fire Dept. webpage and there's a calendar for the shifts and I could at any time know his schedule. But that's a lot to remember, I just know he's always a phone call away. And I usually don't even think about his job. I've seen the fire house complete with it's cushy reclining chairs, satellite tv, fancy kitchen and bunk rooms with personal computers in them. So that's the image I think of when I think that Malcolm is at work. It's easier to think that.

Until Monday morning when the news was on with stories of flooding in the Fort Worth/Dallas area. Malcolm is on the swift water rescue squad. "Oh, Malcolm, I'm sure you're out there, be careful."

Later that night there was the story of the furniture warehouse fire in North Carolina that killed 9 fire fighters.

Suddenly the reality of Malcolm's job was different.

Malcolm, be careful. I want you to always be a phone call away.