Okay, okay, okay! The strange circumstance has come to my attention that I, who have been selling FICTIONAL stories under my own name since 1994--thirteen years now--am suddenly supposed to write NON-fiction. What a bore!!!!! My firefighter buddies have brought it to my attention that there might be a wee bit of fiction in my account of the cat/rat fire last week. I guess for their benefit I'll let you in on more of the real story!!! To tell you the truth (yes, I promise!) I don't know what I wrote in my other account, only that a friend of mine left a message on my machine saying it wasn't flattering. I guess that's what comes of writing fiction for thirteen years: you learn all these tricks to make everyone else shrink into the shadows while the hero glows and shines. haha
If I actually said I saved all the cats, which I seriously don't remember saying, suffice it to say that the first cat was brought out by a fellow firefighter, Brian Maynard, who I was led to believe stumbled upon him not knowing there were animals inside. I found one kitten stuck in-between the bathroom vanity and the wall, the dead cat behind the door into the living room, and ... okay, I can't remember where I got the other one. Probably on top of that skyscraper I was leaping in a single bound.
Some other firefighters who love cats with all their hearts found the last remaining cat ... I think. I was too busy removing the dazed kitten from the premises and don't know where or when the last one appeared.
And as for the rat, in spite of all the world news claiming the apartment was charred, that it was a huge apartment complex fire, etc., etc., let's say that this was more of a small fire with a smoke incident the major problem, and if the fire had been anywhere near as big as the newspaper told it none of the four legged friends would have survived.
There. If there is fiction in this account it is meant as tongue in cheek and will only be recognized by those who were involved. The rest of this account is true, or at least as closely as I recall. The fact is, the fire didn't seem like that huge of an incident that it should be blown out of proportion, but a good chance for some storytelling. If my version offended anyone, I guess they are fans of nonfiction, not fiction. Sorry!
I had to go back and read the firefighter story since I missed it the
first time. Must be good to be you - leaping buildings and all.
Maybe they could find a part for you in the new movie that's out - you
know the one with the rat (Ratouille I think). He is a chef and you
could follow him around putting out kitchen fires :)