Gus Answers a Fire Alarm

January 1954

GUS ANSWERS A FIRE ALARM

byMartinBunn

An old smoke-eater with a two-horsepower fire wagon

makes things plenty hot for the Model Garageman.

TherewasanaromaaboutSamBoise,andithadalwaysbeenthereasfarbackasanyonecouldremember. Itwasthesmellofharnessdressingandbrasspolish,aclean-scentedreminderoftheman'sonelove,hispastandprofessioninabrawling,brightlycoloredtimethatisdeadforever. Thearomabelongedwiththefiercemustacheof60years'cultivation,withtheremnantsofbrass-buttoneduniform,andwiththeprideandnostalgiainthefadedblueofhiseyes. Ifithadn'tbeenforSamBoise,thetownmightnothaverememberedtheoldfirehouseandthehorse-drawnteampumperthatusedtoanswerthebellsoundingthealarmfromthechurchtower.

SamstoodnowinGusWilson'sModelGaragestaringwithanexpressionofdistasteatthemodernfiretruckthatGuswasbusilyworkingon.

"Neverhadtogivehorsesanoverhaul. Keep'eminhayandrub'emdownwithburlap,andthey'dalwaysanswerthebell."

"You'reright,Sam. Buttrucksarefaster."

"Faster!"Samsnorted. "Wehadtwodappledgrays. HarryandOldDad,thatcouldgettoafireasfastasanyofthesegas-belchers! I'devensaythosetwowhitesIgotnowwouldshowagoodrace."

Gusgrinned. GoodoldSam. Theoldfirehousestillstood,justafewblocksaway. Thefirewagonwasstillthere,gleamingbrassandwood,andbrightredpaint. Sammanaged,too,tokeepapairofhorses.

Theoldvolunteerbrigadehadlongsincefadedintothelandofyellowedphotographs,butSamhadstayedon. Notthatheeveransweredthealarmanymore. Butheturnedtheoldfirehouseintoasortofmuseum,somethingforpeopletolookatandremember. AndthemayorsawthatadribbleofcivicfundskeptSamfromrunningtheplaceonpridealone.

"Soyoudon'tcareforthegasolineage?"

"Youknowtheoldsaying,Gus."

"Sure, 'Getahorse!"

"Itstillgoes. Ifthedepartmentstillusedhorses,youwouldn'tbebreakingyourbackoverthatmachine."

"Hey,old-timer,I'vegottomakealiving! Andbesides,Idon'tgetafiretruckinhereveryoften.

They'vegottheirownmechanicoveratthefirehouse. Justdon'thavetheequipmenttodoamajoroverhaul,that'sall."

Guswasfittingnewringstothepistonswhenthesoundofafire-enginesirenwailedoverthenoonquietnessoftown.

"Theregoesonenow,"Gussaid.

"It'sabaddayforafire. Drywind. Noraininalongtime."

"Yeah,looksthatway. Buttheygotthatothertrucktousewhilethisone'soutofcommission."

AnOldFireHorseNeverForgets

SamBoisefidgetedinthedoorwayforamoment. Itwashardforanoldfirehorselikehimtositbackanddonothing. Hewasnear80,buttherearesomethingsamanneverforgets.

"Icansmellit,"Samsaid.

Gussniffedbutgotonlytheodorofthegreaseinthegarage. Hecontinuedhiswork,thinkingaboutlunch.

Amomentlater,thephonerang.

ThevoiceattheotherendwasFireChiefJoeInsley's. Guslistenedforaminute,andthenhungupwithabang.

"I'vegottorun,Sam. Thatenginejustquitatthefire,andshe'snotpumpingwater!"

"What'sburning?"

"ThewarehouseinbackofJohnson'sHardware."

Gusjumpedintohistruckandbarreledoutofthegarage.

Thefirewasonlyashortdistanceaway,inanalleyjustoffthemainstreet. Heknewthewarehouse. Itwasloadedwithpilesoflinoleum,furniture,plastics,fabrics. Andalmostjammedagainstthewarehouseonthreesideswerewoodenframebuildings.

Whenhewasonlyablockaway,Gusslowedupatthepolicelinethrownaroundtheareatokeeppeoplefromunderfoot. Ahugecloudofsmokewasbillowingup,dimmingthesun.

"Lethimthrough,"heheardavoiceshout,andsawOfficerBillyRyanwavinghimon.

Hestoppedattheentranceofthealley. Alongribbonofhosestretchedfromahydrantonthemainstreet,throughabuildingtothegreatwatertanksinthetruck,butitwasofnousewithoutthepowerfulpumptoboostthepressurelostoverthedistance. JoeInsleycameuptohimwithdesperationinhisface.

"Gladyou'rehere,Gus. Theenginejustactedupallatonce. She'llidleallright,butwehavetolockthethrottleatahigherspeedforthepumptoworkfastenough. Assoonaswetrytogooveranidle,shequits. Thereisn'tmuchtime. Thefireisn'tburningtoofastnow,butifitspreadstothosestoresoffabricsand plastics."

Gusliftedthehoodandtookintheenginelayoutwithaquicklook.

Itwasn'teasy,tryingtodiagnoseenginetroublewithsmokestinginghiseyesstandinginashowerofashesandsparks. Oneminute'sdelaymightmeanonesparktoomany,oneextragustofwind…thewholeblockwasthreatened.

Firstheunclampedthedistributorcapandcheckedinside. Thepointswerefine,theblade-springintact,andtheworksmovedfreelywithoutsticking.

"Yourmechanictriedeverything,Joe?"

"Yes. Hecouldn'tfindathing,though."

GusHearstheThunderofHooves

Hemadesuretherewerenoairleaksaroundtheintakemanifold,thatthefuellinewasnotspillinggassomewhereaftofthecarburetor.

Gussteppedbackandslappedatasparkonhisneckindisgust. Ashegropedbackthroughhismindforotherideas,hesuddenlyheardabell. Abellgrowinglouderandthenthethunderofhooves.

Hesawthemeninthealleyscatterandhugthesidesofthebuildings. Andthencameasightthetownhadn'tseeninover40years-SamBoiseinallhisglory,comingdownthealleyintheancientfirewagon,whippingthehorsesintoalastfuriouscharge,andthenthespark-shootingclatterofmetalwheels,ashewrestledittoastop. Thefiremengapedastheoldmansprylyjumpedtotheground.

SamManstheSpoutingHose

"Allright,youyoungmonkeys,hoptoit-thisain'tnowienieroast! Uncouplethathoseonthetrucktankandkeepmytankfull!" SamBoisepulledthespoutinghosetothedoorwayandbeganworkinghiswayin. Acheerwentup.

Therewasnomiracleinthewaytheoldwagoncametolifeafterallthoseyears,notwhenyouknewthelovingsoulofSamBoise. Itworked,anditworkedwell. Thehorsesstoodinquietdisciplineasiftheoldbrigadehadneverdied.

JoeInsleycamebacktoseehowthingsweregoing. "Foundanything,Gus?"

"Notyet." Hewinced. "Thewaythisdarnedsmokegetsinyoureyes! Idon'tknowwhattosay,Joe. I'vecheckedeverythingIpossiblecan."

Hestarteduptheengineagain,andletheridle. Theidle,justasJoesaid,wasgood.Heliftedtheacceleratorarmtofeedhermoregas,andimmediatelyitdied. Gustryingtoseewhatcausedit.

"Say,Gus. Ididn'tknowanythingaboutengines,butisthisdistributorsupposedtomoveeverytimeyougiveitthegas?"

Guslefttheenginekillingandcamearoundtothatside.

"Yes,that'snormal. Yourdistributormovesbackandforthwiththeretardingandadvancingactionofyourtimingapparatus. See,assoonasIlefttheacceleratorarmandgiveitgas,theenginespeedsupandtheignitionadvances,thedistributorturningwith."

EngineSpeedsUpandDies

Gusbrokeoffandstaredatthedistributorastheenginespeededupanddied.

"Wellforcrying--. Thismakesmefeellikeanoilspotandtwiceassilly! Turntheignitionoff,Joe,soIwon'tgetjoltedintonextweek!"

Gusloosenedtheboltsholdingthecoilandmoveditclosertothedistributor,tyingittothebracethatranfromtopoftheradiatortothebottomofthefirewall.

"How'sSamdoing?"heaskedoverhisshoulder.

"Hehasn'tputthefireout,butbygollyhe'sgotitundercontrol!"

"Well,youcanaddyourownhosestothefightinjustaminute."

PumpSettlesDowntoWork

Gusslammedthehooddown,jumpedupbehindthewheelandhitthestarter.

Theenginecrankedforamoment,coughedandthenburstintoeven,throbbingpower. Hesawthefiremenjumpforthehosesandwhentheywereready,hepulledthepumpleverandsawtheheavystreamsofwaterbeginslammingintothefire.

Anhourlater,thefirewasout,andGusgotreadytogo. Insleystoppedhim.

"Justfortherecord,whatwaswrongwiththetruck?"

"Notmuch. Seethisshortwireleadingfromthecoiltothedistributor? It'snotthekindthat'ssupposedtobethere. Yousee,notalldistributorsturnasawholewiththeadvancingandretardingoftheignition. Alotofthemdotheturninginternallyandseparatelyfromtheoutsidecovering. Andthiswirewasmeantforthatkind. Seehowrigiditis? Well,theconstantflexingofthedistributorbodykeptworkingonituntilitsnappedeverylittlestrandinthewire. Itbrokerighthereattheterminalnotonthedistributor.

"Theweirdpartaboutitisthatwhentheengineisidling,andthedistributorisatitsfull-retardedposition,thewireisrigidenoughtoholditspositionandmaintaincontact. Whenyougiveitthegas,thedistributorpullsawayfromthewire,andthewirestillstandingupmakescontactwithnothingbutair,Ididn'tseeit,becausewhenIcheckedoverthatsection,itwastouchingandlookedperfectlyallright.

Andthecapcanberemovedeasilywithoutevendisturbingthewire. Anyway,Ibroughtthecoilclosertothedistributorbecausetherewasn'tenoughslackinthewiretomakeanewconnection. Assoonasyougetbacktothestation,getyourmaintenancemantolocateanewwire,andtherightkind.Say,wheredidSamgo?"

GusVisitsaHospitalPatient

"Iguessyouweretoobusytonotice. Notlongafteryougottheenginestarted,theoldcodgercollapsed. Littletoomuchsmokeinhislungs. He'sdownatthehospitalgettingtreatmentandrest."

Guswalkeddowntohistruck,turneditaroundandheadedforthehospital.

SamBoisewassomewhereontheoutskirtsofsleepwhenhesawGus'sfaceatthefootofthebed. Theoldboydidlookprettywellbushed,butthenostalgiainhiseyeswasbrightenedwithhappiness.

"Well,Sam,yougotyourwishafteralltheseyears."

"Suredid. Itwasjustliketheolddays. Theoldrigworkedprettygood!"

"Itsuredid,Sam. Ifyouhadn'tcomealong,theblockwouldhavegoneup."

"Itallgoestoshowyou,"theoldmanchuckled.

"What'sthat,Sam?"

"Theficklenessofengines. Getahorse!"

Gusgrinnedandwatchedtheoldmandriftoffintoahappysleep.

"Youjustmightberightatthat,Sam."

Gusturnedandtiptoedoutoftheroom.

END