HELPFUL FIRST RESPONDERS

(A true story)

My wife and I were coming back home ’bout 2 AM

From the Milford E.R., where my wife had been…

I picked her up at the E.R. after finishing work,

But we were at first stymied by a first responder’s quirk.

–

She fell onto the carpet while I was on work time,

Her Lifeline button worked to call help as designed…

They called me first and then she did, in a little shock,

They took her to the hospital and left our door locked.

–

When we returned in the car early the following day,

I was surprised to find that our door handle wouldn’t give way…

So even when I turned the key, the handle didn’t budge

And we were left out in the cold after a tiring trudge.

–

When we had the cottage and our door was safely locked,

I went in through a window and made it in intact…

I had to break a screen in back of our apartment dear

And thankfully a neighbor heard who called out the “all clear”.

–

Didn’t really want the police there to catch me in the act,

They might not have understood or shown me much tact…

The outside screen broke at its lower connection points

And I could raise and unlocked lower pane with stiffening joints.

–

I tried to got in headfirst, but couldn’t pull me in,

I tried to swing the left leg up but it wouldn’t bend….

The right leg made the ledge but then I lost that shoe–

The hanging screen pulled it off when I was getting through!

–

One shoe off on the ground outside and one kicked off within

I found the locking mechanism with a wry grin…

Made sure the door would not freeze up as I went outside,

Out to the car–to rescue my tired bride!

–Jonathan Caswell